News
Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane Advisory Board Member Creates Tribute to Soldiers and Frontline Workers
Dr. Charles Desmond, an advisory board member from Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP, dedicated a tribute for soldiers and frontline workers this past Memorial Day. Dr. Desmond knows firsthand the strength it takes to be on the frontline, for he was on the frontline during the Vietnam War. As a result, he has been awarded the Silver Star medal and the Bronze Star Medal with “V” for valor. A Fulbright Scholar, he received his bachelor’s degrees in Sociology from Northeastern University and his doctoral degree in Instructional Leadership from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He is the recipient of three honorary doctoral degrees. Although Dr. Desmond was not able to participate in an in-person ceremony for Memorial Day, he was able to attend his home-town Memorial Day zoom event remembering those that lost their lives for our freedom.
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.
Braintree, MA
50 Braintree Hill Office Park, Suite 410,
Braintree, MA 02184
Boston, MA
75-101 Federal Street
Boston, MA 02110
Tel: (617) 479-5000
Tel: (888) 841-4850
Fax: (617) 479-6469
Quincy, MA
Crown Colony Plaza
300 Crown Colony Drive, Suite 410
P.O. Box 9126
Quincy, MA 02169-9126