Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly

Convicted in 2008 for a violent armed robbery and shooting at a Springfield gas station, Rashawn Williams has been granted a new trial after nearly 18 years in prison, thanks to an attorney who finally shined a light on cracks in the two main pillars of the prosecution’s case. https://lnkd.in/dnKvhvSH

A defendant’s conviction of aggravated kidnapping has been vacated by the Supreme Judicial Court because the trial judge did not instruct the jury that commonwealth was required to prove that the dangerous weapon with which the defendant was armed was used to inflict serious bodily injury. https://lnkd.in/djgp5whq

🏆 Submit your nomination today for the Excellence in the Law event! 🏆 Each year at Excellence in the Law Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly celebrates our Up & Coming Lawyers and honorees for excellence in pro bono, marketing, firm administration and paralegal work. Nominations 🔗: https://bit.ly/3B6GBst

Attorneys say they suspect the Supreme Judicial Court may take something other than an all-or-nothing approach to the main issue in a case argued on Oct. 7: whether the trial judge in a multi-defendant medical malpractice case abused his discretion by precluding one of the defendants from cross-examining a co-defendant as to potential bias arising from a “high-low” agreement. https://lnkd.in/dPckdPe8

The Land Court's current legal counsel and assistant deputy court administrator has been nominated for a judgeship on the court. https://lnkd.in/d2ksDMuU

The Appeals Court has ruled that an estate beneficiary did not trigger the “in terrorem” clause in his father’s will by providing an affidavit that supported his disinherited brother’s allegations in a will contest. https://lnkd.in/dzU9ADYe

Today, two-fifths of Verrill’s attorneys are women, along with a third of its equity partnership — a figure considerably higher than the 23.7 percent industry average. At the firm, women populate numerous leadership positions and chair practice groups and committees. In fact, the senior leadership team is now more than 60 percent female, including the chief financial officer and chief HR officer. Read more: https://lnkd.in/g7K8aV6c

TikTok intentionally designed its social media platform to "override a young person's agency" and keep them tied to the app, Attorney General Andrea J. Campbell is alleging in a new lawsuit. https://lnkd.in/dfBrdYiF

Law firms are compelled to tell their clients’ stories, but at Sullivan & Worcester, women lawyers are encouraged to tell their own. The “Get to Know the Women Partners” series allows attorneys to share tales of their own career path. And that’s just one aspect of the larger Women’s Initiative, which sponsors fosters mentoring and provides professional development, leadership, networking and training programs. Read more: https://lnkd.in/g7K8aV6c

Four attorneys and a law student will be recognized by the Supreme Judicial Court Standing Committee on Pro Bono Legal Services for their exceptional dedication to providing pro bono legal services, the SJC has announced. https://lnkd.in/gr5F86zD