Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Okays Deferred Associates as Interns

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court’s Committee on Judicial Ethics has signed off on a proposal that would allow deferred law-firm associates to work for the Trial Court as “volunteer interns,” while on the payroll of their firms.

The CJE concluded that Trial Court judges could maintain their impartiality by using a double blind system to select and manage the law clerks. Judges would not know who the employer of each clerk was, reducing the appearance that firms could exert influence over the judge.

In May the Massachusetts Trial Court rescinded offers to 25 incoming court clerks. It is expected to hold layoffs next week.