A Message from Managing Partner Craig M. Tateronis
As we transition into 2016, we want to express our gratitude for your continued relationship with Prince Lobel. Thank you for being a part of a great 2015. 2016 promises to be a big year for our firm. The excitement is already starting to build in connection with our upcoming move to One International Place.
As we look ahead, we want to take a moment to recognize some of our firm’s most noteworthy accomplishments in 2015.
Philanthropic Initiatives
At Prince Lobel, we strive to serve the communities in which we live and work with hands-on involvement through volunteerism and other charitable contributions. In 2015, we designated a philanthropic liaison, Jane England, to coordinate our philanthropic events and community outreach. Through Jane’s efforts, for the first time we began to track our philanthropic initiatives.
2015 by the Numbers
We launched several new community service initiatives in 2015. As a firm, we “adopted” a local family in need. Working as a team, we were able to contribute much needed bedding, kitchen supplies and winter clothing to our adopted family. We also had fun along the way by providing the family with all of the supplies for a festive Easter egg hunt, outdoor recreation equipment and by fulfilling birthday wishes for each child.
Another first for our firm in 2015 was the implementation of a formal Volunteer Time Off policy (VTO). Prince Lobel now offers paid VTO which affords employees to take one day of paid time off per year for volunteering time to a charity or a firm sponsored community service initiative. This year, Prince Lobel employees volunteered their time with the Special Olympics of Massachusetts, the Catholic Schools Foundation and the Jimmy Fund. In addition, we worked with the following organizations.
2015 Sponsor Organizations
Firm Growth
In 2015, Prince Lobel welcomed the following attorneys to the firm: Ian Urquhart, Greg Pastore, Henry Tran, Matar Diouf, Steven Gans, H. Anthony Lehv, and Jennifer Fleming.
We are also happy to report that Adam R. Doherty, Joseph L. Edwards, Jr., and Kimberley A. Philbin were elevated to partner in December.
Recognitions and Awards
- Prince Lobel was honored with the 2015 Workplace Diversity Initiative Award at the 19th Annual Rosoff Awards Dinner. The firm was recognized for its commitment to providing opportunities to young people of limited means in our community.
- Several of the firm’s practice groups were recognized in the 2016 U.S. News and Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” survey.
- 24 attorneys were named in “Massachusetts Super Lawyers” and “Rising Stars.”
- 11 partners were recognized as “Best Lawyers in America.”
- Michael Ross was selected to serve as an Executive Committee Member for the Commonwealth Housing Task Force (CHTF) for The Boston Foundation.
- Julie Barry was named as one of 2015’s Top Women In Law awardees by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly and appointed co-chair of the Real Estate Bar Association Environmental Law Committee.
- Walter Prince was named the 2015 recipient of the annual BUILDER Award for Innovation.
 Wicked Local – Allston-Brighton |
Client Successes
- In American Freedom Defense Initiative v. MBTA, Joe Steinfield,Jeff Pyle, and Julie Heinzelman defended the MBTA’s right to decide what kinds of ads to permit on the T against a constitutional challenge from an advocacy group. The First Circuit ruled in the T’s favor, and this past Monday the plaintiff’s petition for a writ of certiorari to the Supreme Court was denied.
- In Doe v. Backpage, Rob Bertsche and Jeff Pyle defended a free and open Internet, securing dismissal of claims by plaintiffs who alleged they were harmed by postings third parties had made to our clients’ website.
- In August 2015, Rob Bertsche and Dan Tighe were able to secure the dismissal of a federal case in Nevada in which our publishing client’s copyrights were challenged.
- The Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination issued a decision fully exonerating our client, a large public agency that was charged with discriminating against an employee on the basis of race and disability. The agency was defended at the multi-day public hearing by Walter Prince and Joseph L. Edwards, Jr.
- Adam Doherty,Kristin Knuuttila and Walter Prince successfully defended a large public agency in a high-stakes employment discrimination case in Suffolk Superior Court. In a case where the employee sought millions, the jury found in favor of the agency with regard to all but one claim, and awarded just $16,000, a great vindication for our client.
- John Lawler and Heather Gamache successfully defended a brain injury case during a two-week Federal Court jury trial with eight expert testimonials during trial. While the jury found negligence, they returned a verdict of $30,000 and the plaintiffs’ motion for a new trial was recently denied.
- Bill Worth, James Lawson, and Jennifer Fleming secured a settlement for their client where an “exception creditor” unsuccessfully sought restitution from a discretionary trust for the client’s benefit.
- Our client, LoseIt!, rang the opening bell at the NASDAQ exchange with its partner Microsoft, symbolizing the start of “fitness week.” Peter Caruso helped negotiate and draft the partnership agreement between LoseIt! and Microsoft that creates a year-long multi-faceted joint marketing and promotion relationship.
- Walter Prince,Serge Bechade, and Peter Caruso helped Mery Volmar launch an on-line art auction business featuring artists from France and the United States by preparing the site’s terms and conditions, auction and consignment agreements, and sales documents. The site officially launched January 1, 2016.
Events and Thought Leadership
Throughout the year, Prince Lobel hosts a variety of seminars, webinars, industry meetings, and networking engagements. Some notable 2015 events included:
In partnership with the New England Women in Energy & Environment (NEWIEE), in March we hosted an informative afternoon with the Honorable Dagur B. Eggertsson, the Mayor of Reykjavik, Iceland. The Mayor spoke about the utilization of renewable energy in Iceland while maintaining a codependence on foreign oil to fuel the country’s vehicles.
In May, we were honored to welcome Bassem Youssef, a political satirist and one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world, who led a dynamic discussion, Is Satire Dead?
The firm hosted a July reception in conjunction with the Conference of Minority Transportation Officials with leadership members and partners in the transportation industry.
In November, the Employment Practice Group hosted a lunch seminar addressing employer concerns including earned sick time and medical marijuana. Representatives from the Attorney General’s Office and the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination shared their insights and responded to questions.
Prince Lobel proudly hosts a Young Professionals Series with evenings of Cocktails & Conversation. Kevin McCoy from LoseIt! continued our series in November, speaking about his management of strategic partnerships for the weight-loss company and the challenges of taking these partnerships global.
In December, the Greater New England Minority Supplier Development Council teamed with Prince Lobel for its Annual Holiday Business Card Exchange for a night of networking. All proceeds were donated to Heading Home, Inc.
Spring Open House
We invite you to visit us in our new space at One International Place in Boston. If you don’t have time to stop by and say hello, please watch for an invitation to attend our June open house. Details to follow.