Member Trainings

AmeriCorps Training Program

The Massachusetts Legal Assistance for Self-Sufficiency Program (MLASSP) has created a monthly training program covering a wide-range of legal skills and AmeriCorps ideals for the twenty-eight members serving in sixteen legal aid programs throughout the Commonwealth. Six attorneys, representing different focus areas, serve as a training advisory team and collaborate with the Program Director and partner sites. Together they develop and implement basic legal advocacy, community outreach, and career development in public service law. The 2011-12 training team includes Attorneys Denise Hincken, Susan Love, Susan Nagl, Weayonnoh Nelson-Davies, Sarah Roxburgh, Brian O'Connor and  Valerie Zolezzi-Wyndham.  Additionally, all partner organizations provide site-specific training directly related to the member placement.

 

AmeriCorps Training Team

Denise Hincken, Managing Attorney

South Coastal Counties Legal Services, Inc.

Brockton Law Office

Attorney Denise Hincken, a graduate of the University of Pittsburg School of Law, began practicing law in Pennsylvania, initially specializing in family and public benefits. She expanded her focus to elder law issues as the legal services Title III attorney and also served as an assistant district attorney while maintaining her general civil private practice. Attorney Hincken joined Southeastern Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation (SMLAC-now known as SCCLS) in 1990 as a staff attorney in Fall River and continued with her representation of clients in Probate and Family Court including public benefit administrative hearings and judicial reviews. She has assumed responsibility as the Seniors Law Project Coordinator for the Bristol Elder Services, Inc. Title III grant and also coordinated SCCLS’s OCPC Brockton and Coastline New Bedford Senior Law Projects. Attorney Hincken has been Managing Attorney for South Coastal Counties Legal Services, Inc. at the Brockton law office since 2002.

 

Susan Love, Attorney
South Coastal Counties Legal Services, Inc.
Brockton Law Office

Attorney Susan Love has been a staff attorney at South Coastal Counties Legal Services, Inc. in Brockton since 2000, focusing on domestic violence/family law and education law. Before joining SCCLS Susan was in individual private practice for four years doing general civil practice and before that at the Children's Law Center in Lynn, MA, focusing on special education cases. She graduated from Boston University School of Law in 1993 and from Barnard College in 1986 having majored in psychology. Susan worked as a real estate paralegal for three years before attending law school.  Susan has served as an MLASSP Supervisor since 2007.

 

Kathy Marx, AmeriCorps Program Director
South Coastal Counties Legal Services, Inc.

Kathy Marx joined Massachusetts Legal Assistance for Self-Sufficiency as the AmeriCorps Program Director in May 2007. Prior to joining legal services, Kathy spent ten years actively involved with Learn and Serve America and the Corporation for National and Community Service as the community service learning coordinator for a local school district. In that position she worked with students, staff, and community members to teach students the importance of civic engagement by giving them opportunities to serve both in and out of the classroom. Kathy never ceases to be amazed by the caliber of young people with whom she is privileged to serve and the dedicated attorneys who have made legal services their life’s work.

 

Weayonnoh Nelson-Davies, Esq.

Attorney Weayonnoh Nelson-Davies received her juris doctorate degree from the Roger Williams University School of Law in Rhode Island. As a law student, Weayonnoh served as a legal immigration fellow with the U.S. Human Rights Network advocating for the recognition of the human rights of undocumented immigrants. She also served as a student attorney with the Roger Williams University Community Justice Clinic, representing low-income clients with family law and immigration matters. She coordinated two immigration workshops addressing the immigration debate, the detention process and the rights of detainees. She has been recognized as an excellent oral advocate and has received several best oralist awards in two National Environmental Moot Court competitions and the CALI Excellence for the Future Award in Trial Advocacy, International Law and the Community Justice Clinic.

 

Brian O’Connor, Managing Attorney
South Coastal Counties Legal Services, Inc.
Fall River Law Office

Attorney Brian O’Connor received his juris doctorate degree from Franklin Pierce Law Center in Concord, New Hampshire and his undergraduate degree, majoring in History, from the University of Connecticut. He worked for New Hampshire Legal Services and then for ten years as New Hampshire Public Defender before starting his own practice in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Before joining South Coastal Counties Legal Services, Inc. in 2005, Attorney O’Connor’s practice was limited to criminal defense. As Senior Attorney at SCCLS, O’Connor works primarily on housing cases. He represents individuals in housing court and has two class action lawsuits against the Fall River Housing Authority pending in Federal Court, when not assisting with the AmeriCorps Program and other organizational responsibilities. Attorney O’Connor has been a MLASSP supervisor since 2007 and has been the facilitator of the Statewide Advocacy Project since 2008.

 

Sarah E. Roxburgh, Esq.

Co-Executive Director

Shelter Legal Services Foundation, Inc.

Attorney Sarah Roxburgh specializes in assisting homeless and imminently homeless individuals with a variety of civil legal matters, including housing, landlord/tenant, and family law matters.  She is responsible for SLS's organizational management, along with Attorney Scheelein.  Attorney Roxburgh directs SLS's legal clinics at the Cambridge Mullti-Service Center and Rosies's Place.  Sarah received her B.A. from Northeastern University College of Arts & Sciences and her J.D. from New England Law/Boston.  She was also Co-President of the National Lawyers Guild New England Law/Boston chapter.  Sarah gained experience at Greater Boston Legal Services, the New England Law/Boston Clinical Law Office, and Suffolk County Probate & Family Court.  Attorney Roxburgh is an active member of Senior Partners for Justice and the Women's Bar Association.  She also is a volunteer with Pawprints at Children's Hospital Boston, where she volunteers with her Wheaten Terrier, Herman, visiting patients through their therapy dog visitation program.