Contact Judy: 857-225-6585
Judy is a highly regarded lawyer, investigator and trainer who serves clients in the areas of civil rights, schools and education, state ethics law, employment and municipal law. With 35 years of experience, she effectively represents school districts, municipalities, government employees and elected officials, public and private employers, and individuals.
Judy is skilled at conducting independent investigations for employers and schools and colleges of sensitive internal complaints of discrimination, sexual harassment, Title IX violations, bullying and state ethics law violations. Additionally, she provides practical, customized training about compliance with those laws for both preventive and remedial purposes. Having successfully completed several Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD) certified training courses, Judy is included on the MCAD’s referral lists for discrimination investigators, discrimination prevention trainers and consultants to respond to accommodation requests based on disability, religion and pregnancy. Her years of experience as a litigator inform her desire to assist clients in performing prompt, thorough and reliable investigations and training in order to avoid costly, time-consuming and disruptive litigation.
Based on her unique knowledge and background, Judy also is able to effectively guide clients through the often complicated and delicate process of being investigated by government agencies. State and municipal employees turn to her for able representation in State Ethics Commission investigations. She also skillfully helps clients to navigate other tribunals they must appear before including the MCAD, the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and the federal Office for Civil Rights (OCR). Her clients appreciate her direct approach and comprehensive understanding of these unique working environments.
Judy represents both employees and employers in disciplinary proceedings and other personnel matters. Additionally, she is experienced as an impartial hearing officer to preside at disciplinary and other administrative proceedings.
Judy has broad exposure to the legal issues her clients face and is sensitive and pragmatic in helping them to resolve those issues. Her success stems from her work as a former Massachusetts Assistant Attorney General in both the Office’s Civil Rights Division and its Administrative Law Division, as former General Counsel to the State Ethics Commission and as a former Hearing Officer-Consultant to the Massachusetts Board of Education. Before launching her private practice, she was a partner with Brody, Hardoon, Perkins and Kesten, LLP in Boston where she was head of the firm’s well-known ethics practice.