2020 Legal Summit

Shannon represents management in matters involving discrimination, harassment, retaliation, misclassification, wage and hour regulations, breach of contract claims and unemployment benefits. She has successfully defended employers in state and federal court and before administrative agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD) and the Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA).

While representing clients in a variety of industries, including healthcare, travel, courier, technology, transportation, construction and retail, Shannon strives to create innovative solutions that meet each company’s unique needs and goals. She also limits financial exposure to clients by conducting internal audits, drafting employee handbooks, and revising employment policies to ensure compliance with:

• Title VII of the Civil Rights Act
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
• Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
• Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
• Massachusetts Paid Family Medical Leave Act (PFML)
• Massachusetts Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA)
• Other federal, state and local employment laws

During law school, Shannon worked for the EEOC’s Enforcement Division and for the Disability Law Center in Boston. Earlier in her career, Shannon worked for former Vice President Joseph R. Biden in his Constituent Relations Department. In this role, Shannon investigated constituent concerns, including teen “behavior modification” programs operating throughout the country.

Tracy Thomas Boland counsels clients on the full range of employment law issues from hiring to firing including, performance management, investigations, wage and hour issues, leaves of absence and the accommodations process, discrimination and harassment issues and investigations and reductions in force. Tracy also drafts and revises employee handbooks, employment agreements and severance and settlement agreements. Tracy particularly enjoys supporting her clients with novel and emerging legal issues such as pay equity and the ever-growing number of paid leave laws.

When her clients’ compliance is tested, Tracy represents them before Federal and State administrative agencies, courts and in arbitration. Tracy’s experience in litigation includes leading clients successfully through jury trials and oral argument before the First Circuit Court of Appeals. Tracy also has extensive experience and success in preserving her client’s resources by resolving matters through settlement. Tracy is proud to maintain strong relationships with clients with both a local and broader geographic presence that run the gamut from non-profit organizations to small businesses to leaders in their respective industries.

Tracy is an experienced trainer, having completed the MCAD’s Certified Harassment and Discrimination Train-the-Trainer Courses. Tracy is a frequent lecturer on traditional and developing employment law issues. Tracy is a member of the Massachusetts, Boston and Women’s Bar Associations, and the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce. Tracy is a member of and active speaker for HFTP (an organization of private clubs and hotels) and the New England Club Managers Association. Tracy has published numerous articles and given interviews on employment law topics in Massachusetts Lawyers’ Weekly, the Boston Business Journal and various trade publications.

Tracy’s experience spans clients across many industries such as private clubs, healthcare, banking, non-profit and technology. Tracy’s clients include Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, The Country Club in Chestnut Hill, Harvard Club of Boston, Brookline Bank, Dean Cooperative Bank, Pine Street Inn, Women’s Lunch Place, Walker School, Mendix and aPriori.

Tracy served as a judicial law clerk with the Massachusetts Superior Court and Massachusetts Probate and Family Court. Just prior to joining the firm in 2002, Tracy practiced at K&L Gates.

Lorenzo Cabantog is an associate in the Boston office where he focuses on employment litigation, labor management relations, and counseling.  In his litigation practice, Lorenzo has represented clients in a wide array of employment disputes and provides defense against claims arising under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), and a host of other federal and state labor and employment statutes.   In addition, Lorenzo has represented employers with labor issues arising under the National Labor Relations Act, including representing and advising employers in union representation elections, grievance arbitration, unfair labor practice charges, picketing and other threatened work stoppages.

Prior to joining the firm, Lorenzo was a labor and employment associate in a large international law firm in Boston and was a field attorney for the Boston Regional office of the National Labor Relations Board where he investigated and prosecuted unfair labor practice charges as well as oversaw union representation elections.

As the compliance attorney, Russell guides private and public sector clients in all areas of Employee Benefits, Health Care Reform and employment matters. He evaluates clients’ issues, leveraging his expert knowledge of laws, codes, regulations and other relevant authority. In addition, Russell guides public sector clients in developing and implementing the specifics of Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) Strategies. He oversees and provides specialized legal analysis and advice to staff, as well as, clients on an as needed-basis.

Scott is the Managing Partner of the Boston, Massachusetts office of Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen & Loewy, LLP, and a Managing Director of Fragomen Immigration Services India Pvt., Ltd.

He has practiced exclusively in the field of corporate immigration and nationality law for more than 25 years. Scott provides multinational corporations, including leading e-commerce and technology companies as well as financial and educational institutions, with strategic counseling on all matters of U.S. immigration and nationality law, regulation, policy and compliance. 

Scott is a Board Member of the American Immigration Council, the British American Business Council of New England, and the Council for Emerging National Security Affairs. 

Scott provides pro bono immigration advocacy to Project Citizenship, a nonprofit agency that helps immigrants apply for U.S. citizenship, and Partners in Health, a Harvard-affiliated world health nonprofit organization. 

Daniel Klein is a partner in the Labor and Employment Department of Seyfarth Shaw's Boston office. Mr. Klein's practice includes the representation of management in employment and non-competition litigation matters before state and federal courts, at trial and appellate levels, as well as federal and state agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, and the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights & Opportunities.

Mr. Klein also counsels national, regional and local employers on a wide variety of employment matters, including disability accommodation, family and medical leave, workplace investigations, wage and hour compliance, commissions disputes, performance assessment and discipline, terminations, reductions-in-force, training, background checks, whistleblower claims, defamation, handbook and policy review, and trade-secrets protection strategies.As a member of the firm's Complex Discrimination Litigation Practice Group, Mr. Klein has defended employers in a variety of complex discrimination cases, including multi-plaintiff discrimination lawsuits, EEOC pattern and practice cases, and collective actions under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Mr. Klein also has defended employers against the full spectrum of cases involving allegations of discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, defamation, and wage and hour violations, as well as representing employers in non-competition and contract disputes.Mr. Klein regularly assists clients in drafting employment contracts, severance agreements, non-competition, non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements, personnel policies and company handbooks. He has represented employers in a variety of industries, including healthcare, retail, manufacturing, hospitality, staffing, professional services, transportation, and technology.Mr. Klein lectures frequently on a variety of employment law topics for human resource specialists and in-house counsel, including regular presentations on behalf of the Northeast Human Resources Association, the Massachusetts Hospital Association, and Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education.

Mr. Klein served as a legal intern at the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination. From 2005 through the present, Boston Magazine and Law and Politics have named Mr. Klein one of Massachusetts' and New England's "Super Lawyer Rising Stars." Mr. Klein received his J.D., from Boston College Law School, and his B.A. from Colgate University.

Daniel B. Klein 

Partner, Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Phone: (617) 946-4840

Email: dklein@seyfarth.com

Online Bio

Allyson is an employment attorney and internal investigator. Clients look to Allyson to provide Human Resources legal advice on a wide range of complex and sensitive employment matters, such as responding to employee complaints, addressing performance problems, complying with employment laws, drafting workplace policies and contracts, and developing risk-mitigation strategies. Allyson’s clients appreciate that her goal is to counsel them on the preventive measures they can take to avoid litigation, and to litigate tenaciously when a lawsuit cannot be avoided. Allyson represents clients in state and federal courts, as well as before the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the Massachusetts Attorney General’s office.

In addition to her legal practice, Allyson has investigated scores of allegations of discrimination, harassment, sexual misconduct, and retaliation on behalf of dozens of employers and educational institutions.  She conducts investigations in accordance with the highest standards of thoroughness, impartiality, and confidentiality.

Allyson has been widely recognized as a leader in employment law:

• Massachusetts and New England Super Lawyer has honored Allyson with their “Super Lawyer” distinction each year since 2011.
• Allyson was selected to be a member of the committee tasked with redrafting the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination’s Parental Leave Regulations.
• The Massachusetts Bar Association and Lawyers Weekly recognized Allyson one of its “Up and Coming Lawyers” in 2011. This award is given annually to 20 attorneys who have been practicing 10 years or less but have already distinguished themselves in their field.
• Allyson has an AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating from Martindale Hubbard, the highest rating available for legal ability and professional ethics.
• The Boston Business Journal featured Allyson in its annual “Lawyers Shine Their First Year Out” article in 2006.
• Featured in Breaking Barriers: The Unfinished Story of Women Lawyers and
  Judges in Massachusetts, by Gene D. Dahmen, Esq.

Allyson is on the Board of Directors of Transition House, a domestic violence agency located in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Prior to forming Kurker Paget LLC, Allyson was an associate in the Labor & Employment group of the international law firm Bingham McCutchen.

As a well-rounded labor and employment practitioner, Molly is able to see the big picture for her clients. Whether she is providing advice or defending litigation, Molly applies her knowledge and experience to provide the best results for clients.

Molly represents clients across various industries in a wide range of matters, including both single and multiplaintiff litigation. She regularly appears before federal and state courts, as well as in proceedings before the American Arbitration Association, JAMS, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and other federal and state agencies.

Her experience includes:

• Representing employers in the defense of complex wage-and-hour claims, including claims arising under both state law and the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. For example, Molly has defended clients against allegations of exempt employee misclassification, off-the-clock work, and missed meal breaks in all phases of litigation, including class and collective action certification and summary judgment.
• Defending employers in matters involving discrimination under both state and federal law, wrongful termination, harassment, and retaliation.
• Advising clients in employment-related matters, including wage-and-hour issues, worker classification, compliance with state and federal leave laws, employee terminations, and employment policies and handbooks. She also conducts sensitive workplace investigations for clients.

As an experienced litigator, Molly understands that discovery can be expensive and frustrating for clients. Having defended many clients in large class and collective actions, she is adept at managing large-scale document collection efforts and document productions in a way that is easy and streamlined for her clients. She routinely works with Seyfarth's eDiscovery team to find quick solutions to discovery issues her clients face.

About working at Seyfarth, Molly says, "I love working at the premier firm for labor and employment. Not only do I get to work on cutting-edge employment issues, but I get to do so while working with a network of highly experienced and amazing labor and employment attorneys."

Moly C. Mooney

Associate, Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Phone: (617) 946-4833

Email: mmooney@seyfarth.com

Online Bio

Tejal is an Associate in Fragomen’s Boston office, where she represents corporate clients on a wide array of immigration matters, including nonimmigrant and immigrant petitions for a number of visa categories.

Prior to joining Fragomen, Tejal worked for a prominent Connecticut law firm, where she practiced exclusively in the area of corporate immigration law. While in law school, Tejal interned with the Executive Office of Immigration Review (EOIR) in Hartford, CT and the immigration unit at Greater Boston Legal Services.

Tejal speaks English and Gujarati.

HUB International provides Fortune 500 experience to large middle market clients. We work with our clients to develop multi year plan involving key aspects of employee benefits; (Technology, Compliance, Health & Performance and Communications).

INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE:
14 years in leadership position with MetLife Group Division.
5 years as head of Boston office, employee benefits department for large national broker/ consulting firm.
20 years at HUB advising large middle market clients in all aspects of employee benefits.

DESIGNATIONS/SPECIALTIES:
Certified Employee Benefit Specialists, (CEBS), Wharton School. Licensed Insurance Advisor, (LIA)
Past president of Greater Boston Chapter of CEBS
Current Board Member of Greater Boston Chapter of CEBS
Active member of Human Resources board of SBANE

Joe helps his clients in four primary areas:

1. Control insurance costs, (short and long term solutions to control costs)

2. Compliance, (reduce clients work complying with State and Federal requirements, including full ACA support)

3. Communication, (multi media process to helps employees better understand and appreciate employee benefits)

4. Technology, (best practices technology solutions to streamline administration and comply with ACA).

Specialties: Employee Benefits Consulting: Design, Negotiation & Implementation of Benefit Programs, HR Technology Solutions, Healthcare Reform Compliance and Planning, Health & Performance Strategy. Multinational, Middle market and large employer groups. 

Jennifer is an Associate in Fragomen’s Boston office, where she provides immigration advice to corporate clients on an array of employment-based immigrant and nonimmigrant processes.

Prior to joining the firm, she assisted clients in employment and family-based immigrant and nonimmigrant matters, including H-1B, L-1, TN, O-1, J-1 waiver, E-3, national interest waiver, and alien of extraordinary ability. Jennifer has worked with clients across a broad range of industries, including universities, information technology services, science and technology services, pharmaceutical services, manufacturing, nonprofit organizations, and individuals, among others.

Charla B. Stevens practiced law in New Hampshire and Massachusetts for more than 37 years before retiring from McLane Middleton where she chaired the employment law practice group and also represented schools and health care practices. Stevens is the principal of Charla Stevens Consulting LLC where she continues to offer services to businesses which include workplace training, independent investigations, strategic human resources consulting, and mediation and conflict resolution. 

During her years of practice she was recognized as a top lawyer in employment law by Chambers and Partners, Best Lawyers, and Super Lawyers, among others.  She has been the recipient of numerous awards to include the Granite State HR Hero Award, the Jack B. Middleton Pro Bono Services Award, the Business and Industry Association's Above and Beyond Award, and the NH Business Review Business Excellence Award.

Charla is currently the chair of the Granite United Way Board of Directors, a Trustee of Solution Health, a Commissioner of the New Hampshire Lawyers' Assistance Program, and serves on the American Bar Association Section of Litigation's Task Force on Mental Health and Wellness. 

Martha has 30 years of experience advising and representing clients on a broad range of employment law issues and in adversarial proceedings. In her role as an advisor to employers, boards of directors, and executives, she regularly provides practical advice and counsel on a wide range of employment-related issues, including employee relations and policy matters; employee classification and wage and hour laws; violations of noncompetition, nonsolicitation, and nondisclosure agreements; employee training; employment and separation agreements; affirmative action; mergers and acquisitions; and internal investigations. Martha has represented clients before administrative and governmental agencies, courts, arbitrators, and mediators.

Before joining Bello / Welsh, Martha was Of Counsel to Mintz Levin, a large Boston law firm, where she was a member of the Employment, Labor and Benefits department. From 1994 through 2007, Martha was corporate counsel for Keane, Inc., a billion-dollar multinational corporation with, at its peak, approximately 12,000 employees. Beyond her responsibilities as the sole employment lawyer for Keane, (now NTT DATA, Inc.) Martha assisted the company with Sarbanes-Oxley compliance, corporate governance, M&A due diligence, SEC matters, and risk assessment. Prior to joining Keane in 1994, Martha was with another major Boston law firm.

Martha was the Editor of and a frequent contributor to Mintz Levin’s Employment, Labor & Benefits blog, Employment Matters. She is frequently asked to provide expert commentary on various employment issues, and has appeared on The Emily Rooney Show and been quoted in MSNBC.com, Boston Business Journal, Business Insurance, and Workforce Management, among other publications.

Martha is admitted to practice in Massachusetts and Washington, D.C., and before the Federal District Court in Massachusetts, the First Circuit Court of Appeals and the Central District of Illinois. She received her B.A. from Emory University, her M.A. in Psychology from Boston College, and her J.D. from Boston College Law School.