Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly

12/23/2025

A Marlborough law firm claims in a recently filed lawsuit that its practice was brought to a virtual “standstill” as a result of problems with litigation case management software that the seller of the product proved incapable of resolving.

A Massachusetts law firm alleges litigation management software failures by Opus 2 crippled operations, prompting a breach of contract lawsuit.

12/23/2025

The questionable relationship between Steward Health Care and its in-house malpractice insurer is proving to be an unrelenting source of misery for injured plaintiffs, defendant doctors and their attorneys.

Steward Health Care’s insurer TRACO failed to pay malpractice settlements, forcing courts to hold doctors personally liable amid bankruptcy fallout.

12/22/2025

A lab was entitled to rely on a doctor’s orders in determining that certain tests, subsequently billed to Medicare, were medically necessary and not in violation of the False Claims Act, the 1st Circuit has ruled in a case of first impression.

The 1st Circuit ruled labs may rely on physician orders to show medical necessity in Medicare FCA cases, affirming summary judgment for MD Labs.

12/19/2025

A Suffolk Superior Court judge has ruled that job applicants needed to show some form of tangible harm in order to proceed with putative class actions alleging that four national retailers violated state law requiring notice on job applications that it’s unlawful for employers to require lie detector tests.

A Suffolk Superior Court judge ruled job applicants lacked standing in class actions alleging major retailers violated Massachusetts’ lie detector notice requirement.

12/18/2025

Brian Walshe was sentenced on Dec. 18 to life in prison for the grisly murder of his wife, who disappeared nearly three years ago and whose body has never been found.

Brian Walshe was sentenced on Dec. 18 to life in prison for the grisly murder of his wife, who disappeared nearly three years ago and whose body has never been found.

12/17/2025

A new ABA formal opinion not only reminds lawyers that their duty of confidentiality remains in full force when they seek to withdraw from cases but may also foster greater uniformity in how judges manage withdrawal motions, attorneys say.

ABA Formal Opinion 519 reinforces that lawyers must protect client confidentiality when seeking to withdraw, outlining strict limits on what attorneys may disclose.

12/17/2025

⚠️ Two days left to nominate for our Excellence in the Law Awards!⚠️

Each year at Excellence in the Law, we celebrate our Up & Coming Lawyers and honorees for excellence in pro bono, marketing, firm administration and paralegal work.

Nomination 🔗: https://bit.ly/4nF7qGA

12/17/2025

A contractual provision prohibiting the pledge of a liquor license as collateral for a loan is neither prohibited by G.L.c. 138, §23, nor "manifestly injurious to the public interest and welfare" in violation of public policy, the SJC has ruled.

A contractual provision prohibiting the pledge of a liquor license as collateral for a loan is neither prohibited by G.L.c. 138, §23, nor “manifestly injurious to the public interest and welfare” in violation of public policy, the Supreme Judicial Court has ruled. N&M Trust VII leased a commerc...

12/17/2025

Final reminder. Our free Legal AI webinar is tomorrow!
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12/16/2025

⚠️ Nominate today for our Leaders in the Law awards!⚠️

We celebrate four categories of honorees at Leaders in the Law: Lawyers of the Year, In-House Leaders, In-House Icons, and Top Verdicts & Settlements.

Nomination 🔗: https://bit.ly/4pSzJmK

12/16/2025

An insurance policy purchased by a couple that bought a home for their adult son and daughter-in-law did not cover a claim brought by a guest who was bitten by the daughter-in-law’s dog, a Superior Court judge has found.

A judge ruled a homeowners insurance policy did not cover a dog bite claim because the daughter-in-law was not a resident of the insureds’ household under the policy terms.

12/15/2025

A Superior Court judge has ordered three insurers to pay $90,971,612 to a construction worker who claimed their investigation and handling of his personal injury claim against their policyholder violated Chapters 176D and 93A.

A Massachusetts judge ordered three Liberty Mutual insurers to pay $90.9M for bad-faith claim handling and violations of Chapters 93A and 176D in a construction injury case.