Search

MassBar Bulletin

Issue March/April 2016

BARNSTABLE

Wendie A. Howland, certified legal nurse consultant and nurse life care planner, accepted the first Distinguished Service Award from the American Association of Nurse Life Care Planners at their recent conference in San Antonio. This award was given for outstanding service to the profession and the association for practice, outreach, teaching, and mentoring others in life care planning, and editing the association's journal, Core Curriculum and Scope and Standards for Nurse Life Care Planning.

HAMPSHIRE

Katherine K. Coolidge, an attorney and law librarian, has been hired by AccuFile Inc., as part of a strategic expansion into Western Massachusetts. A leader in the field of legal information, Coolidge has more than 30 years' experience with the law, specifically in Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire, Franklin and Berkshire counties.

MIDDLESEX

Former MBA President Kathleen M. O'Donnell is pleased to announce the opening of O'Donnell Law Firm in Lowell. The firm represents people injured at work or due to someone's negligence. O'Donnell is also past president of the Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys and was a leader in the fight against National No Fault Insurance. She will continue to represent injured people both in and out of the courtroom.

Laura E. Gibbs and Calvin J. Heinle, formerly of Ginsburg Leshin Gibbs & Jones, LLP, have partnered to create a new firm offering premier family law services in Massachusetts. The firm -- Gibbs|Heinle LLP -- is located at 57 River St. in Wellesley, and offers litigation, settlement negotiation, mediation, conciliation, arbitration and appellate services in domestic relations.

SUFFOLK

Melinda Thompson has been elected partner at Todd & Weld LLP (MBA Honor Roll Firm). Thompson, a former assistant district attorney, continues to concentrate her practice on government investigations and criminal defense.

Jonathan Mutch has been named partner at Robins Kaplan LLP (MBA Honor Roll Firm). Mutch has more than 15 years of experience advising and representing insurers in complex claims, large losses and business disputes with an emphasis on first-party coverage matters, professional responsibility claims and fraud investigations.

Melissa D'Alelio, a principal at Robins Kaplan LLP (MBA Honor Roll Firm), has been named to the 2016 Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (LCLD) fellows program, which identifies, trains and advances the next generation of leaders in the legal industry. Melissa is the sixth Robins Kaplan attorney to participate in the fellows program since its inception in 2011.

Thomas J. Carey Jr. of Collora LLP (MBA Honor Roll Firm) will receive the Special Service Award from Boston College Law School during the school's annual Law Day Celebration on May 3. He is being awarded for "his scholarship and service to generations of BC Law School students as the preeminent guide, advisor and director of appellate advocacy and moot court programs."

Tony Froio of Robins Kaplan LLP (MBA Honor Roll Firm) was elected to a two-year term as managing partner of the Boston office. Froio's election was part of the firm's announcement of its 2016 executive board.

Owen Lynch of Lynch, Brewer, Hoffman & Fink LLP will receive the Holland Lifetime Achievement Award from Boston College Law School during the school's annual Law Day Celebration on May 3. He is being honored "for five decades of extraordinary service to the profession and Boston College Law School."

Michael Mone Jr. of Esdaile, Barrett, Jacobs & Mone (MBA Honor Roll Firm), will receive the St. Thomas More Award from Boston College Law School during the school's annual Law Day Celebration on May 3. He is being recognized for his "courageous and effective representation of detainees wrongfully held at Guantanamo Bay."

Richard M. Novitch has returned to Todd & Weld LLP (MBA Honor Roll Firm) as of counsel, where he will continue to focus his practice on all aspects of domestic relations law, including complex matrimonial matters and appeals.

Timothy Dooling is the new deputy auditor and general counsel for the Office of the State Auditor (OSA). Dooling is joining State Auditor Suzanne M. Bump's senior leadership team and will represent her office in legal proceedings, provide legal research for audits and assist in development of legislation and legal policy.

WORCESTER

Matthew F. Erskine's article "Succession: Business Success v. Ownership Lifestyle" was published in FFI Practitioner on March 16, 2016. The Practitioner, published by the Family Firm Institute, provides family enterprise professionals with practical, user-friendly content on best practices from across the core disciplines of behavioral science, law, finance and management science, as well as the latest multidisciplinary thinking in these fields.