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.

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Lisa Kent recieved her B.A. from Douglas College, Rutgers University and her J.D. from Rutgers University School of Law, Newark where she was Managing Articles Editor of the Rutgers Computer and Technology Law Journal. Before coming to SLSO, Attorney Kent was a litigation associate at Drinker, Biddle and Reath in Princeton, New Jersey and subsequently served as Deputy Counsel to the New Jersey State Legislature. A New Jersey native, she began working with students as a volunteer attorney for the Rutgers University Off Campus Housing Legal Services Clinic in 1995. Devoting countless pro bono hours to further the cause of educational equity and justice. Attorney Kent successfully brought the first case in New Jersey to challenge the funding model for charter schools as an unfunded mandate. She has served as a Fellow of the Institute for Education Law and Policy at the Rutgers School of Law. Her prior experience as a teacher of English as a second Language in Japan, a lobbyist and electrical industry analyst gave her an electrical background ideally suited to serve the needs of UMass students.

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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. His responsibilities include the administrative management of the office, assisting the Director in budgetary and financial operations, coordinating with staff attorneys on research, editing and layout of SLSO publications, coordinating the Legal Assistant Internship Program, analyzing office statistical data to modify office policy, and performing various Notary Public services.

Mr. Carvalho received his Bachelor of Arts degree (Economics, Sociology) at the University of Massachusetts Amherst in May 2003. He is a third-year part-time evening student at Western New England College School of Law, and a member of the Western New England Law Review. Mr. Carvalho also volunteers as a basketball coach in the Amherst youth league.

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