Charles J. DiMare has been the Director of the Student Legal Services Office since 1980; he was first employed at the office as a Staff Attorney in October, 1979. He handles both the legal and administrative management of the Student Legal Services Office, and focuses primarily in the areas of civil rights, personal injury, criminal defense, labor and employment law, and higher education law. He also has extensive litigation experience in these case areas. Attorney DiMare also serves on several University and state wide policy committees. In addition to private practice, Attorney DiMare has held legal positions with the federal government, a labor relations law firm, various legal clinics, a public defender's office, and the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination.

Attorney DiMare received both his Bachelor of Arts degree (Political Science, magna cum laude, 1974) and his Masters in Public Administration (1983) at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He completed his Juris Doctor degree, cum laude, at the Vermont Law School (1977) and has since attended numerous legal education and professional training seminars.

Attorney DiMare has been an adjunct professor at the University of Massachusetts, teaching courses in higher education law, and was a visiting professor at Vermont Law School and Northeastern University's graduate criminal justice program, teaching courses in Law Enforcement Civil Liability and Policy Development. Attorney DiMare also frequently lectures on legal issues focusing on civil liability, civil rights litigation, labor and employment law, and higher education law. He was a Chief Steward in the University professional staff union, and a trained Mediator.

Attorney DiMare is admitted to practice law in Massachusetts, the United States Supreme Court and in various federal courts in New England, the Northeast and California. He is a member of the National Legal Aid and Defender Association (Student Legal Services Section), the Massachusetts Bar Association (Individual Rights and Responsibilities Section), the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, the Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys, the National Lawyers Guild (Civil Liberties Section), and the Hampshire and Franklin County Bar Association.

Back to Top

Bernadette Stark recently joined SLSO in January 2008 as a Senior Staff Attorney. She will be representing students before trial, appellate, and administrative tribunals across thestate. She is the Senior Staff Attorney working primarily in the areas of Family Law, Immigration, Personal Injury, Landlord/Tenant Law and Litigation.

Attorney Stark received her B.A. from the State University of New York at Binghamton, in English Literature and Philosophy, cum laude, in 1998. She received her Juris Doctor degree, with a concentration in Public Interest Law, from Cornell Law School in 2001, where she served on the Legal Information Institute, an online legal journal edited and published by students. Attorney Stark worked as a corporate attorney at Goulston & Storrs, P.C. in Boston in 2001. In 2002, she accepted a position as Staff Attorney at Western MA Legal Services, where she represented low-income survivors of domestic violence in domestic relations disputes for 6 years.

Attorney Stark was recognized for her work in 2007 and was awarded the Sarah Betsy Fuller Social Justice Award, a distinguished alumni award granted by Cornell Law School. She was also honored in 2008 as a “Diversity Hero” by Massachusetts’ Lawyers Weekly. She is a member of the bars of Massachusetts and New York. Attorney Stark also volunteers as the Commissioner of the Mary Vazquez Women’s Softball League in Northampton

Back to Top

Corey M. Carvalho began his work at the Student Legal Services Office in 2002; first as a Legal Assistant in 2002, then as the Administrative Coordinator in 2003, and now as the Associate Director since 2007. He is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the office, and collaborates with the Director in advising students, student leaders, and RSOs.

Mr. Carvalho earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and Sociology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2003. He earned his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Western New England College School of Law in 2009. While at WNEC, Mr. Carvlaho served as a Note Editor of the Western New England Law Review. Attorney Carvalho is admitted to practice law in Massachusetts.

Back to Top