Social Law Library

05/22/2026

Members please note: Social Law will close at 2:30 P.M. today, Friday, May 22nd and will be closed on Monday, May 25th.

05/14/2026

Homicide trial issues are complex. Our expert panel of judges and attorneys have you covered on all of the hot topics in this area of law, including video evidence and joint venture, evidentiary, gang and jury issues.

This 4 part webinar series (which starts today) is moderated by Hon. Beverly J. Cannone and is CPCS approved 2.0 credits for DAY ONE the Criminal Trials and Appeals, Mental Health Appeals, and YAD Trials and Appeals and CPCS approved 2.0 credits for DAY TWO, THREE and FOUR the Criminal Trials and Appeals, Mental Health Appeals, SDP/SORB and YAD Trials and Appeals.

Today's webinar at 4PM will focus on: Caselaw Update, Caselaw Update, New Model Homicide Instructions, Video Evidence and how to introduce it at trial, Proving joint venture with video and cell phone evidence.

Today's Faculty
Hon. Frank Gaziano, Supreme Judicial Court
Hon. Marguerite Grant, Appeals Court
Hon. Sarah Ellis, Superior Court
Hon. Patrick Haggan, Superior Court
Korrina Burnham, CPCS Senior Trial Counsel – PDD Western Region Springfield
ADA Cailin Campbell, Chief of Ethics and Compliance, Suffolk DA’s Office
David Rangaviz, Esq., Masferrer & Riley, P.C. Boston

Registration & Series Details-https://www.socialaw.com/about/library-calendar/2026/may-2026/spring-2026-homicide-trial-issues-cle-series/

05/04/2026

Did you know Social Law Members Get Remote Access to a Comprehensive Immigration Library? https://tinyurl.com/425by4dd All Social Law Library members have a comprehensive immigration library available right at their fingertips. AILALink is an all-in-one database that gives users access to US statutes, regulations, government memos and guidance, administrative decisions, immigrations forms, and AILA publications – all of them keyword searchable and available remotely from anywhere. Search through multiple different types of documents at once, or narrow your search scope to specific content. For example, you could run find relevant material from the 1st Circuit, Board of Immigration Appeals decisions, and the Immigration and Nationality Act all with one quick search.

In addition to having all of the relevant primary law in one convenient place, AILALink includes a wealth of secondary resources as well. Users can run searches and print chapters from the latest editions of Kurzban’s Immigration Sourcebook, as well as treatises, journals, and guide-books spanning the topics of criminal, family, and business law and their intersection with immigration.

04/15/2026

The Social Law Library will host an open house on Wednesday, April 29, from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM in honor of Preservation Week.

We invite you to join us as we open the stacks to showcase materials from our collection that are not typically available in the Reading Room, and to learn more about our ongoing efforts to preserve and strengthen the collection.

Many of our rare books will be featured, including our oldest book, an early printed version of Justinian’s Institute from 1472, along with colonial laws, old law dictionaries (many of which still get pulled and scanned today), reports of trials, including the transcripts of the cases stemming from the 1919 Great Molasses Flood. We will also display a variety of unique items donated to the Library over the years, ranging from Chief Justice Lemuel Shaw’s chair to personal letters, diaries, and other artifacts.

As a working collection, the Library must carefully balance preservation with access. In addition to maintaining materials in optimal condition, we support use through initiatives such as microfiche conversion, the creation of searchable databases, and the digitization of resources not available elsewhere.

We hope you will join us to learn more about these efforts, speak with our librarians, explore the collection, and enjoy light refreshments. https://www.socialaw.com/

04/01/2026

Social Law Members Have Your Clients Ready to Succeed with Empower Legal Videos https://www.socialaw.com/about/news-and-noteworthy/2026/april-2026/have-your-clients-ready-to-succeed-with-empower-legal-videos/

Litigation can be a stressful experience for everyone involved, and particularly those with the least experience with the formalities of the process: the clients. Most persons have never sat for a deposition, participated in a mediation session, or testified at a trial. When individuals have a personal or financial stake in the outcome of a proceeding, it is crucially important that they arrive prepared for what they will face.

Social Law Library members have access to a great resource to provide guidance for their clients. Use Empower Legal videos to show your clients how to be effective participants in three commonplace settings: depositions, mediations, and trials. These well-produced programs will demonstrate how such legal proceedings unfold and give non-lawyers vital information about their roles in them. Learn More

*Access available to accounts with fewer than 50 attorneys.

03/31/2026

The Supreme Judicial Court announced the release of revised Model Jury Instructions on Homicide. The Justices first approved and recommended the use of Model Jury Instructions on Homicide in 1999. The instructions have been revised on two prior occasions, in 2013 and 2018. The 2026 revisions reflect new developments in the law since 2018. Read the Press Release:

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03/11/2026

Social Law Library Announces Appointment of New Executive Director https://www.socialaw.com/about/news-and-noteworthy/2026/march-2026/social-law-library-announces-appointment-of-new-executive-director/

After twenty-seven years of distinguished service as Executive Director of the Social Law Library, Robert Brink advised the Library’s Board of Trustees in 2025 that he intended to retire. Upon his retirement, Mr. Brink was appointed the first Executive Director Emeritus of the Social Law Library, and will continue to provide consulting services to the Library during the transition of leadership.

After the Board conducted an extensive search for a new Executive Director, it voted to appoint Kyle K. Courtney as the Library’s next Executive Director, effective March 2026.

Mr. Courtney is a lawyer, librarian, and nationally-recognized expert in copyright and information policy, with extensive experience at the intersection of law, libraries, and education. He most recently served as Director of Copyright and Information Policy for the Harvard Library, where he provided strategic leadership on intellectual property, licensing, privacy, and digital access rights for Harvard University.

His earlier experience includes managing faculty research and scholarship at the Harvard Law School Library, as well as teaching roles at Northeastern University’s Khoury College of Computer Sciences and School of Law, where he has taught courses on cyberlaw, privacy, and legal writing.

Mr. Courtney is widely-published and is frequently sought after as a speaker on topics such as copyright, fair use, licensing reform, and the legal challenges of emerging technologies. His scholarship includes contributions to leading journals, books, and policy papers. A recognized leader in the field, Mr. Courtney has received numerous honors, including the IP3 Award for Intellectual Property and the Public Access to Government Information Award.

Mr. Courtney holds a Juris Doctor with Distinction from Suffolk University Law School, a Master of Library and Information Science from Simmons College, and a Bachelor of Arts in History from Mary Washington College.

With his deep expertise in law, policy, and digital transformation, Mr. Courtney provides the Social Law Library with a unique perspective and proven leadership to navigate complex legal and technological landscapes.

03/10/2026

The Consumer Law Essentials: Protecting Home Equity, Tenants, and Financial Health free webinar series starts today at 2PM! The series is cosponsored by the National Consumer Law Center and the Social Law Library; and is funded by the Social Law Library’s Endowment to Promote Understanding of Consumer Issues. https://www.socialaw.com/about/library-calendar/2026/march-2026/consumer-law-essentials-protecting-home-equity-tenants-and-financial-health/

This four-part training equips advocates and attorneys with the essential tools to defend low-to-moderate income clients against systemic financial threats. Participants will gain practical strategies to combat home equity stripping; navigate barriers to rental housing, rental housing junk fees, and rental debt; leverage bankruptcy effectively; and challenge the rising risks of medical debt and credit products.

03/06/2026

Missed one of our webinars? You can still catch up. ⚖️

Past webinars from the Social Law Library are available for purchase, including the full recording and program materials. Once you purchase, simply log in to your Social Law Library account to access the webinar and materials anytime from your account profile.

Stay current on important legal topics—on your schedule.

Here are some recent programs that you might be interested in:

Criminal Law 2025 Year in Review - https://www.socialaw.com/about/library-calendar/2026/january-2026/criminal-law-2025-year-in-review/

Fiduciary Litigation Year in Review - https://www.socialaw.com/about/library-calendar/2026/january-2026/fiduciary-litigation-year-in-review/

Business Litigation Session 2025 Year In Review - https://www.socialaw.com/about/library-calendar/2026/january-2026/business-litigation-session-2025-year-in-review/

Browse all available recordings:

https://www.socialaw.com/education/purchase-recorded-webinars-materials/

02/19/2026

Tax season is upon us! Keeping up with developments in federal income, corporate, and gift and estate taxes can be overwhelming. The Social Law Library has a robust collection of Thomson Reuters Tax books to simply and clearly explain tax law. These titles provide guidance and compliance in the following areas: individual and corporate income tax, employee benefits and deferred compensation, depreciation and amortization, charitable giving, and more.

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