News
Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP, Represents Dedham School Committee in Labor Dispute
Kevin Bresnahan, a partner with Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP, represented the Dedham School Committee in its recently-concluded collective bargaining with its teachers’ union. After nearly two years of negotiations, the union scheduled a strike vote last week. Attorney Bresnahan filed a petition with the Department of Labor Relations on behalf of the School Committee, and obtained an order to prevent the illegal strike. When the union went forward with the strike vote, a judge in the Norfolk Superior Court issued an injunction ordering the union to end the strike. A contract settlement was reached Sunday afternoon after a weekend of intense bargaining, bringing an end to the strike after one day. Kevin serves as President-Elect of the Massachusetts Council of School Attorneys, and represents numerous school committees throughout Massachusetts, providing representation in labor and employment matters, and general school law advice.
Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP, is known throughout New England for its labor and employment practice. In addition the firm has an extensive education law practice representing more than one hundred and fifty schools throughout New England.
Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP Partner Prevails in U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
Attorney Felicia Vasudevan, a partner at Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP, received a favorable decision on behalf of her client, Marshfield Public Schools. The Plaintiff appealed the district court’s judgement that upheld a decision of the Massachusetts Bureau of Special Education Appeals (“BSEA”). However, as the notice was filed more than 30 days after entry, the First Circuit ultimately dismissed the appeal for being untimely. The Plaintiff also appealed the district court’s order, denying her motion to vacate. Read More
New Features of Public Participation at School Committee Meetings
Following our Alert from March 16, 2023, Civility is Dead – The Supreme Court Rules Municipal Control of Public Speak Limited to Reasonable Time/Place/Manner Restrictions, which discussed the holding to the Supreme Judicial Court’s decision in Barron v. Kolenda and the Town of Southborough (SJC-13284), we promised to bring you more detailed guidance on developing a Public Speak policy for your public body or municipality. The Barron case involved a constitutional challenge to the Town of Southborough’s public comment policy, which attempted to impose a code of civility on members of the public who participated in public comment before public bodies. In Barron, the court interpreted the state constitution to mean that public bodies may request, but not require, that public commentators be respectful and courteous. Instead, a public body may set restrictions on reasonable time, place, and manner comments to ensure that the meeting retains an orderly and peaceable manner.
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