Labor and Employment (significant practice in Higher Education Law):

• Assisted in defense and settlement of comprehensive set of unfair labor practice charges against regional distributor to national coffee franchise chain in protracted National Labor Relations Board proceeding.
• Secured favorable determinations from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights in several investigations of claims of gender and disability discrimination filed against public institutions of higher education.
• Obtained summary judgment from Massachusetts Superior Court on behalf of public college and faculty advisor to student newspaper in defamation action brought by former faculty member concerning statements published by editor of student newspaper.
• Obtained summary judgment from U.S. District Court on behalf of public college in § 1983 action alleging First and Fourth Amendment violations by former faculty member ejected from college’s campus pursuant to state trespass laws.
• Secured  numerous dismissals for lack of probable cause from the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination in gender, race,  national origin, age and disability discrimination actions brought by former and current employees of public colleges.
• Obtained many dismissals from the Massachusetts Labor Relations Commission of unfair labor practice charges brought by unions against public colleges.
• Advises higher education clients on matters of state and federal constitutional interpretation, particularly First Amendment concerns regarding academic freedom and free speech and assembly rights on public campuses.
• Develops written manuals and providing training to clients regarding their obligations under existing collective bargaining agreements and procedures, such as conducting internal investigations of discrimination and misconduct, as well as their obligations pursuant to statutory schemes, such as Title IX, CORI/SORI (Criminal Offender Record Information and Sex Offender Information) and HIPAA (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996).
• Represents business and higher education employers in labor and employment matters, including grievance arbitration, claims arising under FLSA, Title VII, Title IX, ADA, ADEA, Mass. Gen. Laws chapters 151B and 150E, the Massachusetts Wage Act, as well as state common law, breach of contract, wrongful termination and defamation claims.  Advises employers on day-to-day matters such as hiring, discipline, terminations, policies and handbooks, disability accommodations, internal investigations, unemployment claims and leave issues.  
  

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