Jackie | Barton Gilman

Legal Alert: Important Reversal of New York COVID-19 Student Testing Rule

February 17, 2021 by Paul T. O'Neill, Jaime A. Fernand, and Lisa J. Holtzmuller

On February 16th, the New York State Education Department (NYSED) issued guidance (NYSED Guidance) establishing a new rule that public schools in New York cannot require students to consent to COVID-19 testing in order to attend in-person classes. The guidance…

Massachusetts Guidance on Insurance Coverage for COVID-19 Business Interruptions

January 26, 2021 by Kevin M. Hensley

A recent Massachusetts Superior Court decision provides guidance on insurance claims for loss of business income caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The guidance is not unexpected, but it is not good news for business owners. In the decision, Verveine Crop….

Education Reform Blog: How American Public Schools Handled the 1918 Pandemic versus COVID-19

January 25, 2021 by Matthew R. Plain

The Education Reform Primer: A blog exploring the history of public school education in America By now, you’ve likely heard the comparisons made between COVID-19 and the influenza pandemic of 1918. There are similarities, as well as stark differences, for…

Employer Alert: U.S. Department of Labor Finalizes Independent Contractor Regulations

January 8, 2021 by Matthew R. Plain and Rita E. Nerney

On January 6, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) provided its final rule for determining whether a worker is an employee or independent contractor. The final rule is similar to the proposed rule the DOL published in September 2020….

Nerney joins Leadership RI 2021 Class

December 9, 2020 by Jackie

Following a competitive application and selection process, Rita E. Nerney has joined Leadership Rhode Island’s 2021 Rho II class. Each year Leadership Rhode Island selects a diverse group of established and emerging leaders to participate in a thought-provoking, 10-month community…

Basaria named president of SABA Greater Boston

December 9, 2020 by Jackie

Sahar M. Basaria has been named President of the South Asian Bar Association of Greater Boston (SABA GB). Sahar, who will serve as President of the organization starting Jan. 1, 2021, has been a member of SABA GB since 2015,…

Webinar on Social Media and Online Investigations

December 8, 2020 by Jackie

Social Media and Online Investigations – What you need to know In November 2020, Edward D. Shoulkin presented a primer on social media and on-line investigations to the CLM Massachusetts Chapter. The virtual presentation addressed best practices for the utilization…

Massachusetts PFML Q&A Session

November 23, 2020 by Jackie

In follow-up to Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly’s panel discussion on the Paid Family Medical Leave Act (PFMLA), held on November 10th, panelist Greg Vanden-Eykel will host an hour-long Q&A session: Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020 at 2:00 pm ET During this session, Greg will…

Employer Alert: U.S. Department of Labor Received Over 1,800 Comments on Proposed Independent Contractor Rule

November 6, 2020 by Matthew R. Plain and Rita E. Nerney

On September 22, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) proposed a rule to clarify the definition of employee under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) as compared to independent contractors. More details regarding the proposed rule can be found…

Webinar: What Massachusetts employers need to know about Paid Family Medical Leave

October 26, 2020 by Jackie

On November 10, 2020, Greg Vanden-Eykel will be joining a panel hosted by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly to discuss Paid Family Medical Leave, a state-offered benefit for anyone who works in Massachusetts and is eligible to take up to 26 weeks…

Employer Update: First Published Court Decision Concerning Reasonable Accommodation Request Related to COVID-19

October 13, 2020 by Greg Vanden-Eykel

The United States District Court (D. Mass.), appears to have published the first decision concerning a COVID-related reasonable accommodation request under Federal and Massachusetts law. In the case, Gabriel Peeples v. Clinical Support Options, Inc. (Case No. 3:20-cv-30144-KAR), the Plaintiff,…

U.S. Department of Labor Proposes Rule Clarifying Employee v. Independent Contractor Status

September 29, 2020 by Matthew R. Plain and Rita E. Nerney

COVID-19 Employer Update: New Guidance Concerning Leave for School Closures Under the FFCRA

September 4, 2020 by Greg Vanden-Eykel

With schools in the region re-opening over the next few weeks, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Wage and Hour Division (WHD) has provided timely new guidance in the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) Questions and Answers compilation related…

Six Barton Gilman Attorneys Named 2021 Best Lawyers

August 20, 2020 by Jackie

The following Barton Gilman attorneys have been named 2021 Best Lawyers: Best Lawyers in America Pamela S. Gilman has been recognized since 2012 as a Best Lawyer in America for Personal Injury Litigation Defense in Massachusetts. Francis A. Connor, III…

COVID-19: Avoid punitive approach to school discipline during the pandemic

August 5, 2020 by Jaime A. Fernand

New York education attorney, Jaime A. Fernand, was interviewed by the Special Ed Connection on how to approach to student discipline during COVID-19. The full article can be found here: Special Ed Connection Article August 2020 Jaime A. Fernand is…

Gillis authors analysis on Rawan v. Continental Casualty for MassDLA

June 22, 2020 by Jackie

Derek M. Gillis authored the article, “Rawan v. Continental Casualty Company and the Future of Consent-to-Settle Litigation,” for the Massachusetts Defense Lawyers Association’s (MassDLA) newsletter. The article explores the Supreme Judicial Court’s unanimous opinion in Rawan v. Continental Casualty Company, 483…

Greg Hoffman Named President of the Board of Directors of Roger Williams University School of Law Alumni Association

June 22, 2020 by Jackie

Gregory N. Hoffman ’13 was recently named president of the Board of Directors of the Roger Williams University School of Law (RWU Law) Alumni Association. As Rhode Island’s only law school, RWU Law is integral to the local legal community….

Eleven Barton Gilman Attorneys Named to 2020 Professional Excellence in the Law

June 11, 2020 by Jackie

Eleven Barton Gilman attorneys have been selected for inclusion in the Rhode Island Monthly 2020 Professional Excellence in the Law, a directory of leading Rhode Island attorneys who are evaluated on various measures of peer recognition and professional achievement. Those…

Thirteen Barton Gilman Attorneys Named 2020 Super Lawyers

June 10, 2020 by Jackie

Thirteen Barton Gilman attorneys have been selected as 2020 New England Super Lawyers, a directory of leading attorneys who are evaluated on various measures of peer recognition and professional achievement. Super Lawyers John J. Barton, Professional Liability (2013-2020) Angela L….

Education Update: New Executive Order on Special Education in New York

June 8, 2020 by Paul T. O'Neill

On Friday, June 5, Governor Cuomo issued Executive Order 202.37 (the “Order”), which addresses special education during the summer of 2020. The Order states: “Notwithstanding any prior Executive Order to the contrary, special education services and instruction required under Federal,…