Yesterday was one of my most memorable birthdays ever. And it was all thanks to social networking — and some amazingly thoughtful and generous people. I was going to write a lengthy blog post all about it, but then Molly McDonough at the ABA Journal did it for me.

Read her piece and you will understand why I feel today as if I received the best birthday gift anyone could ever hope for — the kindness of friends. I asked people to support a Facebook cause, the Massachusetts Bar Foundation, and many responded quickly, some by joining the cause and others by contributing to it.

I am particularly grateful to the people who contributed money. It goes to the MBF to fund programs in Massachusetts that increase access to justice and that enhance the administration of justice. I want to give special thanks to two people whose generosity went above and beyond the call — Stacy Stern and Tim Stanley, the founders of Justia.

My birthday is over, but your chance to support the MBF continues. I was honored to be elected an MBF trustee last year and I had been a fellow for many years before that, so I know first-hand the good work it supports. It is celebrating its 45th anniversary this year and it is celebrating this milestone with a variety of fundraising and outreach activities. The MBF receives much of its funding from the IOLTA program, and one need only read this New York Times article from earlier this year to understand how hard hit that program has been and how legal services programs are suffering.

Photo of Bob Ambrogi Bob Ambrogi

Bob is a lawyer, veteran legal journalist, and award-winning blogger and podcaster. In 2011, he was named to the inaugural Fastcase 50, honoring “the law’s smartest, most courageous innovators, techies, visionaries and leaders.” Earlier in his career, he was editor-in-chief of several legal publications, including The National Law Journal, and editorial director of ALM’s Litigation Services Division.