News
Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane Partner Recognized as Outstanding Women
Alisia St. Florian, a partner at Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane was recognized by Rhode Island Monthly as an Outstanding Women. Each April, Rhode Island Monthly acknowledges local women who are dynamic, successful and making a mark in their field. These women are selected from small business owners to large corporate executives. Alisia St. Florian, Esq. was recognized for her work as President of the Board of Trustees for The Wheeler School in Providence, Rhode Island.
St. Florian was also recognized in Rhode Island Monthly for being a partner in the firm’s Special Education Law Group, co-founder and co-chair of the Massachusetts Bar Association Education Law Group as well as past co-chair of the Massachusetts Bar Association Juvenile and Child Welfare Section Counsel. Alisia St. Florian represents school districts in all aspects of special education litigation, from administrative hearings at the Massachusetts Bureau of Special Education Appeals (BSEA) through to all levels of judicial appeal. In addition, Ms. St. Florian frequently presents workshops on issues regarding special education, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, state and federal student record regulations, bullying, and civil rights laws both to client groups and at state conferences including at the Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education (MCLE). Ms. St. Florian has been a speaker at the LRP School Law Conference and is a frequent contributor to special education articles published by LRP.
Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane LLP has an extensive education law practice representing more than one hundred and eighty public, private and nonprofit educational institutions from pre-K through the college and university level.The firm is also known throughout New England for its labor and employment practice as well as its expansive municipal law practice.
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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