Spring 2024 Newsletter

In 1997, Sharon went to Cambridge College to receive her Master's in Education. When she first applied and spoke with a counselor, she was encouraged to take out a Federal Stafford loan of over $10,000 to pay for her degree.

The interest on Sharon’s loan ballooned, but her degree was from a for-profit college and didn’t help her earn a higher-paying job. A few years ago, Sharon contacted Bob Sable from GBLS’ Consumer Rights Unit. With Bob’s help, Sharon submitted a claim to the Department of Education asking for relief. As a result, her loan was fully discharged.

Sharon wrote a letter to Bob afterwards, saying that “twenty-seven years after the terrible experience and bad memories... I have received justice! I am very grateful for all the persistent effort... that Mr. Sable expended on my behalf to have my student loan forgiven! Thank you so much, Mr. Sable, for championing my just cause.” 

Zoe Cronin has worked at GBLS for over 10 years, working in both our Administration and Housing Units. In her newest position, Zoe is supporting the organization as Deputy Director. We sat down with Zoe to learn more about her work, what inspires her, and what her new role entails.

GBLS: How long have you been at GBLS? How did you get to the position you’re in today?

Zoe Cronin: I have been at GBLS since February 2008. At the beginning of my legal career, I worked for three years as a housing attorney and community lawyer in New York City. Then, I worked for three years at legal aid in Brockton practicing family, housing and disability law. I joined the GBLS Housing Unit in 2008 and when the Great Recession affected GBLS a year later, I joined the Development team in Administration to help raise money to support GBLS while maintaining my legal work in the Housing Unit. After six years, I became the Director of Development, and then in late 2016, I became the Managing Attorney of the Housing Unit. I started in this [Deputy Director] position in mid-January 2024.

GBLS: Why is this work important to you? What got you interested in legal aid?

ZC: I love legal aid because the work is so meaningful, fast-paced and fun. I accidentally learned about legal aid in my fourth year of college. I did a January term project with GulfCoast Legal Services in Florida.  I knew I was applying to intern at a law firm, but I was astonished to meet a dynamic lawyer (dressed in sneakers and cut-off jean shorts!) who asked me to help her organize a class action lawsuit to defend a mobile home park located in downtown Sarasota from being forced to close by the city. The residents of the mobile home park were recent immigrants or elders who had nowhere else to live and could not afford to move. I immediately loved working closely with tenants who cared about their community, were willing to fight back and to join a very tiny team of lawyers and law students bringing their concerns to the media and court. Even when the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) restrictions came down and LSC-funded organizations could not do class actions or organizing, the attorney I worked with kept on with the case on her own time, from her living room. This dedication to law and justice is what first inspired me and continues to inspire me to work with GBLS advocates today. 

GBLS: What does being Deputy Director look like day-to-day? 

ZC: Being a deputy director involves meeting with people in their offices or wherever they are practicing, all day long. My main role is to support Jacqui [GBLS’ Executive Director]. I am currently supporting the managing attorneys, the Central Screening [intake] Unit, and updating and making GBLS' policies and procedures more easily accessible. [A team of us] are designing supervision supports and training for all advocates at GBLS. I assist HR on some interviews and issues. I will be involved in strategic planning. A big part of my role is to connect people at GBLS with each other and provide chances for people to socialize and work together. Ilana Gelfman, our Acting Advocacy Director, and I share an office and work together a great deal. Generally speaking, my role has more to do with the operations of the organization and Ilana's role involves our litigation and legal work. 

GBLS: What are you most excited about in this role?

ZC: I get so much energy from the powerful and committed work coming from GBLS and all of our staff and advocates. It's a privilege to see the whole organization. I like being able to bring together my administrative knowledge and background in law to help GBLS. We can all work together to pass on GBLS' amazing history and to engage everyone at GBLS toward our future. We have never been so big and so able to accomplish meaningful change.

GBLS: What do you like to do outside of GBLS?

ZC: I am mom to an 11-year-old daughter, Wren, and married to Eric. Wren is really into sports, especially soccer, and Eric coaches her team. I am an avid runner and compete in races from 1 mile to half marathons. Last year, I ran 26.True marathon (the real Boston marathon) and this year, I'll be volunteering at it. The race starts in Roxbury and runs through Dorchester, Hyde Park, Roslindale, JP, South Boston, downtown, Brighton and Allston, and is happening again this year again on April 13th -- it's very fun if you want to run or cheer at it.  Our family loves reading, skiing, backpacking and anything outdoors.

Congratulations to former GBLS attorney Manisha Bhatt for her recent confirmation as a Justice of the Probate and Family Court! During her time at GBLS in the Family Law Unit, Manisha represented survivors of domestic violence at HarborCOV and in the Suffolk Probate and Family Court. We are so grateful for all she’s done at GBLS and excited to see what she achieves in the future! 

The inaugural GBLS Equality Fellowship concluded on Saturday, February 24 with a celebration of LGBTQ+ joy and coalition-building in service of fostering increased support and legal services. 

Generously supported by the Equality Fund of the Boston Foundation, the Equality Fellowship brought on two queer youth of color, Kris Cho and Germaine Garcia, to identify challenges faced by low-income LGBTQ+ people in the greater Boston area, and to develop greater understanding of the barriers they face in accessing legal aid and other direct services. During their Fellowship, developed and supervised by DEI Director De'Von Douglass and Pro Bono and Volunteer Coordinator Allie Cislo, the Fellows interviewed GBLS' legal units and projects, shadowed GBLS advocates, and built relationships with community partners such as Fenway Health, the Boston Ujima Project, and the Boston Alliance of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer Youth (BAGLY). 

While gathering qualitative data from advocates and community partners to enrich GBLS’ outreach and access efforts, the Fellows simultaneously planned a community event to bring together representatives from organizations and communities serving and comprised of LGBTQ+, BIPOC (Black and Indigenous People of Color), and transitional-age youth. Attendees enjoyed performances by a local drag performer and spoken word artist, and shared experiences and strategies for empowering and impactful service provision.