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Karis L. North, an attorney with Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP, was recently appointed to a second three-year term on the Plymouth County Commission on the Status of Women by the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women. In addition, Ms. North was re-elected to the position of Chairwoman by her sister Commissioners. The Plymouth County Commission on the Status of Women and Girls is a regional commission established in 2018 as a local resource for advancing the status of women and girls.

The purpose of the Commission is to advance women and girls toward full equity in all areas of life and to promote rights and opportunities for all women and girls. The mission of the Commission is to provide a permanent, effective voice for women and girls across Massachusetts. The Commission stands for fundamental freedoms, basic human rights and the full enjoyment of life for all women and girls throughout their lives. The Commission represents and recognizes all women, regardless of their age, race, color, creed, abilities, socio-economic status, immigration status, sexual orientation, or gender identity at birth.

The Plymouth County Commission on the Status of Women represents all the towns and cities in Plymouth County including: Abington, Bridgewater, Brockton, Carver, Duxbury, East Bridgewater, Halifax, Hanover, Hanson, Hingham, Hull, Kingston, Lakeville, Marion, Marshfield, Mattapoisett, Middleborough, Norwell, Pembroke, Plymouth, Plympton, Rochester, Rockland, Scituate, Wareham, West Bridgewater, and Whitman.

Karis L. North has been practicing municipal law for the past fifteen years, and has twenty five years of experience counseling and resolving complex regulatory and land use matters for her clients. She is currently lead town counsel for the Town of Natick, and special counsel to the Towns of Burlington, Cohasset, and Dartmouth. She also counsels the Towns of Milton, Norwood, and Danvers. Her expertise includes municipal governance, law, and legislation. She is experienced in all of the many areas necessary to advise and guide a municipal corporation, including town meetings, procurement, open meeting law, public records law, land use law, licensing, and more. Her practice encompasses counseling and advocacy on behalf of municipal governments; business and corporate clients; individuals; and non-profit organizations. Ms. North also represents municipalities in collective bargaining and in arbitrations and other proceedings.

Ms. North is a graduate of Cornell University and a cum laude graduate Vermont Law School, where she was the Managing Editor of The Vermont Law Review. North is member of the Vermont Law School Board of Trustees, and serves as a Director of the Massachusetts Municipal Lawyers Association. Ms. North is admitted to practice in state and federal courts in Massachusetts and in the state of Maryland.