As a result of the efforts of classmate Dick Glovsky, on Tuesday, February 21 at 5 pm Eastern Time (US), Joe Berman will be the guest for a Casual Conversation sponsored by the Jewish Culture Group, chaired by classmate Bruce Alpert. Joe Berman’s topic will be the current importance of the Anti-Defamation League.
The following is provided by Dick:
Joe Berman is a long-time member of the Anti-Defamation League family. The nearly 110 year-old ADL is the foremost organization dedicated to addressing antisemitism and prejudice of all sorts. It’s early leaders marched with Martin Luther King in Selma; President Kennedy hailed ADL at its 50th anniversary celebration attended by the entire Supreme Court, the Vice-President of the United States and numerous members of the cabinet and the Congress, as a peerless fighter for right; virtually every president since Kennedy has recognized the ADL’s importance to our country and it continues to fight the good fight.
Joe presently is the Chair of the New England Regional Board of the ADL. From 2018-2022, Joe served as the chair of ADL's National Legal Affairs Committee. In the latter capacity, he has worked on many cutting-edge constitutional law cases in the areas of church-state separation, immigration law, anti-discrimination, and free speech. Joe previously served the ADL in many other capacities locally and nationally, where he sits on ADL’s National Commission and Executive Committees.
Since 2017, Joe has been the General Counsel at the Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers, which governs the conduct of attorneys in Massachusetts. As GC, Joe oversees the enforcement of the Massachusetts Rules of Professional Conduct and advises the 12-member Board of Bar Overseers. In addition to his role as legal counsel to the board, he serves as general counsel to the 80-person office of the BBO and is responsible for myriad issues, including labor and employment as well as data privacy and security.
Joe is the Immediate Past President of the National Council of Lawyer Disciplinary Boards, a member of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court's Advisory Committee on the Rules of Professional Conduct, and a member of the editorial board of the Massachusetts Law Review. He lectures and writes frequently on professional ethics.
Prior to working at the Board of Bar Overseers, Joe was a commercial trial lawyer for over 20 years. His practice focused on representation of lawyers and other professionals, as well as complex commercial litigation. Early in his career, Joe split his practice between civil litigation and criminal defense. He served as lead counsel in over 30 trials and briefed and argued close to 100 appeals. He was named as one of the 100 Best Lawyers in New England for his trial and appellate advocacy. From 2015-2017, Joe worked full time as a mediator and arbitrator.
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The usual rules apply: RSVP to me at arthur.fergenson@ansalaw.com by the end of the day Sunday, February 19. The Zoom invite will go that evening or on Monday.
Please join us.
Arthur