Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly published an article written by Thomas E. Peisch concerning prosecution deals with cooperating witnesses entitled "Prosecutorial Deals Suggest New Conduct Rule in Order." The article suggested amendments to lawyers' Rules of Professional Conduct in order to improve the justice system. |
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Michael T. Sullivan successfully obtained a Superior Court summary judgment ruling on behalf of a commercial landlord against a tenant who vacated the property before the lease ended. The tenant unsuccessfully claimed that the landlord had agreed to terminate the lease. The landlord was awarded the unpaid rent for the remainder of the lease, as well as the attorney's fees incurred in having to pursue litigation. |
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Lurleen A. Gannon testified before Massachusetts legislators on behalf of the Massachusetts Women's Bar Association in favor of the Asset Development bill, an act removing barriers to financial stability and asset development for low-to-moderate income families.
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Thomas E. Peisch has been re-appointed to the Massachusetts State Committee of the American College of Trial Lawyers by the College's President. The State Committee coordinates the College's activities in Massachusetts. The American College of Trial Lawyers, founded in 1950, is composed of the best of the trial bar from the United States and Canada. Fellowship in the College is extended by invitation only, after careful investigation, to those trial lawyers with at least 15 years experience who have mastered the art of advocacy and whose careers have been marked by the highest standards of ethical conduct and professionalism. Membership in the College cannot exceed more than 1% of the total lawyer population in any state or province. Mr. Peisch's term on the State Committee will run until the fall of 2010. |
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A Massachusetts Superior Court judge handed a victory to our firm's client in a partnership dispute with a family member. The Court denied the opposing family member's request for a preliminary injunction to appoint a property manager and dissolve the partnership. The matter was handled by Thomas E. Peisch and Lurleen A. Gannon. |
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Chambers USA, America's Leading Lawyers for Business Directory, has named Russell F. Conn as a Leading Practitioner in Massachusetts Labor and Employment Law. |
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George M. Ford was recognized as one of Boston's Best family lawyers in the 2009 Boston Globe insert of the Best Lawyers. This recognition is a result of Mr. Ford's having been included in the national publication Best Lawyers in America, in which he has appeared since its inception in 1983. |
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Carol A. Starkey was appointed to the Boston Bar Association (BBA) Criminal Law Section Steering Committee by BBA President, Kathy Weinman, and BBA Criminal Law Section Chair, Diana Lloyd. Ms. Starkey's term will begin in the fall of 2009.
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Erin K. Higgins received the 2009 Shining Star Award from the Victim Rights Law Center in honor of her longtime pro bono work for the Center. The Victim Rights Law Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing free legal representation to victims of domestic and sexual violence. |
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Thomas E. Peisch was selected as President-elect of the Dartmouth College Alumni Council at the Council’s 198th meeting in Hanover, NH. The Council consists of 125 members who are chosen by various classes and alumni groups. It is the primary voice of alumni sentiment and selects nominees for Dartmouth’s Board of Trustees. Mr. Peisch’s term as Council President will begin on May 1, 2010. |
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The Massachusetts Land Court handed victories to the firm's client in two companion cases. After trial, the Land Court ruled that a challenged development was too large for the lot and that the lot itself is currently unbuildable. The successful project opponent was represented by James Gray Wagner. Mr. Wagner also was involved in a related Supreme Judicial Court challenge to the subject zoning by-law, representing a successful amicus.
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The Massachusetts Appeals Court affirmed a summary judgment win for our employer client in a disability discrimination case. The Court agreed that the former employee's claim was barred by the statute of limitations, and was not affected by the disability benefit appeal process. The trial court proceedings and appeal were handled by Constance M. McGrane. |
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The Massachusetts Appeals Court affirmed a judgment that had entered in favor of our client, a Massachusetts municipality, against a developer. The municipality sued the developer on a breach of contract theory after the developer refused to complete a subdivision and repair shoddy road work. After the jury rendered its verdict, the trial court ordered that the municipality's damages be doubled and attorneys' fees be awarded. Kurt B. Fliegauf represented the municipality at trial and on appeal. |
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James B. Peloquin served as a faculty member at a training seminar in Construction Law and Litigation sponsored by Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, Inc. (MCLE). The program focused on construction law practice in both the public and private sectors. |
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Lurleen A. Gannon has been elected as an officer of the Massachusetts Women's Bar Association. She will serve as Secretary on its Executive Board of Directors for the year. |
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The Boston Bar Association launched a group mentoring program designed to develop a new generation of diverse leaders within the legal community. The program is co-chaired by Carol A. Starkey, previously appointed to the Boston Bar Association Diversity and Inclusion Section. |
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The Massachusetts Appeals Court affirmed a trial victory for our client, a general contractor, in a personal injury case brought by a worker at a construction project. The Appeals Court denied the worker's motion for a new trial based upon the alleged change in testimony of another defendant's expert witness. Our client, the general contractor, had obtained a defense verdict in the underlying jury trial. James B. Peloquin represented the general contractor at trial and in the appeal. The case is reported at Hammell v. Shooshanian Eng. Assoc., Inc. et al, 73 Mass. App. Ct. 634 (2009). |
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Carol A. Starkey was appointed to the newly created Boston Bar Association Diversity and Inclusion Section, where she will also be co-chairing the mentorship committee for the Section and working to place all diversity and inclusion initiatives under one umbrella for the 21 Sections of the BBA, allowing for coordination of resources and greater collaboration. |
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Thomas E. Peisch was interviewed for an article appearing in Fortune magazine's January 19 edition entitled "Will Madoff's Enablers Get Hard Time?" Mr. Peisch noted that the criminal statutes for fraud which may be applied to marketers for Bernard Madoff's alleged Ponzi scheme require knowledge and intent. |
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Erin K. Higgins served a one-year term as President of the Women's Bar Foundation. The Women's Bar Foundation is the pro bono affiliate of the Women's Bar Association. The WBF runs five pro bono programs in Massachusetts, providing free legal services to some of our most vulnerable and underserved populations -- sexual assault victims, homeless women and children, low-income elderly men and women, and incarcerated women who are preparing to re-enter the community. |
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