Massachusetts

  • June 13, 2024

    Mass. High Court Approves Tipped Wage Ballot Measure

    Massachusetts' highest court on Thursday gave its blessing to a November ballot question asking voters to increase the state's minimum wage for tipped workers, finding that pairing the measure with a provision to allow tip pooling is part of an overall public policy goal to boost wages for all service industry employees.

  • June 12, 2024

    Internet Co. Hit With $4M Default Judgment Over Tower Bills

    TPT SpeedConnect has been slapped with a nearly $4 million judgment after it stopped footing the bill on some 60 of its license agreements, which allowed the internet service provider to keep its telecom equipment installed on others' towers in exchange for rent.

  • June 12, 2024

    House IP Panel Eyes Transparency For Litigation Funders

    A congressional committee on Wednesday began discussing whether to require more transparency of third-party litigation funding agreements to stem what lawmakers say are abusive patent lawsuits and national security concerns if hostile foreign governments meddle with cases anonymously.

  • June 12, 2024

    1st Circ. Finds PREPA Bondholders Have $8.5B In Valid Liens

    The First Circuit said Wednesday that bondholders of the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority have valid liens worth $8.5 billion on the revenue of the utility, reversing a lower court's ruling but leaving it up to the bankruptcy court to determine what effect that has on the restructuring plan.

  • June 12, 2024

    32 AGs Urge Justices Take Up Okla. PBM Law Fight

    Thirty-two attorneys general urged the U.S. Supreme Court to take up Oklahoma's petition for review of a Tenth Circuit decision holding that federal law preempted portions of a state law regulating pharmacy benefit managers, arguing the justices needed to intervene to resolve a circuit split.

  • June 12, 2024

    Sen. Dems Seek Criminal Penalties For PE Hospital 'Looters'

    A pair of Democratic senators are targeting private equity's role in the healthcare industry, introducing new legislation Tuesday that would give federal and state enforcers new tools to go after firms they say are "looting" hospital systems and other providers, including possibly jailing executives if patient deaths result.

  • June 12, 2024

    Massachusetts Pot Shop To Take Union Fight To 1st Circ.

    A Massachusetts cannabis retailer found to have engaged in union busting is appealing a district court order that directed it to bargain with a United Food and Commercial Workers local and to offer to rehire two fired union supporters.

  • June 12, 2024

    Nelson Mullins Partner's Widow Must Arbitrate Pay Dispute

    The estate of a Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP partner who died last year is bound by a partnership agreement that requires disputes to be resolved through arbitration, a Massachusetts judge said in dismissing a suit brought by the attorney's widow.

  • June 11, 2024

    Fed's New Internal Trading Policy Full Of Loopholes, Sens. Say

    Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Rick Scott, R-Fla., have called on Federal Reserve Board Chair Jerome Powell to repeal what they say is a "failed approach" to addressing allegedly illicit trading by Fed officials, saying the long-awaited policy is riddled with loopholes, contains weak penalties and requires no transparency for officials who violate the trading rules.

  • June 11, 2024

    Listing Co. Urges Court To Ignore DOJ's Broker Deal Issues

    A multiple listing service that has struck a $3 million settlement over broker commission rules told a Massachusetts federal court the changes proposed by the U.S. Department of Justice go far beyond what's required and would create an antitrust problem in the real estate industry.

  • June 11, 2024

    4 More States Join DOJ's Antitrust Suit Against Apple

    The attorneys general of Washington, Massachusetts, Nevada and Indiana on Tuesday became the latest to join the U.S. Department of Justice's antitrust lawsuit in New Jersey federal court claiming Apple is monopolizing the smartphone market.

  • June 11, 2024

    Raytheon Openly Prefers Younger Job Applicants, Suit Says

    Raytheon for years has violated age bias law by advertising positions explicitly meant for recent college graduates despite public statements acknowledging that the aerospace company needs thousands of additional workers, a 67-year-old job applicant alleged Tuesday in Massachusetts federal court.

  • June 11, 2024

    Ex-DraftKings Exec Seeks Fast Trial To Test Noncompete Law

    A former DraftKings executive wants a snap trial to unwind a noncompete blocking him from work at sports-betting rival Fanatics, calling the fiercely litigated, bicoastal dispute a "test case" for California's recent law reinforcing a ban on restrictive covenants.

  • June 11, 2024

    Foley & Lardner Accused Of Underpaying Recruiter

    A legal recruiter accused Foley & Lardner LLP in a Massachusetts state court lawsuit of taking advantage of a 13-year-old contract to pay it a "woefully insufficient" fee for helping to lure a multimillion-dollar partner from another firm earlier this year.

  • June 11, 2024

    ArentFox Adds 17-Person Team From Burns & Levinson

    A few months after adding a four-partner automotive team from Burns & Levinson LLP, ArentFox Schiff LLP on Tuesday announced the addition of 17 more attorneys and professionals from the firm with experience ranging from intellectual property matters to business litigation.

  • June 11, 2024

    Research Org, Ex-Workers Agree To End Retirement Fee Fight

    A research and development nonprofit agreed to settle a class action alleging it mismanaged its $3.5 billion employee retirement plans by allowing them to pay excessive administrative fees, according to a filing Tuesday in Massachusetts federal court.

  • June 11, 2024

    J&J Inks $700M Deal To End AGs' Talc Marketing Suits

    Forty-three state attorneys general on Tuesday said there has been a $700 million nationwide settlement and a consent judgment has been reached with Johnson & Johnson that ends claims it misled consumers about the safety of its talc products.

  • June 11, 2024

    Pepsi Bottling Partner Hit With Pollutant Lawsuit In Mass.

    A Massachusetts environmental advocacy group has followed through on plans to sue a bottler of Pepsi products over alleged violations of the Clean Water Act, but a lawyer for the Conservation Law Foundation says the organization is "optimistic" it will be able to resolve the issue.

  • June 10, 2024

    'Wicked Smart' Justice Sworn In To Mass. High Court

    If there's one thing that makes Supreme Judicial Court Justice Gabrielle Wolohojian uncomfortable, it's praise, former WilmerHale partner Peter Macdonald told an audience of hundreds of the jurist's colleagues, friends and family during a ceremonial swearing-in Monday evening.

  • June 10, 2024

    Mass. House Omits Local-Option Tax From $6B Housing Bill

    A proposal by Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey to allow local-option transfer fees on high-value real estate sales was left out of a housing package worth more than $6 billion passed by the state House of Representatives. 

  • June 10, 2024

    Parexel Says Staffing Firm Liable For Temp's Alleged Fraud

    Clinical research company Parexel International says a Boston-based staffing agency is liable for damages caused by a rogue temporary employee who engaged in "egregious fraud" involving multiple drug trials, according to a complaint filed in Massachusetts state court.

  • June 10, 2024

    Kirkland Faces Class Claims Over Breach Of File Transfer Tool

    A proposed class of victims of a data breach has sued Kirkland & Ellis LLP and various other entities in a Massachusetts federal court, accusing them of failing to "properly secure and safeguard [the] plaintiff's and other similarly situated individuals' private information" in the lead-up to the massive 2023 MOVEit data breach.

  • June 10, 2024

    Duane Morris Rehires Employment Partner From Cooley

    A labor and employment attorney who spent nearly two decades at Duane Morris LLP has rejoined the firm after working at Cooley LLP the past few years.

  • June 10, 2024

    Medical-Aesthetic Device Rivals Set For Sept. Poaching Trial

    A Boston federal judge on Monday scheduled a post-Labor Day jury trial for medical-aesthetic device company Cynosure's $78 million poaching lawsuit against rival Reveal Lasers, urging the parties to streamline their exhibits and damages claims.

  • June 10, 2024

    Mass. Nursing Home To Pay Record $4M Over Neglect Claims

    A Massachusetts nursing home operator has agreed to pay a total of $4 million and hire an independent monitor to settle allegations that understaffing at its 16 facilities led to substandard care and patients being harmed, the attorney general’s office announced Monday. Next Step Healthcare LLC has agreed pay $750,000 directly to the state and dedicate the remaining $3.25 million toward increasing staffing levels.

Expert Analysis

  • Why Employers Shouldn't Overreact To Protest Activities

    Author Photo

    Recent decisions from the First Circuit in Kinzer v. Whole Foods and the National Labor Relations Board in Home Depot hold eye-opening takeaways about which employee conduct is protected as "protest activity" and make a case for fighting knee-jerk reactions that could result in costly legal proceedings, says Frank Shuster at Constangy.

  • Series

    Teaching Yoga Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    Being a yoga instructor has helped me develop my confidence and authenticity, as well as stress management and people skills — all of which have crossed over into my career as an attorney, says Laura Gongaware at Clyde & Co.

  • A Vision For Economic Clerkships In The Legal System

    Author Photo

    As courts handle increasingly complex damages analyses involving vast amounts of data, an economic clerkship program — integrating early-career economists into the judicial system — could improve legal outcomes and provide essential training to clerks, say Mona Birjandi at Data for Decisions and Matt Farber at Secretariat.

  • E-Discovery Quarterly: Recent Rulings On Text Message Data

    Author Photo

    Electronically stored information on cellphones, and in particular text messages, can present unique litigation challenges, and recent court decisions demonstrate that counsel must carefully balance what data should be preserved, collected, reviewed and produced, say attorneys at Sidley.

  • 5 Climate Change Regulatory Issues Insurers Should Follow

    Author Photo

    The climate change landscape for insurers has changed dramatically recently — and not just because of the controversy over the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's climate-related risk disclosure rules, says Thomas Dawson at McDermott.

  • Series

    Swimming Makes Me A Better Lawyer

    Author Photo

    Years of participation in swimming events, especially in the open water, have proven to be ideal preparation for appellate arguments in court — just as you must put your trust in the ocean when competing in a swim event, you must do the same with the judicial process, says John Kulewicz at Vorys.

  • Notable Q1 Updates In Insurance Class Actions

    Author Photo

    Mark Johnson and Mathew Drocton at BakerHostetler discuss notable insurance class action decisions from the first quarter of the year ranging from salvage vehicle titling to rate discrimination based on premium-setting software.

  • Manufacturers Should Pay Attention To 'Right-To-Repair' Laws

    Author Photo

    Oregon’s recently passed "right-to-repair" statute highlights that the R2R movement is not going away, and that manufacturers of all kinds need to be paying attention to the evolving list of R2R statutes in various states and consider participating in the process, says Courtney Sarnow at Culhane.

  • 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.

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!