News

For labor trafficked immigrants, T-visas are a life-saving but flawed relief

October 24, 2022
“It's both that people don't necessarily know about it, but it's also that identifying cases as being appropriate for [T-visas] and having folks who would be able to take advantage of it come forward are difficult things,” said Audrey Richardson, GBLS managing attorney. Please click here to read…

Innes Redevelopment Breaks Ground Preserving 96 Units of Public Housing

October 20, 2022
October 18th was the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Innes Redevelopment Project. The newly reconstructed Innes Apartments will provide new homes for the current residents of 96 units of public housing, 40 new middle-income units, and 194 market rate units.  Please click here to read the article.

Advocacy groups decry 'systemic disarray' of Boston Public Schools transportation, special education

October 19, 2022
"The systemic disarray of the BPS transportation and special education departments deprives thousands of Boston children, many of whom are low-income students with disabilities and students of color, of what cumulatively amounts to weeks or months of learning time." Please click here to read the…

Lawsuit says Mass. residents ‘unnecessarily institutionalized’ in nursing homes should have options for independent living

October 11, 2022
Six people with disabilities who are unnecessarily institutionalized in nursing facilities, joined by the Massachusetts Senior Action Council, filed a class action lawsuit in federal district court in Boston. The plaintiffs are represented by the Center for Public Representation, Justice in Aging,…

Families face eviction from property near GLX

October 6, 2022
“We’re looking at all possible options, but there isn’t a guarantee of an option that will actually end up working for these families who are ultimately looking to find stable, affordable housing and hopefully be able to stay in the city of Somerville,” [GBLS senior attorney] Jessica Drew said. …

How to help Boston’s working families struggling with debt

October 5, 2022
"The debt crisis . . . is not driven by profligate spending. It comes from hard-working families borrowing for necessities because wages have not grown with inflation and unanticipated medical costs and high education costs can create unmanageable financial consequences." Managing attorney of GBLS'…

SJC says Boston judge erred in denying marijuana expungement

September 8, 2022
“This is huge. It’s a fabulous decision that reflects common sense: It’s clearly unjust to carry a criminal record for something that’s no longer a crime.” - Pauline Quirion, GBLS attorney  Please click here to read the full article.

Malden Commits To Chinese Language Election Accessibility Measures

August 29, 2022
“This victory for the voting rights of the Chinese American community of Malden is a victory for all our communities,” Jodie Ng, GBLS-AOU staff attorney Please click here to read the full article.

Massachusetts bill would auto-seal criminal records for those who are eligible

June 21, 2022
“The current CORI sealing process has a significant backlog which prevents people from accessing housing and jobs and disproportionately impacts low-income communities and communities of color. The current system is so complicated that people often cannot navigate it without legal assistance,”…

Jury orders construction company to pay $650,000 to immigrant worker in retaliation case

June 21, 2022
"Employers who think that they can take advantage of a worker’s immigration status to undermine their their basic workplace rights... will face serious consequences.” Please click here to read the Boston Globe article.