M A S S A C H U S E T T S
LAW YERS JOURNAL
Volume 25 | Number 1 | Sept/Oct 2017
WWW.MASSBAR.ORG
GETTING BACK TO BASICS
New MBA president to focus on ‘bedrock’ principles, collaboration
MBA President Christopher P. Sullivan.
BY MIKE VIGNEUX
When Christopher P. Sullivan became a lawyer more than 40 years ago, he took an oath — the same oath that Massachusetts attorneys still take today when being sworn in. The oldest attorney’s oath in the United States, it reads: “I solemnly swear that I will do no falsehood, nor consent to the doing of any in court; I will not wittingly or willingly promote or sue any false, groundless or unlawful suit, nor give aid or consent to the same; I will delay no man for lucre or malice; but I will conduct myself in the office of an attorney within the courts according to the
best of my knowledge and discretion, and with all good fidelity as well to the courts as my clients. So help me God.” (Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 221, Section 38) For Sullivan, who began his year as president of the Massachusetts Bar Association on Sept. 1, the basic concepts in the oath still hold true today, especially in times of uncertainty. What he refers to as “bedrock legal principles,” such as the rule of law, due process, access to justice and equal protection, are fundamental aspects of the special role that lawyers play in society. A partner at Robins Kaplan LLP in Boston, Sullivan plans to em-
phasize these basic legal principles throughout the association year. He also hopes to encourage lawyers to think more about their citizenship and civic responsibilities in becoming what he calls “attorney citizens.” Sullivan remembers a time 30 years ago when half of the elected state legislators in Massachusetts were lawyers — a percentage that has dropped significantly since that time. He thinks lawyers have a duty to get more involved in civic matters and should also consider being more politically active, including running for elected office. Another priority for Sullivan is to strengthen the bar’s relationship
with the judiciary by defending it and explaining certain controversial or difficult court rulings or decisions. According to Sullivan, the judiciary is often constrained by the law or judicial ethics when making decisions, such as the granting of parole to defendants in certain criminal matters, as well as issuing mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenses. Depending on the case, a judge might have little or no discretion in determining the outcome based on the law. Instances such as these are where Sullivan sees the bar as having a role in educating the public as why the court decided what it did. “The organized bar has 16
READ THE PRESIDENT'S VIEW ON PAGE 2 | MEET THE 2017-18 MBA OFFICERS ON PAGE 15
STATEWIDE EXPANSION OF HOUSING PAGE 10 COURT
INSIDE
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2017-18 LEADERSHIP ACADEMY
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LEADERSHIP IN LAW SCHOOL
SUMMER SNAPSHOTS
SECTION REVIEW • CRIMINAL JUSTICE
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