Justia Legal Services & Lawyers Directory

Erik J. Heels is an MIT engineer; trademark, domain name, and patent lawyer; Red Sox fan; and music lover. He blogs about technology, law, baseball, and rock 'n' roll at ErikJHeels.com.

Erik has been on the Internet since 1984 and has extensive experience working in high-tech companies such as Bolt Beranek and Newman (BBN), Cayman Systems, and Verio Inc. In 1992, Erik wrote "The Legal List," the first book published simultaneously on the Internet and in print. Erik's 15 minutes of fame started after reviews of that book appeared in Internet World, Wired, and The New York Times. He has been writing the "nothing.but.net" column for the ABA's Law Practice magazine since 1996 and regularly speaks about issues related to law and technology. After law school, he worked for various Internet companies, including a four-year stint with Verio, which was sold for $6 billion cash in the largest cash deal in Internet history. In 2001, he launched Clock Tower Law Group. He earned his BS in electrical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and his JD from the University of Maine School of Law (Maine Law).

In his spare time, Erik enjoys hacking with computers, writing, baseball, and seeking the perfect Hammond B-3 sound on his keyboard. On Erik's desk are pictures of his lovely wife, Pirjo, and their three children: Sam, Ben, and Sonja. His life adventures include living in Finland, traveling to 10 countries and to 48 of the 50 states, pulling 6 Gs and soloing a jet in the Air Force, and swimming in the Arctic Ocean.

My practice is restricted exclusively to divorce and family law. I offer professional mediation, collaborative divorce, and traditional court -based representation when other options are not appropriate.

I am committed to superior client service, and use technology to help lower the stress of my clients while providing efficient and creative solutions to family law problems.

I am the owner of The Divorce Collaborative LLC in Medway, MA. Prior to forming this practice, I was the founder and Managing Parter at a Norfolk, MA law firm and was also an Associate Attorney at the Rosen Law Firm in North Carolina.

Please visit my website/blog at www.divorcecollaborative.com

Larri Tonelli Parker is an experienced Massachusetts family and divorce attorney mediator. She is an active member of the Massachusetts Council on Family Mediation, the New England Chapter of the Association for Conflict Resolution, and several bar associations. She is licensed to practice law in Florida, Maine and Massachusetts. Larri grew up in Massachusetts, went to college in Colorado, learned to speak fluent Spanish in Madrid, Spain and completed Law School at New England Law| Boston. Larri formally established Parker Mediation in 2000. Parker Mediation provides professional mediation services and guidance to people navigating their way through legal disputes and court systems. Parker Mediation is a court approved program, sanctioned by the Massachusetts Probate & Family Court and the Massachusetts Juvenile Court.

Website: http://www.ParkerMediation.com
Blog: http://www.ParkerMediation.net

Barry is registered patent attorney with over 15 years of experience in patent and intellectual property law. He prepares patents in areas such as software, computers, and electronics. He also provides opinions, due diligence, trademark work and counsels clients ranging in size from Fortune 500 technology companys to mid-sized and start-ups. He and his firm also work with venture capital firms, major universities, and even independent inventors.

I graduated from Washington University in 1985 and obtained my J.D. degree from Northeastern University School of Law in 1988. I clerked for the justices of the Massachusetts Superior Court from 1988-1989 and in 1989 began practicing as an attorney with Burres Fidnick and Booth. I became a partner at what then became Burres Fidnick Booth and Kaufman in 1996. In 2004, after 15 years of working with my law partners I decided to start a solo practice. Since 1989 my practice has concentrated in the area of domestic relations. This includes divorces, paternities, divorce modifications, work with non-traditional families, guardianships.

In 1994, I founded Amherst Mediation Services. My decision to offer mediation as an alternative to the traditional litigation system stemmed from my years of experience in the Probate and Family Court and in particular my concern that in many ways the court system was not the most efficient and best equipped system for handling family crisis such as divorce. Mediation offers participants more control over their own destiny and works to increase rather than discourage communication. Mediation is also far cheaper and often far quicker than traditional litigation. However, mediation is not appropriate in every situation. I continue to provide my clients with legal services. In my capacity as an attorney I provide services which are professional, courteous and sensitive to my clients' financial needs, emotional needs and family situation.

I am a trial lawyer and handle civil cases throughout Massachusetts. I have tried over over 100 cases to a jury verdict. I am experienced in the defense handling of insurance claims in Massachusetts state and federal courts, as well as administrative agencies and appeals.

Significant cases I have defended include:

PRODUCTS LIABILITY. Burgos v. Danly Machine, U.S. District Ct., D.Mass., 17 Verdicts, Settlement and Tactics 361-362, 1997 WL 33345564, Natl. Jury Verdict Rptr. 10:15. Defense verdict for manufacturer of 50 ton power press sued by injured worker struck by metal blanks. Roberge v. Roberge, U.S. District Ct., D.Mass., 1999 WL 33488789, 15 New England Jury Verdict Rptr. 7:C8. Verdict of no defect in defendant's bicycle operated by boy whose jaw was fractured in accident. In DaConceicao v. Tru-Grit, U.S. Dist. Ct., D.Mass. 4/02), a jury returned a verdict of no liability for breach of warranty or negligence against the supplier of a knife-making machine. Summary judgment was granted for the manufacturer in Witte v. Thermold (Worc. Dist. Ct. 7/07) for an injury caused when a shower handle broke.

WRONGFUL TERMINATION. Tuper v. North Adams Ambulance Service, Inc., 428 Mass. 132 (1998). After summary judgment on defamation and tortious interference claims, defense verdict was returned in wrongful termination case. On appeal Mass. Supreme Judicial Court upheld trial ruling that unemployment hearing decision finding employee was discharged without just cause was inadmissible and not binding in later breach of contract suit. Weissman v. Altra Marine Products (U.S. District Court, D.Mass), 1995 WL 1933839, 10 New England Jury Verdict Rptr. 12:6. Favorable verdict against manufacturer sued by representative for breach of agreement, fraud, tortious interference with advantageous relations with customer.

DEFENSE VERDICTS IN REAR-END COLLISIONS. In Rouvellat v. Guarco, 187 F.3d 622 (1st Cir. 1999), a federal jury found a defendant motorist not negligent where plaintiff claimed over $100,000 in medical and wage losses, following refusal of a generous settlement offer at mediation. In Martin v. McKenna, 2005 WL 4397793 (Hampden Super. Ct.), a jury found no negligence despite the admission in evidence that the case was previously tried to a judge who awarded $30,000 and that award was Aprima facie@ evidence in favor of the plaintiff. Similarly, in Mulvey v. Roy, 2006 WL 4654733 (Hampden Super. Ct.), the jury found no negligence on the part of a motorist who rear-ended another vehicle starting a four-car chain collision.

DEFENSE VERDICTS FOR INSURANCE AGENTS/ERRORS & OMISSIONS. In Capozza v. Johnson, 6 Western Mass. Law Trib. 4, 1 (April 2005), 2005 WL 115548 (Hampden Super. Ct.), a jury found the agency did not err in obtaining insurance coverage on a Mercedes, there was a $1.5 million verdict against the co-defendant motorist. Similarly in Greaves v. K-D Agency, 2006 WL 4654729 (Worc. Dist. Ct. 7/06), a jury returned a verdict of no negligence where an insured had reduced his coverages below his mortagage balance and was underinsured for a fire. In Chenevert v. Remillard, 1999 WL 3348883, following an uninsured theft claim a jury found no negligence, deceit or contract breach in the procurement of a homeowners policy. In Miller v. Moulton, (Palmer Dist. Ct. 3/98), a judge entered judgment for the defendant agency following trial on a claim an agent was responsible for an insured being uninsured for a restaurant fire. In Harder v. Cebula, (Palmer Dist Ct. 3/93), a defense finding was entered after trial exonerating an agent for uninsured damages for a boiler loss.

SUMMARY JUDGMENT FOR AGENTS/E&O. In both Leger v. INA, 38 Mass. App. Ct. 1102 (1995), and Grey v. Finn, (Franklin Super. Ct. 11/1/00), an agent was granted summary judgment following an uninsured fire loss. In Lata v. Remillard (Norfolk Super. Ct. 10/29/04), summary judgment was granted on a claim an agent failed to procure sufficient underinsured motorist limits. In Sacadura v. Ideal (Springfield Dist. Ct. 7/04), a directed verdict was granted at trial where a homeowner sued his agent to cover an uninsured dog bite loss.

SUMMARY JUDGMENT IN LEGAL MALPRACTICE CLAIM. In Bratcher v. Moriarty, Donoghue & Leja, P.C., 54 Mass. 111 (2002), the court found no duty existed between the lawyer for the widow in a wrongful death action and the co-administrator of the decedent=s estate.

FAVORABLE VERDICTS FOR AT-FAULT TRUCKING COMPANIES. In Fernandez v. May Trucking Co., 1993 WL 1466090, and Bird v. Lott Trucking, 2001 WL 1041973, jury verdicts were obtained in a nominal amount well below the last offer of settlement. In Digiovanni v. Borden and McCormick v. Borden (U.S. Dist. Ct. 10/92), a jury awarded nominal damages to a mother and daughter claiming injury from a rear-end collision. Similarly, in Gendron v. Waste Management, 2002 Mass. Super. LEXIS 32057895, a jury rejected a claim of permanent disability and awarded only special damages to a plaintiff.

DEFENSE VERDCTS WHERE MOTORIST STRUCK BICYCLIST/PEDESTRIAN. In Evans v. Devereaux Foundation, 1992 WL 1352918, a jury found a motorist who struck a pedestrian in a cross-walk not negligent. In Boyle v. Silluzio, 2005 WL 2148520, the jury found a negligent motorist who struck a bicyclist at an intersection cross-walk was not causally responsible for plaintiff=s damages. In Delmolino v. Doyle (34 Mass. Lawyers Weekly 593, Nov. 7, 2005), a pedestrian struck by a backing motorist in a parking lot was found not negligent.

SUMMARY JUDGMENT FOR NURSING HOME IN WRONGFUL DEATH ACTION. In Fentross v. Geriatric Authority of Holyoke, 2002 Mass. Super. LEXIS 533, a dismissal was obtained for failure to make presentment under torts claims act.

PARTIAL SUMMARY JUDGMENT ENFORCING DAMAGES CAP IN BRAIN INJURY CLAIM.In Reynolds v. Williston Northampton School, 2006 Mass. Super. LEXIS 46, court allowed motion for summary judgment enforcing charitable cap on claim of brain injury allegedly suffered by spectator due to premises defect at private school's hockey facility rented to outside group.

DIRECTED VERDICTS. In Roman v. Pulaski Club (Hampden Super. Ct. 10/92), a judge dismissed a negligent security claim against a private club where one patron assaulted another. In Ditto v. Town of Palmer, 1995 WL 1722613, a road defect claim alleged to have caused a motorcycle accident was dismissed at the close of the plaintiff=s evidence.

PREMISES DEFECT CLAIMS. In Lash v. Apollo, 1995 WL 1768599, 10 Nat'l. Jury Verdict Rptr. 7:26, a jury rendered a verdict of no negligence where a deliveryman was claiming $150,000 in special damages and permanent impairment from a fall at allegedly unsafe premises.

DEFENSE VERDICTS OF MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS. In Glabicki v. Sarad, 1991 WL 1063382, no negligence was found on the part of a truck driver for a broadside accident where plaintiff had significant special damages and permanency. In Antuna v. Bergollo, 2004 Mass. Super. LEXIS 2216614, a jury found no negligence on the part of a motorist who took a right on red and whose vehicle was then struck. In Reyes v. Florence Casket (Springfield Dist. Ct. 5/04), a jury found no negligence on the part of delivery truck alleged to have sideswiped a vehicle backing into a parking spot. In Meadows v. Travel Time, 7 New England Jury Verdict Rptr. 2:16, a bus company was found not negligent by a jury for a disc injury allegedly caused when the bus went over a speed bump at an inappropriate speed.

APPEALS COURT REVERSAL OF PLAINTIFF'S VERDICT. In Gibbons v. Nichols [Tenneco], 1994 Mass. App. Div. 28, the Appellate Court vacated a finding for the plaintiff in an intersection accident and granted a new trial due to judicial error against the defendant.

NEW TRIAL GRANTED IN $1.5M VERDICT. In CIGNA Fire Underwriters Ins. Co. v. MacDonald & Johnson, Inc., 86 F.3d 1260 (1996), a federal judge allowed judgment notwithstanding the verdict of $750,000 on tortious interference counterclaim against insurer, and new trial on breach of contract claim verdict of $500,000, which was reduced to $250,000 on re-trial.

I provide legal services to small to medium-sized clients in the New England region, and throughout the U.S. and abroad. My clients are involved in a variety of business sectors, including software development, e-commerce, investment managagement and advising, health care, manufacturing, biotechnology, telecommunications, retailing, and consulting and other services.

I focus on the unique needs of each of my clients; and I seek to establish long term relationships with them by providing timely, highly professional services and practical business judgment. I carefully consider each client's objectives, business and management styles to help me provide more focused and relevant services.

I also act as an outsourced general counsel for some of my clients for the general management of their legal function, including the establishment of budgets, creation of internal compliance procedures, and the oversight of litigation or other outside legal services.

The firm makes extensive use of technology to enhance the timeliness and cost-effectiveness of its services, and to extend their reach throughout the U.S. and abroad .

I am dedicated to working with individuals to work through hardships that life sometimes brings. To this end professionally, I handle consumer bankruptcy matters. Many people, through no fault of their own, have debt that overwhelms their life. Bankruptcy is one option that may end this burden.

Additionally, I work with homeless individuals in several volunteer capacities. Monthly, I visit a Worcester County homeless shelter to assess the legal needs of the residence. I handle select cases on a pro bono basis.

I sit on the Worcester County Bar Associationâs Committee on Homelessness. I am also on the Board of Directors for the IHN, a program dedicated to finding both temporary and long term solutions for homeless families.

My family and I live in Auburn, Mass.

This aggressive and skilled Trial Attorney will vigorously defend your rights and interest. After serving four years in Hampden County as an Assistant District Attorney, Attorney Patryn has been defending individuals accused of major felonies and misdemeanors in the Superior, District and Juvenile Courts since 2001.

The Law Office of Daniel Karpman, established in 1992, is a full service law firm with offices in Springfield, Massachusetts and Northampton, Massachusetts. We offer personal and cost-effective legal solutions to individuals and businesses.

Attorney Karpman received his law degree from Western New England College School of Law, and has an M.B.A. in Management and Finance from New York University Graduate School of Business.

You can expect the highest quality in legal counsel through personal, responsive, and individualized service. We strive to develop and sustain long-term relationships with our clients by earning their trust and through our steadfast commitment to meeting our clients' legal needs.

Our goal is to practice law with integrity, good judgment, and common sense, while zealously advocating for our clients.

Please visit our website at www.dkarpman.com.

Attorney Elena Tsizer graduated from New England School of Law cum laude, in the top 15% of her class. After graduation, she had the honor of serving as a Judicial Law Clerk for the Justices of the Massachusetts Probate and Family Court in Suffolk, Middlesex, Bristol and Worcester Counties, where she conducted research on complex legal issues, wrote legal memoranda, drafted decisions, findings of fact, and conclusions of law while working under close supervision of the Justices. Currently, she is regularly serving as a pro bono attorney for the clients of the MetroWest Legal Services. In her continuous effort to provide her current and future clients with the best and most updated legal advice, Attorney Tsizer has applied and recently been accepted to the Graduate Tax Program at Boston University, which she anticipates to complete in May 2010.

Attorney Tsizer worked full-time while completing her law degree at night. While in law school, after a school-wide writing competition, she was awarded membership onto the New England Journal on Civil and Criminal Confinement, where she served as a Case Comment & Note Editor. Also, during that time, she was an intern at the New England Innocence Project, reviewing files of inmates in search of various physical evidence which would make inmates' acquittals through DNA testing possible.

Before earning her Juris Doctor Degree, Elena has been in a legal profession for nearly a decade. Native of Ukraine, she immigrated to the United States in 1993, first settling in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She began her legal career in 1996 as a secretary in a solo practice that served Russian and Ukrainian immigrants. Always working full-time and studying, Elena earned her Associate Degree in Paralegal Studies from Community College of Philadelphia and Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism from Temple University.

Attorney Tsizer is admitted to practice before the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts and the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. She is a member of the American Bar Association, Massachusetts Bar Association, Women's Bar Association of Massachusetts, as well as Middlesex and Worcester Counties Bar Associations.