Insight

In the News: New England

Top Legal News and Lawyer Highlights in New England

Image that aligns with article content.
Best Lawyers

Best Lawyers

April 13, 2018 12:37 PM

IN THE HEADLINES

Foley Hoag: Michael B. Keating (bet-the-company litigation; commercial litigation; litigation – intellectual property; litigation – labor and employment, 1987) filed a friend-of-the-Court brief opposing the Berkshire Museum’s efforts to monetize its collection by selling works of art. Keating acts on behalf of artist Tom Patti and other residents of Berkshire County. The proposal being presented to the Supreme Court would allow the museum to sell up to 40 pieces of art to fund renovations, as reported by Rhode Island Public Radio.

Harvard Law School: Laurence H. Tribe (appellate practice; First Amendment law, 1993) was one of three law professors to submit a brief supporting the Nonhuman Rights Project’s efforts to establish legal personhood in New York for Tommy and Kiko, two captive chimpanzees. Tribe, who has written two previous briefs supporting the NhRP, offered support once more. “Tommy and Kiko are autonomous beings who are currently detained and who are therefore entitled to challenge the lawfulness of their detention by petitioning for the writ, even if that court ultimately concludes that their detention is lawful,” he wrote in the most recent brief.

Law Offices of Howard Friedman: Howard Friedman (civil rights law, 2008) represented Randy Spearing, 50, in his suit against the city of Lynn, Massachusetts and its police department. In May 2016, a man was slashed with a box-cutter outside an auto repair shop. Police mistakenly focused their investigation at a gas station across the street, leading them to arrest and charge Spearing for assault and intent to commit murder. The victim told police that Spearing was not the man responsible, and after being incarcerated for several days, he was released. Friedman is focusing the suit on improper police action and wrote in his complaint that police “fabricated police reports to conceal the absence of probable cause to arrest and charge Mr. Spearing.”

Shaheen & Gordon: Steven M. Gordon (bet-the-company litigation; criminal defense: white-collar; litigation – First Amendment, 1989) successfully represented a New Hampshire lottery winner fighting to keep her name anonymous despite a transparency policy that would make her information part of the public record. The woman initially signed her own name to accept the $560 million Powerball jackpot winnings, thus forfeiting her privacy. After the ruling, the woman donated $249,000 to state charities, celebrating her second stroke of good fortune.

HONORABLE MENTION

Nutter McClennen & Fish: Jason Cabral is now a partner at the firm in its corporate and transactions department, which Nutter announced March 12. Cabral will also serve as a member of the firm’s banking and financial services group. Managing Partner Deborah J. Manus said of the hire: “Jason brings significant experience with some of the nation’s largest and most diversified financial institutions.” At Nutter, Cabral will offer legal advice to financial institutions dealing with regulations, state banking laws, and mergers and acquisitions.

Pierce Atwood: Andrea Cianchette Maker (government relations practice, 2013) gave a talk at Maine Live about Focus Maine, a private-sector initiative for stimulating Maine’s economy, of which she is co-chair. Maker told the audience: “I have always believed that when people act on their passion, good things happen.”

ITN FEATURE

Prisoners Given Access to Hepatitis C Treatments, Testing

Shapiro Weissberg & Garin: Thanks to Jonathan Shapiro (civil rights law; criminal defense: general practice; criminal defense: white-collar) and the advocacy of prisoners’ rights groups, Massachusetts inmates will now have access to lifesaving treatments for hepatitis C.

A class-action lawsuit, filed on behalf of prisoners by attorneys with the National Lawyers Guild and with Prisoners’ Legal Services, claimed fewer inmates were being treated for hepatitis C and fewer were being evaluated for treatment because of a recent increase in the cost of medication. Hepatitis C, which causes liver damage and can be fatal, is common in prisons and spreads quickly through drug use or bodily fluids.

Speaking to The Boston Globe, Shapiro estimated that the disease affects 1,800 prisoners in the state—or 10 percent of the total prison population in Massachusetts. The March 10 settlement with the Massachuset ts Department of Correction now requires prisoners most severely afflicted with hepatitis C to be treated within 12 months and prisoners with less serious cases to be treated within 18 months.

Testing for the disease will be made available to new inmates. The Department of Correction was also made responsible for paying legal fees to the prisoners’ rights groups that brought the lawsuit, amounting to $270,000. “When we sentence people to prison, we don’t sentence them to death, which it would be if you’re not treated for a life-threatening illness,” Shapiro said in an article following the verdict on MassLive.com.

Related Articles

Funding for University Programs Takes a Hit


by Joseph Begonis

From student rights litigation to public safety investigations, Best Lawyers-recognized counsel tackle pressing issues across Canada.

Image that aligns with article content.

Legal News Highlights from New York Firms and Cases


by Best Lawyers

News and Events for New York Lawyers

Image that aligns with article content.

In the News: Northern California


by Best Lawyers

News and notes from lawyers in Northern California

Image that aligns with article content.

Notable Legal News and Recognition from Tampa


by Best Lawyers

Firefighter’s cancer claim, trademark battles and law firm shifts highlight a dynamic week in Tampa’s legal scene.

Image that aligns with article content.

In the News: Connecticut


by Best Lawyers

A roundup of notable news of listed lawyers in your area.

Image that aligns with article content.

Patricia Brown Holmes: The Attorney Behind Jussie Smollett's Case


by Best Lawyers

Patricia Brown Holmes had a celebrated career long before she began defending Jussie Smollett.

Image that aligns with article content.

In the News: Pennsylvania


by Best Lawyers

A Legal Roundup Featuring Best Lawyers in Pennsylvania

Image that aligns with article content.

In the News: Georgia


by Best Lawyers

Trinity Hundredmark wins a Moxie Award; Pete Robinson joins King & Spalding; and L. Lin Wood goes against Elon Musk.

Image that aligns with article content.

ACLU Charges Racist Practices Against Aurora Police


by Best Lawyers

A look at the listed lawyers making headlines in Colorado.

Image that aligns with article content.

Tampa Legal Community Update: Noteworthy News and Honors


by Best Lawyers

A roundup of relevant news from listed lawyers in Tampa.

Image that aligns with article content.

In the News: Southern California


by Best Lawyers

A roundup of notable news of listed lawyers in Southern California.

Image that aligns with article content.

Top Legal Stories and Recognitions in South Florida


by Best Lawyers

A roundup of relevant news of listed lawyers in your area.

Image that aligns with article content.

In the News: Meet the Lawyer Representing Christine Blasey Ford


by Best Lawyers

This week, hirings at King & Spalding, and a profile of civil rights attorney Debra Katz.

Image that aligns with article content.

Washington, D.C. Legal Community Highlights and Recognitions


by Best Lawyers

A roundup of news from listed lawyers in the Washington, D.C., area

Image that aligns with article content.

In the News: Homeowners Win Settlement From City Over Flooding


by Best Lawyers

Greenberg and Fisher Phillips make new hires, and Children's Law Center recognizes McDermott Will & Emery.

Image that aligns with article content.

In the News Weekly Roundup: Millions in Fund for Native American Farmers


by Best Lawyers

This week in news from our listed attorneys, millions are set aside in a fund for Native American farmers after a winnning class action suit.

Image that aligns with article content.

Trending Articles

Introducing the 2026 Best Lawyers Awards in Australia, Japan, New Zealand and Singapore


by Jennifer Verta

This year’s awards reflect the strength of the Best Lawyers network and its role in elevating legal talent worldwide.

2026 Best Lawyers Awards in Australia, Japan, New Zealand and Singapore

Revealing the 2026 Best Lawyers Awards in Germany, France, Switzerland and Austria


by Jamilla Tabbara

These honors underscore the reach of the Best Lawyers network and its focus on top legal talent.

map of Germany, France, Switzerland and Austria

Effective Communication: A Conversation with Jefferson Fisher


by Jamilla Tabbara

The power of effective communication beyond the law.

 Image of Jefferson Fisher and Phillip Greer engaged in a conversation about effective communication

The 2025 Legal Outlook Survey Results Are In


by Jennifer Verta

Discover what Best Lawyers honorees see ahead for the legal industry.

Person standing at a crossroads with multiple intersecting paths and a signpost.

The Best Lawyers Network: Global Recognition with Long-term Value


by Jamilla Tabbara

Learn how Best Lawyers' peer-review process helps recognized lawyers attract more clients and referral opportunities.

Lawyers networking

Build Your Legal Practice with Effective Online Networking


by Jamilla Tabbara

How thoughtful online networking supports sustained legal practice growth.

Abstract web of connected figures symbolizing online networking among legal professionals

Blogging for Law Firms: Turning Content into Client Connections


by Jamilla Tabbara

How law firms use blogs to earn trust and win clients.

Lawyer typing blog content on laptop in office

Jefferson Fisher: The Secrets to Influential Legal Marketing


by Jennifer Verta

How lawyers can apply Jefferson Fisher’s communication and marketing strategies to build trust, attract clients and grow their practice.

Portrait of Jefferson Fisher a legal marketing expert

A Guide to Workers' Compensation Law for 2025 and Beyond


by Bryan Driscoll

A woman with a laptop screen reflected in her glasses

Is Your Law Firm’s Website Driving Clients Away?


by Jamilla Tabbara

Identify key website issues that may be affecting client engagement and retention.

Phone displaying 'This site cannot be reached' message

Medical Malpractice Reform Trends in Texas, Utah, Georgia and SC


by Bryan Driscoll

A fresh wave of medical malpractice reform is reshaping the law.

Medical Malpractice Reform Trends hed

Why Jack Dorsey and Elon Musk Want to 'Delete All IP Law'


by Bryan Driscoll

This Isn’t Just a Debate Over How to Pay Creators. It’s a Direct Challenge to Legal Infrastructure.

Elon Musk and Jack Dorsey standing together Infront of the X logo

Best Lawyers Launches CMO Advisory Board


by Jamilla Tabbara

Strategic counsel from legal marketing’s most experienced voices.

Group photo of Best Lawyers CMO Advisory Board members

As Fla. Pushes to Repeal Controversial 'Free Kill' Law, DeSantis Signals Veto


by Bryan Driscoll

The fight to transform state accountability standards may be in trouble

free kill law hed

Changes in California Employment Law for 2025


by Laurie Villanueva

What employers need to know to ensure compliance in the coming year and beyond

A pair of hands holding a checklist featuring a generic profile picture and the state of California

Key Issues to Tackle on Law Firm Landing Pages


by Jamilla Tabbara

Identify key issues on law firm landing pages to improve client engagement and conversion.

Laptop showing law firm landing page analytics