News
Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane Attorneys Recognized as Leaders
Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane LLP is honored to have three of its attorneys acknowledged as leaders in their respective fields. The firm is particularly proud to have the unprecedented honor of being the only firm to have received these three awards in the same year.
In 2019, Attorney Peter Mello was elected President of the Massachusetts Municipal Lawyers Association, an organization that boasts a membership of hundreds of attorneys. Attorney Mello has represented dozens of governmental and private clients in an extensive range of litigation and other legal proceedings before state and federal courts and agencies, both within and outside of the Commonwealth. He also advises these organizational clients in their day-to-day operations and administration, which include governmental permitting and planning, employment issues, licensing procedures, governance processes, and a variety of other legal matters. In addition to his vast experience representing clients in these areas, Attorney Mello has written and presented frequently to bar associations and other groups regarding governmental legal issues, and has been recognized for several years as a “Rising Star” by New England Super Lawyers.
Attorney Kevin Bresnahan was elected as President of the Massachusetts Council of School Attorneys (“Council”), which is a council comprised of attorneys that represent public educational institutions. In his duties with the Council, Attorney Bresnahan has represented public institutions before Commonwealth courts and administrative agencies on labor and employment issues and general educational matters. Kevin follows Ed Lenox and Andy Waugh who both previously served as President of the Council.
Attorney Mike Maccaro was awarded the prestigious Cushing-Gavin Award as the sole management labor attorney representing the private, non-profit and public sector. Over the years, Attorney Maccaro has continuously built a strong reputation in his practice in the labor and employment area. Mr. Maccaro has litigated numerous matters, has negotiated hundreds of contracts, and has argued before various state courts, appellate courts, and administrative agencies throughout New England. He follows in the footsteps of partners Katherine Hesse, Michael Lehane and Arthur Murphy.
The firm is proud of Attorneys Mello, Bresnahan and Maccaro for their achievements. In addition, MHTL is also delighted that they continue to oversee the growth of the firm and attorneys coming along in their respective areas.
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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