Morrison Mahoney LLP

Morrison Mahoney is proud to announce the election of five new partners. “Each of these individuals has demonstrated tremendous litigation skills throughout their careers, consistently providing exemplary service and favorable outcomes for our clients,” said Managing Partner, Grace Garcia. “Their promotion is not only a recognition of their exceptional legal expertise, but also a reflection of their unwavering dedication to our clients, their leadership within the firm, and their ongoing commitment to upholding the highest standards of our profession, playing an integral role in advancing the firm’s mission and values. We are proud to recognize their accomplishments and are confident that they will continue to excel in their new roles, contributing meaningfully to the continued success and growth of Morrison Mahoney.” Congratulations to our newly elected partners, and best of luck in your new roles in the firm! Read more about our new partners here: https://lnkd.in/dpZeipiX

Morrison Mahoney Partner Richard Hennessey recently served as a panelist on Northeastern University School of Law's "Wellbeing in Law School" panel.   Richard participated in the panel as a part of Northeastern Law's first year law student orientation, and as part of his role as a member of the MBA’s Lawyer Wellbeing Committee. Richard, along with other panel members, discussed time management techniques, stress management plans, finances, mental health services, substance use issues, and overall goals to make the first year of law school a positive experience.   Great work, Richard!

Morrison Mahoney Partner Kimberly Iverson Tufo recently secured summary judgment in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts on behalf of her client, a cryogenic storage facility. Plaintiff alleged that our client mishandled her frozen oocytes in violation of the standard of care, resulting in their destruction. The case also included gross negligence, breach of contract, and fraud claims and involved nearly twenty fact and expert depositions across multiple disciplines. Plaintiff’s expert faulted our client for several purported breaches in the standard of care. However, in a turning point in the case, Kimberly deposed the Plaintiff’s expert and, through skillful cross-examination, elicited several critical concessions, including that our client had not actually done anything wrong and did not cause the destruction of Plaintiff’s oocytes, which, as the expert further conceded, was most likely due to circumstances separate and unrelated to our client. In short, under Kimberly’s cross examination, Plaintiff’s expert walked back her core opinions against our client. Kimberly moved for summary judgment on behalf of our client, arguing that there was no evidence of any wrongdoing by our client that caused the destruction of the Plaintiff’s oocytes or any evidence of any fraud or a breach of contract by our client, that contractual limitations otherwise preclude Plaintiff’s damages claims and foreclose liability for our client, and that Plaintiff also otherwise had no viable damages claims because oocytes constitute personal property and plaintiff’s damages are not recoverable or available for the loss of personal property. Prior to our motion, the Plaintiff declined to voluntarily dismiss following the expert’s deposition. Plaintiff, in an effort to offset the damage from her expert’s deposition testimony, attempted to seal the deposition transcript and obtain the source information of Kimberly’s impeachment material from the deposition. After significant motion practice, the Court denied those efforts, agreeing with Kimberly that there was no legal basis for sealing the transcript or for compelling disclosure of the source information. The Court granted our summary judgment motion in full, dismissing all claims against our client. Great work, Kimberly! Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eFX4_uXC

Morrison Mahoney Managing Partner Grace Garcia was quoted in a recent issue of Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly. In the article titled "Court affirms power to confirm interim arbitration orders," Grace comments on an Appeals Court ruling confirming that courts can enforce arbitrators' interim orders. The decision, which arose from an $18M cannabis facility construction dispute, has broader implications for arbitration in construction and commercial cases, particularly around contract rights, payment arrears, and termination. Read here: https://lnkd.in/exzCRUVB

Morrison Mahoney LLP is proud to announce that 26 of our attorneys have been selected by their peers for inclusion in the 2026 edition of The Best Lawyers in America©, 14 of our attorneys have been selected for the 2026 edition of the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch™ list, and Partners Cara Joyce, Michael Edwards, and Robert Mack have been awarded Best Lawyers: Lawyer of the Year recognitions. Attorneys represented on this annual list by Best Lawyers are widely regarded by both clients and legal professionals. This recognition is a significant honor bestowed by Best Lawyers based on peer reviews. “We are proud to have this group represent Morrison Mahoney on the Best Lawyers, Ones to Watch and Lawyer of the Year lists,” said Managing Partner, Grace Garcia. “This distinction recognizes our attorneys and their exceptional legal skills and dedication to our clients, serving as a true testament to each attorney’s excellence and the value they bring to our firm. I extend a special congratulations to Cara Joyce, Michael Edwards, and Robert Mack, who have earned Lawyer of the Year recognitions,” Grace added. “Cara, Mike, and Robert continue to exemplify extraordinary legal expertise and a commitment to excellence that truly sets them apart.” Congratulations to all those recognized! Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eb5Auwwh

Morrison Mahoney Partner Joe Desmond was recently quoted in the August 8, 2025 Boston Globe issue representing our client, a senior care facility with more than 65 living communities for seniors throughout the east coast. Great work, Joe! Read here: https://lnkd.in/e-ENPwHr

Morrison Mahoney Partner Ted Murphy recently defended an appellate challenge to a defense verdict he previously secured in favor of our client -- the prime designer and builder of the nation's submarine fleet – in a tragic and closely-watched COVID-19 death case brought under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Act, 33 U.S.C. sec. 901 et seq. Plaintiff alleged that her husband’s COVID-19 infection and death at age 49 were caused by his exposure to a co-worker who had tested positive and been immediately removed from work four days prior to the decedent also testing positive. The decedent declined to pursue formal medical treatment until his condition markedly worsened-- he was brought to a local hospital that was unable to treat him due to the severity of his condition, then immediately flown to a major medical center, but unfortunately succumbed to the effects of his COVID infection one week later. The sole issue at trial was whether the decedent’s infection arose out of and within the course of his employment at our client’s shipyard, including his “close contact” with the infected co-worker and contractors. A Washington, D.C.–based appellate court affirmed the trial judge’s conclusion that plaintiff had not met her burden of proving. The 3-judge panel ruled that substantial evidence supported the trial judge’s conclusion, including our client’s state of the art infection control procedures, statistical evidence of a significant community spread of the virus during the relevant time frame, the decedent’s attendance at a crowded outdoor public event, OSHA’s conclusion that our client’s practices were within all applicable regulations and COVID guidelines, and the opinion of our well-credentialed medical expert who testified that the spread of the disease from the co-worker was unlikely given that masking was enforced and cleanliness maintained and that the more likely source of the infection was the public gathering where precautions were not enforced. Congratulations, Ted! Read more here: https://lnkd.in/e8Zb5HfY

In July's issue, Morrison Mahoney Partner Joe Ciollo covers recent decisions from Connecticut state and federal courts on various topics relating to insurance coverage. Read here:

Morrison Mahoney Partner Michelle Napoli was recently reappointed to serve the Connecticut Bar Association as Chair of the Women in the Law Section.    The Women in the Law Section monitors the progress and enhances the status and opportunities available to women in the legal profession, provides attorneys in Connecticut with an opportunity to communicate and network with one another in a supportive forum about women’s issues, and promotes the participation of the CBA in substantive areas of law and legislation that present issues of particular concern to women in the profession and those seeking legal services.   Michelle was also appointed as Vice Chair of the Litigation Section. The Litigation Section provides resources, education, and networking opportunities for lawyers who practice in all areas of litigation practice. The section focuses on improving the quality of litigation, promoting the rule of law, and fostering professional development within the field. As Vice Chair, Michelle will work with the section Chair to increase section membership, plan educational and networking events, provide mentorship opportunities to newer attorneys, and lead other activities directed at improving the practice of law and the administration of justice.   Congratulations, Michelle!

Morrison Mahoney is proud to be recognized by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly as an “Empowering Women” firm for the second year in a row in the publication’s 2025 awards. Such an award highlights our firm’s strong commitment to supporting and elevating women attorneys. In bestowing this recognition, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly selects firms that demonstrate a commitment to hiring and promoting women, providing mentoring and opportunities for professional advancement to women attorneys, and establishing programs and policies to help women attorneys thrive professionally. We are extremely proud to be recognized as a firm that provides an empowering and supportive professional environment that encourages our attorneys to thrive and grow. Morrison Mahoney will continue to honor this designation by continuing our strong commitment to the empowerment of our amazing women attorneys. Read our feature: