The Best Lawyers in New England 2019

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IN

IN THE HEADLINES Fletcher Tilton: Mark L. Donahue (Real Estate Law, 2012) presented a 12-point plan for crowd and traffic control to the License Commission for the first marijuana retail shop in Worcester, Massachusetts. Donahue’s plan specifies the store’s hours and proposed parking areas, as well as receiving police details prior to open. The store, called Good Chemistry, was approved for retail sales by the Cannabis Control Commission in February.

Prince Lobel Tye: Jeffrey J. Pyle (First Amendment Law, 2018) represented the Boston Globe, STAT, WBUR, Reuters, The Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times in a motion to release in full a document containing information that Purdue executives and the Sackler family was aware of the risks that their product, the opioid medication OxyContin, was dangerous—and continued to put it on the market. At the time of the motion, the document was only partially made public and heavily redacted.

Sasson Turnbull Ryan & Hoose: David P. Hoose (Criminal Defense: General Practice; Criminal Defense: White-Collar, 2005) represented Lee Hutchins Sr., a man subject to excessive force by a Springfield police officer in 2013. Hitchens was awarded $250,000 by a jury after police officer Thomas Hervieux struck him with a baton while investigating a domestic disturbance complaint. That incident was the officer’s eighth case involving excessive force—but none of those were presented to the city’s Community Police Hearing Board. “In reality, nothing happens to officers who are credibly accused of misconduct,” Hoose said. “This happens primarily because the city will not sustain any complaint where there is a ‘material conflict in the evidence.’ That is virtually every case.”

HONORABLE MENTION

Bulkley Richardson and Gelinas: Daniel J. Finnegan (Administrative/Regulatory Law; Construction Law; Litigation – Construction, 2006) co-chaired a public seminar with the Massachusetts Bar Association coinciding with the opening of the $960 million MGM Springfield casino. The seminar was open to the public, and intended as “a case study of a successful development project,” according to the bar association. The panel discussed all aspects of the casino’s development, including zoning law, gaming permits, and municipal logistics, like transportation and utilities. The event was free for bar members and $50 for all other attendees. Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick: J. Scott Kilpatrick (Litigation – ERISA, 2016) joined the board of directors of the Roger Williams University School of Law in Rhode Island. “Scott is a founding partner of one of the nation’s finest veterans’ benefits law firms, he has held numerous leadership positions in the bar, and he has a sterling reputation,” said Michael J. Yelnosky, RWU law school dean. “He and his partners at Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick regularly hire RWU Law alumni, and their generosity has made possible our veterans disability appeals field clinic.”

NEW ENGLAND

ITN FEATURE

GENDERED WORDING IN VC CONTRACTS MAY BE ON THE WAY OUT

ISTOCK.COM/IMRSQUID

THE NEWS

F

oley Hoag: Jeffrey L. Quillen advocacy group All Riase, only 9 percent (Venture Capital Law, 2008) spoke to of venture capitalists in the United States the Boston Globe about a proposed are women. change in the wording of standard “It’s not overt sexism, and it’s nothing legal documentation for venture capital that’s designed to necessarily make you businesses, wherein the most valuable feel excluded, but there’s a twinge of ‘I member of the business is legally termed don’t belong’ when you see something like a “key man.” The gendered implications this,” Sarah A. Downey of a Cambridgeof this wording have based venture capital some in the venture firm, Accomplice, told capital world calling “There’s a twinge of ‘I the Globe. for change. In the don’t belong’ when you The question is venture capital world, see something like this.” whether changing the “key man” or “key phrase to something men” delineate importmore inclusive, like ant members of a business. “Key men” may “key-person,” could create any legal be identified in contracts and required to issues, given the prevalence of “key man” join a new business after a buy-out, to give in VC documentation. Quillen argued that one example. it wouldn’t. This small discrepancy in wording “It’s a relic,” Quillen told the Globe points to a wider issue in the venture about the “key man” phrase. He said that capital field, executives and specialists in there was no legal reason for the phrase to the field told the Globe. According to the specify gender.

Compiled by Abigail Rowe NOTE: Lawyers listed in Best Lawyers are indicated by their selected practice area(s) in parentheses along with the first year they were included in the Best Lawyers list. To be included in next year’s In the News feature, please email us your news at: news@bestlawyers.com.

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