Dina Fein

Dina Fein is a retired judge and thought leader focused on advancing access to justice, neighborhood stabilization, and affordable homeownership. Having served on the Massachusetts Housing Court for 21 years, Judge Fein has subject matter expertise in all areas of the law related to housing and a unique perspective on the role of housing on individuals, families, and communities. 

Since retiring from the bench, Judge Fein has been a leading advocate at the intersection of initiatives to enhance access to justice and promote housing stability. Judge Fein designed and operationalized the City of Homes project in Springfield, Massachusetts, which seeks to transfer vacant distressed properties to nonprofits for rehabilitation and affordable sale to income-eligible first-time homebuyers. She assisted in obtaining $3M in seed funding for the project, which she is now helping to scale beyond Springfield. A founding member of the Vacant Property Receivership Consortium at the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law at the University of Memphis, Judge Fein is also the Interim Director at the Western New England School of Law Center for Social Justice. 

Appointed to the Western Division of the Massachusetts Housing Court Department in 1999, Judge Fein became First Justice in 2008 and was cross-designated to sit in the District Court, Juvenile Court, and Superior Court departments. In 2009, Judge Fein was appointed by the Chief Justices of the Supreme Judicial Court and the Trial Court to lead Access to Justice initiatives across the Massachusetts court system, launching and operationalizing statewide efforts to simplify court processes, expand legal assistance programs, and better accommodate the public. A recipient of judicial excellence awards from the Massachusetts Bar Association and the Massachusetts Judges Conference, Judge Fein has served on numerous judicial and professional committees, including the Massachusetts Access to Justice Commission (Executive Committee), the Trial Court’s Strategic Leadership Team (Domain Lead), and the Statewide Steering Committee for the Tenancy Preservation Program (Chair). 

A graduate of Emory College and the Emory University School of Law, Judge Fein began her career with the Atlanta Legal Aid Society and was a partner in Fein, Pearson, Emond & Fein in Springfield for 14 years. An Adjunct Professor at Western New England University School of Law, Judge Fein has guest lectured at Harvard Law School, Suffolk University Law School, and New England School of Law, and is a frequent speaker around the county on the topics of access to justice and housing stability.