Attorneys & Professionals
Our Attorneys & Professionals
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Kevin F. Bresnahan
Partner
(617) 479-5000 kbresnahan@mhtl.comMr. Bresnahan practices in the areas of labor and employment, education, and municipal law. Mr. Bresnahan has negotiated collective bargaining agreements on behalf of numerous municipalities and school committees, and has represented public employers before the courts of the Commonwealth, in arbitrations, and in a wide variety of administrative proceedings before various agencies, including the Division of Labor Relations, the Civil Service Commission, the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, and the Joint Labor-Management Committee. He advises public employers in various aspects Read More
Brett R. Cavanaugh
Associate
(617) 479-5000 bcavanaugh@mhtl.comBrett R. Cavanaugh graduated cum laude from Boston College Law School in May 2022, and joined MHTL in September 2022 as an Associate. During law school, Mr. Cavanaugh was a legal intern with the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan and worked as a summer law clerk at a labor and employment firm in Boston. He also provided legal and business training to aspiring entrepreneurs through a clinic serving formerly incarcerated individuals. In addition, he interned Read More
David A. DeLuca
Partner
(617) 479-5000 ddeluca@mhtl.comFormerly an Assistant District Attorney with the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, Mr. DeLuca handles a full spectrum of tort, contract, land use and workers’ compensation litigation matters. He is experienced in all phases of state and federal trial and appellate court advocacy, having handled administrative law judge, bench and jury trials including personal injury, product liability, domestic litigation, zoning and tax disputes, insurance litigation, workers’ compensation claims and civil rights violations. Mr. DeLuca advises building inspectors and planning directors Read More
Matthew L. Feeney
Attorney
(617) 479-5000 mfeeney@mhtl.comWith nearly fifteen years of criminal practice as an Assistant District Attorney in both Essex and Suffolk Counties, Matthew Feeney is a senior associate in our litigation department. Mr. Feeney heads up MHTL’s Chapter 32 public retirement practice and is well versed in all matters pertinent to the statute. Specifically, he provides frequent guidance to public retirement boards relative to the litany of member related issues that arise, and he frequently represents public retirement boards with litigation in varying forms. Read More
John P. Flynn
Partner
(617) 479-5000 jflynn@mhtl.comMr. Flynn has served as Town Counsel for thirty years to the Town of Natick, and has served as Town Counsel to the Town of Milton for twenty-two years. He represents these towns in all phases of municipal law including litigation, environmental matters, zoning, personnel issues, contracts, licensing, eminent domain, and the entire spectrum of town meeting issues. Mr. Flynn also has provided general counsel and special counsel services for over twenty years to many towns and school committees for Read More
Kevin S. Freytag
Attorney
(617) 479-5000 kfreytag@mhtl.comKevin S. Freytag is a member of the firm’s Litigation practice. He assists clients with the resolution of various business disputes in the areas of construction, labor and employment, and real estate and land use matters. He has represented construction companies in contract disputes, bid disputes, bond claims, abandonment claims, Chapter 93A consumer protection claims, mechanic’s liens claims, construction defect claims, indemnity claims, and insurance coverage issues under commercial general liability policies. Mr. Freytag also advises commercial landlords and tenants Read More
Donald L. Graham
Partner
(617) 479-5000 dgraham@mhtl.comMr. Graham is a managing partner with Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP and directs the firm’s corporate and commercial law practice areas. Mr. Graham has over thirty-five years experience in corporate organization, commercial contracting, business acquisition and sales, license and royalty agreements, intellectual property protection, commercial financing (bank, private placement and venture), commercial real estate acquisition, sale, leasing and construction, as well as general business counseling and advice. He has served as an arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association Read More
Madison Harris-Parks
Associate
(617) 479-5000 mhparks@mhtl.comMadison Harris-Parks graduated cum laude from Boston University School of Law in May 2021 and joined MHTL in the Fall of 2022 as an Associate. Prior to joining MHTL, Ms. Harris-Parks clerked for Justice Robert Brennan of the Massachusetts Appeals Court. As a law clerk, she also had the opportunity to work with the Appeals Court Clerk’s Office and multiple Justices handling petitions brought through the Court’s single justice practice. During law school, Ms. Harris-Parks gained valuable litigation experience while Read More
Katherine A. Hesse
Partner
(617) 479-5000 khesse@mhtl.comKatherine Hesse is one of the founding partners of Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP. Ms. Hesse concentrates her practice primarily in labor and employment and employee benefits law serving as counsel to individuals, business, government, and tax exempt organizations including hospitals, colleges, churches, and major private and public retirement and health plans. She has litigated numerous employment and benefits cases before the state and federal trial and appellate courts, administrative agencies and arbitrators. She is also an active practitioner Read More
Michael J. Maccaro
Partner
(617) 479-5000 mmaccaro@mhtl.comMr. Maccaro’s practice is focused on the areas of labor and employment in the public and private sector, litigation, and employee benefits. Following law school, Mr. Maccaro served as a Law Clerk to the Justices of the Superior Court for two years. Prior to joining Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane LLP, Mr. Maccaro served as Associate General Counsel for a large public sector labor union. He has litigated numerous matters, negotiated hundreds of contracts and has argued before various state Read More
Mariem Marquetti
Associate
(617) 479-5000 mmarquetti@mhtl.comMariem Marquetti graduated cum laude from Boston University School of Law in May 2021. Ms. Marquetti began working with MHTL in 2020 as a Summer Associate, and joined the firm in September 2021 as an Associate. Ms. Marquetti practices primarily in civil litigation and in the areas of municipal and land use law, education, and labor & employment. She has done work on matters before the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, Department of Labor Relations, state courts, and in arbitration disputes. Read More
Peter T. McNulty
Attorney
(617) 479-5000 pmcnulty@mhtl.comFormerly corporate counsel at a large Massachusetts Community Bank, Mr. McNulty’s practice is primarily focused on corporate and financial transactional work. Mr. McNulty handles the full spectrum of corporate and real estate matters and has assisted clients with entity formation, real estate transactions, mergers & acquisitions and investments, as well as commercial and residential acquisitions and dispositions. Additionally, Mr. McNulty represents and advises various financial institutions on a wide range of topics, including corporate governance, compliance, construction and secured lending, Read More
Peter L. Mello
Partner
(617) 479-5000 pmello@mhtl.comMr. Mello represents clients in a robust range of civil litigation and regulatory matters, including in the areas of construction, land use and zoning, employment, contract matters, and disputes involving state and local governmental entities, among others. He has practiced before state and federal courts and state agencies in Massachusetts, and has successfully represented clients at trial and in appeals. He has advised private clients and governmental entities alike regarding myriad and diverse issues, including with respect to construction, zoning, Read More
Arthur P. Murphy
Partner
(617) 479-5000 amurphy@mhtl.comMr. Murphy’s legal career emphasizes management labor, corporate and litigation matters. Selected in the publication of Best Lawyers in America, Mr. Murphy represents many large and small businesses, including Fortune 500 corporations, and serves as counsel to a variety of trade associations as well as major governmental agencies in all areas of labor and employment law. Mr. Murphy has presented and argued hundreds of cases including labor and employment matters in proceedings at the administrative, state and federal levels. He Read More
Kathryn M. Murphy
Partner
(617) 479-5000 kmurphy@mhtl.comMs. Murphy practices in the employment and labor law areas. She has many years of experience representing employers in matters involving employment discrimination, wage and hour, contracts, whistleblowing, and other employment-related concerns. Ms. Murphy’s practice also focuses upon working proactively with employers to address matters before legal disputes arise. She conducts internal investigations on behalf of employers, provides training, day-to-day counseling in employment areas, development of policies and procedures, and other advisory services. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Murphy Read More
Karis L. North
Attorney
(617) 479-5000 knorth@mhtl.comKaris L. North has been practicing municipal and public sector law since 2006, and has over twenty years of experience counseling and resolving complex disputes for public clients. She is currently Town Counsel for the Town of Natick, Special Counsel to the Towns of Cohasset and Burlington, and provides legal services to other cities and towns in Massachusetts. Ms. North is also an experienced litigator on behalf of municipalities and municipal agencies, private parties, and non-profit organizations. She has experience Read More
Nan ONeill
Partner
(617) 479-5000 noneill@mhtl.comNan is a partner in the law firm of Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP with 30 years of experience counseling and representing employers in all aspects of employment and traditional labor law. Nan has extensive experience in the litigation of employment-related disputes, including discrimination, reasonable accommodation, sexual harassment and wrongful termination matters, before state and federal courts and administrative agencies such as the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, having litigated approximately 30 cases in Massachusetts courts and the MCAD. As Read More
Joseph W. Proctor
Associate
(617) 479-5000 jproctor@mhtl.comJoseph W. Proctor graduated cum laude from Boston University School of Law in May 2021 and joined MHTL in the spring of 2022 as an Associate. Mr. Proctor’s practice focuses on civil litigation, municipal law, and labor and employment law. In his litigation practice, he has worked on various property law and civil rights matters. Additionally, Mr. Proctor has provided guidance to municipalities and participated in collective bargaining, grievance and arbitration matters. During law school, Mr. Proctor served as Read More
Clifford R. Rhodes
Attorney
crhodes@mhtl.comMr. Rhodes received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Iowa where he was a University Honors Scholar. In 1992, Mr. Rhodes received his. J.D. from the University of Iowa, College of Law graduating with distinction, and serving as a member of the Iowa Law Review. He obtained his MBA from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and received his LLM in Taxation, Magna Cum Laude, from the University of Alabama School of Law. He has extensive experience in health care Read More
Mary Ellen Sowyrda
Partner
(617) 479-5000 msowyrda@mhtl.comMs. Sowyrda is a partner at the firm and heads the Special Education Department within Murphy, Hesse, Toomey and Lehane, LLP, which currently represents approximately 160 school districts and educational collaboratives in the field of Special Education Law. She is involved in all aspects of litigation including hearings, mediations, pre-hearing conferences with the Bureau of Special Education Appeals and court cases. She provides clients with daily advice on school-related legal issues and deals with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Read More
Sarah C. Spatafore
Partner
(617) 479-5000 sspatafore@mhtl.comMs. Spatafore is a partner with the firm. She practices primarily in the labor and employment area, representing both public and private clients. Ms. Spatafore also handles education issues. Ms. Spatafore has represented clients before a number of courts and administrative tribunals at both the state and federal level. Ms. Spatafore regularly advises clients on a variety of issues related to labor and employment, represents clients on issues related to collective bargaining, grievances, and arbitrations, and has conducted numerous workplace Read More
Alisia St. Florian
Partner
(617) 479-5000 astflorian@mhtl.comMs. St. Florian is a Partner at Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP, and is a member of the firm’s Special Education Law Group. Ms. 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 Read More
Regina Williams Tate
Partner
(617) 479-5000 gtate@mhtl.comMs. Tate has been practicing law since 1978. She practices primarily in the areas of labor and education law. Her practice in the area of education covers the spectrum of issues related to education including student discipline, special education, Education Reform, due process rights of teachers and other school employees, and other employment matters, academic freedom and civil rights. She also participates in the collective bargaining process on behalf of her education clients. She has served as counsel to over Read More
James A. Toomey
Retired
(617) 479-5000 jtoomey@mhtl.comMr. Toomey’s practice focused on municipal, education, corporate and labor matters and related litigation. A veteran in the field of municipal law and education law, Mr. Toomey’s expertise coverd the full range of legal matters affecting municipalities including land use and zoning, environmental and public health issues, licensing, procurement, labor and employment, public education, and related litigation. He is a Past President of the City Solicitors and Town Counsel Association and was a member of the National School Board Association’s Read More
Felicia S. Vasudevan
Partner
(617) 479-5000 fvasudevan@mhtl.comMs. Vasudevan is an attorney in the firm’s Education Law and Special Education Law Groups, working in regular and special education issues. Ms. Vasudevan 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. She represents school districts in matters of student discipline, civil rights issues, collective bargaining, public procurement, and employment issues. She presents workshops on issues such as conducting Read More
Kier Wachterhauser
Partner
(617) 479-5000 kwachterhauser@mhtl.comMr. Wachterhauser is a partner at MHTL. Mr. Wachterhauser represents private and public sector clients in all areas of labor and employment law and maintains a general litigation practice. Mr. Wachterhauser regularly counsels clients on employment matters, including wage and hour, leave entitlements, and discrimination and harassment matters, as well as the drafting of employment policies and contracts, and represents clients in employment-related litigation before state and federal courts and administrative bodies, such as the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination and Read More
Andrew J. Waugh
Partner
(617) 479-5000 awaugh@mhtl.comGeneral counsel to a number of towns and school committees, Mr. Waugh’s practice focuses on education and municipal law, with an emphasis labor and employment matters. Mr. Waugh works with and advises employers on various employment matters including hiring, discipline and termination issues, drafting severance agreements, FMLA and ADA issues, and compliance with other state and federal discrimination and/or civil rights laws. Mr. Waugh has extensive experience negotiating and drafting collective bargaining agreements, and he defends employers in grievance arbitrations Read More
Charles Desmond
Advisory Board
(617) 479-5000Dr. Charles Desmond is a member of the MHTL Advisory Board, advising on matters in private, non-profit, public, and educational areas. Dr. Desmond has broad and extensive experience at the senior-most levels of government, higher education, philanthropy, and in non-governmental agencies. His leadership accomplishments range from chairing the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education to initiating multi-layered corporate and philanthropic engagements in local, regional and national educational initiatives. As a policy analyst and senior advocacy expert, Dr. Desmond has four decades Read More
Thomas Jorling
Advisory Board
(617) 479-5000Before becoming one of the major architects of the Clean Air and Water Acts, Tom Jorling started out with a dream when he was 17 years old to be an All American football player at Ohio State, Michigan or Notre Dame. After being named All-State in Ohio in his junior year, he was recruited by major colleges, he attended Notre Dame where, after shattering his knee during his sophomore year, his interest turned to biology and the environment. After earning Read More
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