Massachusetts

  • June 20, 2024

    19 Dem AGs Urge Law Group, Others To Ignore DEI Detractors

    A coalition of 19 Democratic state attorneys general issued a letter Thursday rebutting criticism of diversity, equity and inclusion programs within the American Bar Association, Fortune 100 corporations and law firms.

  • June 20, 2024

    GOP Sens. Get Tough On 6th Circ. Nominee's History

    Republican senators hammered Sixth Circuit nominee Karla M. Campbell, of counsel at Stranch Jennings & Garvey PLLC, during a hearing on Thursday about her political donations, past advisory roles and the process by which she was nominated.

  • June 20, 2024

    ZoomInfo Hit With Race Bias Claim By Fired Account Exec

    A Black former senior account executive at ZoomInfo Technologies Inc. says he was repeatedly denied promotions and transfers despite outperforming white colleagues, then was fired in retaliation for filing a discrimination complaint.

  • June 18, 2024

    Home Builders Sued For Non-FHA-Compliant Apartments

    A group of home building and financing companies including the Toll Brothers were sued by Manhattan federal prosecutors Tuesday for allegedly violating the Fair Housing Act by building residential units that weren't accessible to people with physical disabilities.

  • June 18, 2024

    Town, Race Organizer Reject Boston Marathon Bias Claims

    Town officials and the organizers of the annual Boston Marathon want the courts to toss a Black running group's race bias suit, arguing that group members were not barred from being spectators and that a confetti cannon, not discrimination, is to blame for a confrontation with police.

  • June 18, 2024

    Fed Should Vote Now On Basel Capital Hike Plan, Warren Says

    U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren has accused Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell of "doing the bank industry's bidding" as federal regulators look to back off of significant proposed increases to big-bank capital requirements, saying he should instead put those increases to a board vote by the end of June.

  • June 18, 2024

    Blue States And Enviro Groups Back DOE Furnace Rule

    Several blue states and environmental and consumer groups have thrown their support behind the U.S. Department of Energy's tighter energy efficiency standards for furnaces and water heaters, telling the D.C. Circuit that challenges to the new rules are meritless.

  • June 18, 2024

    Lender Sues To Recoup $1M From Renowned Boston Chef

    A small Massachusetts bank is taking an award-winning Boston chef and restaurateur to court in an effort to recover more than $1 million in loans intended to start what turned out to be a short-lived eatery just outside the city in 2023.

  • June 18, 2024

    Epstein Becker Partner Rejoins Ogletree In Rhode Island

    Ogletree Deakins Nash Smoak & Stewart PC has rehired an attorney who spent the past three years working with Epstein Becker & Green PC on a range of employment-related matters, the firm announced Tuesday.

  • June 18, 2024

    Restitution Plan For Lead-Test Defects Leaves Judge Uneasy

    A Massachusetts federal judge on Tuesday questioned the legality of a plan to have a claims administrator, rather than the court, oversee victim compensation in a criminal case alleging Magellan Diagnostics hid information about inaccurate results in its lead-testing devices.

  • June 18, 2024

    Insurers Must Keep Defending Heating Oil Co. In Class Suit

    Two Crum & Forster units must continue defending a heating oil company and several executives in a class action claiming the company provided oil with elevated levels of biodiesel that caused property damage, a Massachusetts federal court ruled, saying the policies' "failure to supply" provisions do not limit or exclude coverage.

  • June 17, 2024

    Teva, DOJ Signal Key Kickback Case May Fizzle At 1st Circ.

    A U.S. Department of Justice kickback case against Teva Pharmaceuticals — closely watched by False Claims Act lawyers because of its multibillion-dollar stakes and its link to a major circuit split — is poised for settlement, according to a new First Circuit filing ahead of eagerly awaited oral arguments.

  • June 17, 2024

    Fed. Circ. Says Errors Led To Injunction In Trade Secrets Suit

    A Federal Circuit panel on Monday overturned a preliminary injunction against a South Korean insulin pump patch manufacturer that allegedly stole trade secrets from a rival, saying a Massachusetts federal court made a series of errors in its determination to grant an injunction.

  • June 17, 2024

    Split Mass. Top Court Backs Strict View Of Prompt Pay Law

    The top appeals court in Massachusetts said in a divided opinion Monday that contractors must pay overdue invoices before disputing claims under the state's prompt pay law, with two dissenting judges criticizing the majority for trying to rewrite the law "by judicial fiat."

  • June 17, 2024

    Mass. Dentist Indicted In Alleged $2M Medicaid Fraud

    A Massachusetts dentist and her practice have been charged with fraudulently billing the state's Medicaid program, MassHealth, more than $2 million for services that were never provided.

  • June 17, 2024

    College Students Say Mass. COVID Liability Shield Unjust

    Three former students seeking tuition refunds are urging a Massachusetts court to rule on the constitutionality of a state law wiping away schools' liability for switching to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, a statute that has all but doomed their separate federal complaints.

  • June 14, 2024

    Real Estate Recap: Special Servicers, 'Dirty' Money, Alt Energy

    Catch up on this week's key developments by state from Law360 Real Estate Authority — including recent litigation targeting special servicers, a 700% increase in brownfield funding, and one BigLaw real estate leader's take on alternative energy as interest rates hold steady.

  • June 14, 2024

    Mass. Seeks Damages From Trucking Co. In Highway Crash

    Massachusetts is suing an Alabama trucking company whose driver crashed into and seriously damaged a highway overpass on I-93 just outside Boston three years ago, saying the firm hasn't paid for repairs to the structure.

  • June 14, 2024

    Dog Adoption Groups Assail 'Radical' CDC Import Rule

    A "radical" new rule issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention banning the import of dogs younger than six months does nothing to combat canine rabies and instead will lead to the death of thousands of puppies that U.S. citizens are eager to adopt, according to a suit filed by a group of animal adoption charities.

  • June 14, 2024

    Dunkin' Franchise Must Face Customer's Race Bias Suit

    An intermediate appellate court in Massachusetts on Friday revived part of a lawsuit brought by a Black customer of a Dunkin' franchise who says an employee deliberately ignored his order for 15 minutes, then threw his food at him and called him a racist epithet.

  • June 14, 2024

    Mass. Pot Regulators Lift Ban On Shipping To Islands

    Massachusetts cannabis regulators approved an administrative order that will allow retailers on the islands of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket to source their pot from mainland suppliers.

  • June 13, 2024

    1st Circ. Urged To Back TM Loss For Family Of Late MLB Star

    A Puerto Rico agency planning a sports district in honor of late Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente has pressed the First Circuit to uphold the agency's dismissal from a trademark lawsuit filed by the baseball legend's family alleging unauthorized use of his name and likeness.

  • June 13, 2024

    Mass. Court Blesses Broad Liability In BMW Dealer Wage Suit

    An intermediate Massachusetts appellate panel on Thursday ruled that a BMW dealership employee can sue not only her direct employer for wage law violations, but also a separate company that manages the dealership.

  • June 13, 2024

    Vero Biotech Tried To 'String Along' Safety Monitor, Suit Says

    Georgia-based medical device maker Vero Biotech LLC reneged on a payment plan with a consulting firm hired to monitor its products, according to a lawsuit filed in Massachusetts state court on Wednesday.

  • June 13, 2024

    FERC Gains Full Bench With 3rd Nominee Confirmation

    The U.S. Senate on Thursday confirmed former Massachusetts Undersecretary for Energy and Climate Solutions Judy W. Chang to fill a vacant commissioner slot at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, giving the agency a full complement of five commissioners.

Expert Analysis

  • Don't Use The Same Template For Every Client Alert

    Author Photo

    As the old marketing adage goes, consistency is key, but law firm style guides need consistency that contemplates variety when it comes to client alert formats, allowing attorneys to tailor alerts to best fit the audience and subject matter, says Jessica Kaplan at Legally Penned.

  • Series

    Walking With My Dog Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    Thanks to my dog Birdie, I've learned that carving out an activity different from the practice of law — like daily outdoor walks that allow you to interact with new people — can contribute to professional success by boosting creativity and mental acuity, as well as expanding your social network, says Sarah Petrie at the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office.

  • Think Like A Lawyer: Follow The Iron Rule Of Trial Logic

    Author Photo

    Many diligent and eager attorneys include every good fact, point and rule in their trial narratives — spurred by the gnawing fear they’ll be second-guessed for leaving something out — but this approach ignores a fundamental principle of successful trial lawyering, says Luke Andrews at Poole Huffman.

  • Court Clerk Error Is No Excuse For A Missed Deadline

    Author Photo

    Two recent Virginia Court of Appeals decisions in which clerical errors led to untimely filings illustrate that court clerks can be wrong about filing deadlines or the date an order was entered, underscoring the importance of doing one's own research on filing requirements, says Juli Porto at Blankingship & Keith.

  • The Art Of Asking: Leveraging Your Contacts For Referrals

    Author Photo

    Though attorneys may hesitate to ask for referral recommendations to generate new business, research shows that people want to help others they know, like and trust, so consider who in your network you should approach and how to make the ask, says Rebecca Hnatowski at Edwards Advisory.

  • Series

    Being An Equestrian Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    Beyond getting experience thinking on my feet and tackling stressful situations, the skills I've gained from horseback riding have considerable overlap with the skills used to practice law, particularly in terms of team building, continuing education, and making an effort to reset and recharge, says Kerry Irwin at Moore & Van Allen.

  • 4 Ways To Refresh Your Law Firm's Marketing Strategy

    Author Photo

    With many BigLaw firms relying on an increasingly obsolete marketing approach that prioritizes stiff professionalism over authentic connection, adopting a few key communications strategies to better connect with today's clients and prospects can make all the difference, say Eric Pacifici and Kevin Henderson at SMB Law.

  • Sorting Circuit Split On Foreign Arbitration Treaty's Authority

    Author Photo

    A circuit court split over whether the New York Convention supersedes state law barring arbitration in certain disputes — a frequent issue in insurance matters — has left lower courts to rely on conflicting decisions, but the doctrine of self-executing treaties makes it clear that the convention overrules state law, says Gary Shaw at Pillsbury.

  • Series

    Whitewater Kayaking Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    Whether it's seeing clients and their issues from a new perspective, or staying nimble in a moment of intense challenge, the lessons learned from whitewater kayaking transcend the rapids of a river and prepare attorneys for the courtroom and beyond, says Matthew Kent at Alston & Bird.

  • Cannabis Ruling Lights Path For Bankruptcy Protection

    Author Photo

    A recent Massachusetts bankruptcy appellate court ruling in Blumsack v. Harrington leaves the door open for those employed in the cannabis industry to seek bankruptcy relief where certain conditions are met, but rescheduling marijuana as a Schedule III drug may complicate matters, say Jane Haviland and Kathryn Droumbakis at Mintz.

  • This Earth Day, Consider How Your Firm Can Go Greener

    Author Photo

    As Earth Day approaches, law firms and attorneys should consider adopting more sustainable practices to reduce their carbon footprint — from minimizing single-use plastics to purchasing carbon offsets for air travel — which ultimately can also reduce costs for clients, say M’Lynn Phillips and Lisa Walters at IMS Legal Strategies.

  • Blocked JetBlue-Spirit Deal Illustrates New Antitrust Approach

    Author Photo

    The U.S. Department of Justice’s recent successful block of a merger between JetBlue Airways and Spirit Airlines demonstrates antitrust enforcers’ updated and disparate approach to out-of-market benefits versus out-of-market harms, say Lisa Rumin and Anthony Ferrara at McDermott.

  • What Minority Biz Law Ruling Could Mean For Private DEI

    Author Photo

    A Texas federal court’s recent decision to strike down key provisions of the Minority Business Development Act illustrates the wide-reaching effects of the U.S. Supreme Court's 2023 Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard decision across legal contexts, say attorneys at Jenner & Block.

  • What Bankruptcy Deadline Appeal May Mean For Claimants

    Author Photo

    If the Third Circuit reverses a recent appeal made in In re: Promise Healthcare, litigation claimants within the circuit will not be able to rely on the proof of claim process to preserve the claim — but if the court affirms, the U.S. Supreme Court may need to step in to resolve the circuit split on this issue, say attorneys at DLA Piper.

  • Practicing Law With Parkinson's Disease

    Author Photo

    This Parkinson’s Awareness Month, Adam Siegler at Greenberg Traurig discusses his experience working as a lawyer with Parkinson’s disease, sharing both lessons on how to cope with a diagnosis and advice for supporting colleagues who live with the disease.

Want to publish in Law360?


Submit an idea

Have a news tip?


Contact us here
Can't find the article you're looking for? Click here to search the Massachusetts archive.
Hello! I'm Law360's automated support bot.

How can I help you today?

For example, you can type:
  • I forgot my password
  • I took a free trial but didn't get a verification email
  • How do I sign up for a newsletter?
Ask a question!