Lissa McKinney

Lissa McKinney graduated Suffolk University (1981) and Suffolk University Law School (1984) and started as a trial lawyer with the Committee for Public Counsel Services in Worcester and Boston. Her courtroom and trial experience spans 40 years and more than 1,000 bench or jury trials, probable cause hearings, restraining order hearings and evidentiary hearings. Lissa's practice concentrates on labor and employment law, personal injury, consumer fraud complaints, administrative hearings, and ALL matters of criminal defense.Out of the courtroom, she represent clients at the Registry of Motor Vehicles, Department of Employment and Training, DSS Fair Hearings, disciplinary hearings of licensed occupations, and firearms licensing appeals.

McKinney was an Adjunct Clinical Trial Practice Instructor at Suffolk University Law School where she supervised third year law students providing indigent criminal defense. She served as Staff Attorney for Suffolk Lawyers for Justice (SLJ), the Suffolk County bar advocate program assuring the quality of lawyers representing indigent criminal defendants. McKinney has also been a lecturer at various educational seminars sponsored by Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education (MCLE), the Boston Bar Association, Suffolk County Bar Advocate Program, Suffolk Lawyers for Justice, and the Committee for Public Counsel Services, such as: District Court Bar Advocate Training; Essential Rules of Criminal Procedure; Trying Drug Cases in Massachusetts; Emerging Areas of Criminal Practice; Hot Tips for Trying Criminal Cases, Probation Violation Proceedings; Defending on a Shoestring; Pre-Trial Conference Rules; Evidence-Getting It In and Keeping It Out.

Lissa is a member of the Massachusetts Bar, the U.S. District Court for the First Circuit, & the Florida Bar,
Membership: Massachusetts Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (MACDL); Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys (MATA).

• Free Consultation
  Free consultation for the first 45-60 minutes.Fees for review and assessment beyond consultation are addressed during consultation.
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• Contingent Fees
  Contingent fees are accepted for personal injury cases such as motor vehicle accidents, property accident and related torts.
• Rates, Retainers and Additional Information
  Consumer law cases brought under MGL ch. 93A will include a claim for attorney fees. Efforts to recover costs and fees are always made in these cases, but not guaranteed. Accordingly, attorney fees on an hourly basis are billed pending resolution and recovery of fees.

Florida

Since 1987

Massachusetts

Since 1985

Member

Massachusetts Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers

Current

Member

Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys

Current

Suffolk University Law School

J.D. (1984) | Criminal law, student lawyer clinical program, labor and employment

1981 - 1984

Massachusetts Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (MACDL)

Member

Current

Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorney's

Member

Current

Florida State Bar  # 642540

Member

1987 - Current

Massachusetts State Bar  # 544172

Member

1985 - Current

Probation Surrenders, Boston

Suffolk Lawyers for Justice (SLJ)

Evidence: Getting it in-Keeping it Out, Boston

Suffolk Lawyers for Justice (SLJ)

Pre-Trial Conference Rules, Boston

Suffolk Lawyers for Justice (SLJ)

Defending on a Shoestring, Boston

Suffolk Lawyers for Justice (SLJ)

Essential Rules of Criminal Procedure, Boston

Boston Bar Association

Q. My boyfriend received a citation for unlicensed operation after an accident. Should we attend court?

June 24, 2025

A: YES! Absolutely he must attend and participate in the hearing either "personally or through counsel." Usually an attorney would relate all the information to the clerk that you would otherwise have to testify to.

The clerk's hearing where the application for complaint will be heard is really a two (2) part process. The first part is ordinarily presented by a police prosecutor to the clerk, and is presented so the clerk can determine whether there is probable cause "PC" to believe you committed a crime. The clerk may have questions about the facts of the accident or the report as well. Then the proceeding shifts to you and/or your lawyer to "show cause" why a complaint against you should Not issue.

This is where your lawyer will present any favorable information aout you to the clerk, such as lack of prior criminal record, good student, hard working, involved in the community etc. and that you have obtained the license in the meantime. Clerk's hearings present an opportunity to shape the charge or have it resolved or even dismissed before it gets onto any official criminal record. The Clerk's have broad discretion how they manage these hearings, and we know how to advocate in them. Because it is an important first step in the criminal process, you should get a lawyer involved before the clerk's hearing. You may be able to obtain a dismissal or even diversion if he has no record at this level at all. This is where an experienced lawyer can make a real difference.There are many of us here on Justia that handle these all the time. The possibilities for resolution for him largely depend on the court, the knowledge and experience of your lawyer, and their negotiating skills.

Be sure to check the box and send it in so you can get the clerk's hearing. Otherwise theymay not give him the preliminary opportunity to take care of it before it goes on a criminal record. Matters resolved at a clerk's hearing do not show up on a CORI. What you are talking about also implicates insurance points, insurance costs, liability for the accident if the car was insured, as well as license suspension.

If he does nothing at all and does not show up at the clerks hearing, the complaint will issue and there will be an arraignment scheduled, This goes on a public record, and on a CORI after arraignment. If he does not show up, a warrant will issue and his new license will be suspended. On top of that, the charge will net him at least 2 SDIP points and impact cost of insurance. It counts as a 'moving' violation, and any 5 withn a 2 year window will also trigger a license suspension.

It can ALL be handled at that clerk's hearing- and it is in his best interest to get it done there and keep his record clean. Good luck- ... Read More

Q. Impact of domestic violence arrest on girlfriend's student visa and consequences of changing incident report.

June 16, 2025

A: DO NOT DO THIS UNTIL you have spoken to an attorney. There are far to many risks and pitfalls, and you do not want this in the public either. Charges have or Will come from it. It is possible that if you don't cooperate with the prosecution the case will get dismissed. At this point that is the Best she can hope for, unless the police are sending it to a clerk's hearing first, instead of an arraignment. The dismissal on the Domestic A & B will end up on her record and have to be managed by immigrations when the time comes. It is likley charged as a misdemeanor. The path you are taking is nuanced. In addition, please, please do not move foreward in a relationship where you were attacked. This time- and this time only- she was arrested. Next time it might be you, and your job, life, home and kids ( eventually) will be impacted by it. Women that abuse men do so for different psychological reasons. Thre are many podcasts about women that abuse men you should look at. Cutting her a huge break in letting the case go is great if you want to do that. The misdemeanor should not impact her with immigrations, but a different lawyer must advise you on the impact on immigrations. (Immigration lawyer). I do a ton of domestic violanece and RO work. Moving forward with a woman that abused you is not any kind of start to a marriage anyway, and the risk to you of this happening again and you getting locked up exists. ... Read More

Q. How can I remove a negligent operation charge from my record when it's not observed in the officer's report?

June 9, 2025

A: You are getting way ahead of yourself, and should wait to review this with a lawyer. Most of the time an OUI is accompanied by a neg op. There is no path to having it removed because you think the police report doesn't reference it. If you were driving under the influence of alcohol, almost by definition you were negligent. Still an attorney may move to dismiss it if the law supports it prior to trial.It is not for you to 'get it off' before then, nor is there a path to do so aside from a Motion to dismiss. Sometimes it is in your interest to keep it on deck, as it offers a jury an option other than a guilty finding on the OUI if they are split. Once you have an attorney much of that will be clearer to you, in terms of how the charges work through the system. IF your case is not triable, then the lawyer can negotiate the OUI on dismissal of the neg op. Good luck. ... Read More