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INCORPORATING THE NEW STUDENT DISCIPLINE LAW INTO STUDENT HANDBOOKS AND SCHOOL POLICIES

Chapter 177 of Acts of 2022, “An Act Addressing Barriers to Care for Mental Health,” signed into law on August 10, 2022, made significant changes to student discipline law, Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 71, Section 37H3/4.

According to the revised Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 71, Section 37H3/4, school principals or their designee, before issuing any disciplinary consequences under Section 37H3/4, must consider alternative methods to re-engage the student in the learning process and cannot suspend a student until alternative remedies have been employed and the use and results of such remedies have been documented.

Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP Partner Presents “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Attorney Issues”

Attorney Katherine Hesse, a Partner at Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP, presented for the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (“IFEBP”) last month. Her presentation, titled “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion: Attorney Issues” gave an...

Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP Partner Recognized as a Top Women of Law Honoree for 2022

Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP is proud to announce that Attorney Kathryn Murphy, a Partner at the firm, has been selected as a Top Women of Law 2022 honoree by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly. The honorees are selected based upon their “ significant...

Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP Partner Presents for the Association of Legal Administrators

Attorney Kier Wachterhauser, a Partner at Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP presented for the Association of Legal Administrators (ALA), Boston Chapter last month. During his presentation he discussed the challenges of managing employees in a hybrid or...

Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP Attorney Presents Open Meeting and Public Records Law Training

Karis L. North, an attorney with Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP, presented an introduction training on Open Meeting and Public Records Law to clients last month. The training covered the “who, what, where, when and why” of Massachusetts Open Meeting...

Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP Attorneys Nominated by Super Lawyers Magazine

Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP would like to congratulate Katherine Hesse, Regina Williams Tate and Mary Ellen Sowyrda for being recognized as Massachusetts’ 2022 Super Lawyers, and Sarah Spatafore for being selected as a 2022 Rising Star. Attorney...

NEW LEGISLATION ADDRESSING BARRIERS TO CARE FOR MENTAL HEALTH HAS IMPACTS ON PUBLIC SCHOOLS

On August 10, 2022, Chapter 177 of Acts of 2022, “An Act Addressing Barriers to Care for Mental Health” was signed by Governor Baker. For public schools, it has impacts on student discipline, special education services, and emergency response plans. The bill goes into effect on November 8, 2022. Set forth below are summaries of the new law’s impact in the identified areas.

Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP Partner Presents for the American Arbitration Association

Attorney Michael Maccaro, a Partner at Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP, was a co-presenter of an interactive virtual program hosted by the American Arbitration Association. The program, titled “Direct and Cross-Examination in Labor Arbitration”,...

Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP Partner Presents at the Michigan Union Construction Industry Conference

On October 7, 2022, Attorney Kier Wachterhauser, a Partner at Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP, spoke at the Michigan Union Construction Industry Conference outside of Detroit Michigan. The conference was organized by the International Foundation of...

Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP Announces “We Are Growing”

Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP is delighted to announce that we are expanding our litigation, labor & employment, and corporate practice areas. The successful expansion of these practice areas comes with the ability to add new associate attorneys...

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Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane, LLP Receives Favorable Decision for Town of Dracut

On April 11, 2023, MHTL Attorneys Peter Mello and Madison Harris-Parks represented the Town of Dracut, and successfully obtained a preliminary injunction order requiring, among other things, that the Defendant homeowners cease renting out their pool to the public. The case, Town of Dracut by and Through Its Building Inspector vs. Nason, Gilbert et al., was initiated by the Town after the Defendants failed to comply with the Town’s associated underlying zoning enforcement order. The Town requested the injunction Read More

Legal Updates

EXTENSION OF MUNICIPAL RELIEF MEASURES - INCLUDING OPEN MEETING LAW REMOTE OPTION - SIGNED BY THE GOVERNOR

The option for public bodies in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to hold public meetings remotely or in a hybrid fashion, which came into play at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, has been extended by the General Court for another two years, until March 31, 2025. The Governor signed the legislation, which will be codified at Chapter 2 of the Acts of 2023, on March 29, 2023. Because of the inclusion of an emergency preamble, the law goes into effect immediately.