Yesterday, the Massachusetts legislature voted to pass an increase in bar advocate hourly rates over two years — with a $10 increase to go into effect August 1, 2025, and another $10 increase to go into effect August 1, 2026. We know this is not enough, and MACDL will continue to support the tireless advocacy, commitment, and selflessness of the many bar advocates who stand in solidarity to […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 9, 2025
Constitutional Crisis Deepens: Hundreds in Massachusetts Now Without Court-Appointed Lawyers as Indigent Defense System Buckles.
BOSTON, MA – Two weeks after the Massachusetts Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (MACDL) warned of a looming crisis in the Commonwealth’s indigent defense system, the crisis is no longer theoretical—it is unfolding in real time, and the numbers are troubling.
People in Courts across the state are currently […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 27, 2025
BOSTON, MA – The Massachusetts Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (MACDL) stands in full solidarity with bar advocates who are refusing to take additional court-appointed cases as a result of the unsustainably low compensation rates. Bar advocates—independent attorneys appointed by the state to represent low-income defendants—currently […]
The Massachusetts Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (MACDL) condemns the March 22, 2025, Presidential Memorandum titled, “Preventing Abuses of the Legal System and the Federal Court.” As the only statewide association of criminal defense attorneys, we strive to preserve the adversarial system of justice and protect the rights of persons charged with crimes. The President’s Memorandum is a transparent attempt to chill our professional duty and moral obligation […]
MACDL rejects all action taken by the current federal administration to deny our clients’ rights, especially those who are most marginalized and vulnerable. To this end, we have convened a working group to review the current and future federal policies, educate our members as to how these policies are likely to […]
Join MACDL as we gather together to honor the Mattis/Robinson team, who will be awarded this year’s President’s Award.
It is hard to believe that it is already July and summer is in full swing. MACDL has been busy advocating for lawyers and clients in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. I am pleased to provide you all with several updates on our organization’s efforts to create an effective, accessible, and fun community for new and experienced criminal defense lawyers.
To those of you who helped kick off a strong first-half […]