Top best Civil Rights Lawyers in ZIP 01609 | 6 available

Michael Akerson joined the firm over 17 years ago.  Since that time he has fostered a diverse and successful litigation practice, focusing upon complex litigation and representing both individuals and corporations in all stages of litigation and in pre-litigation strategy.   He is recognized as one of the area's most experienced civil, administrative and criminal litigators in the field of public official misconduct cases.  Another large component of his practice is representing individuals involved in serious personal injury matters involving automobiles, as well as those injured due to workplace misconduct, including harassment and discrimination.  He also counsels numerous corporations on a variety of corporate business issues as well as providing residential and corporate transactional services.. Mike has tried in excess of 200 cases.  He has significant experience in trying matters before state and federal courts, most state agencies, and a variety of administrative fora.  He has proved successful many times over at trial and also at defending a judge or jury's favorable determinations at the appellate level at the Massachusetts Appeals Court, the Supreme Judicial Court, and the First Circuit Court of Appeals.. Worcester Attorney, Michael Akerson

Andrew Gambaccini focuses his practice in the areas of appellate advocacy and general civil litigation, with an emphasis in the areas of employment law and disputes implicating constitutional concerns and interests. In addition, Attorney Gambaccini has extensive experience in defending law enforcement officers and other public safety personnel in connection with all manner of claims made against them, or otherwise in vindicating their interests in various settings.. With respect to his appellate practice, Attorney Gambaccini has briefed and argued matters pending before the First Circuit Court of Appeals, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court and the Massachusetts Appeals Court.  In connection with his litigation practice, Attorney Gambaccini has secured successful outcomes in criminal and civil matters in various fora, including matters pending in federal and state court, before state agencies, before state and local boards and commissions as well as before appointing authorities and hearing officers across the Commonwealth.   That experience has covered successful work on behalf of both plaintiffs and defendants.. In addition to his representation of members of the Massachusetts State Police, MBTA and campus police officers for a number of colleges, Attorney Gambaccini has defended police officers in well more than 140 municipalities across Massachusetts.  That broad and deep experience with law enforcement officers consistently includes the defense of officers in civil rights and other forms of civil action in federal and state court, the defense of officers with regard to charges of discrimination before the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination and in court, the defense of officers during disciplinary hearings at local levels and before the Massachusetts Civil Service Commission and at arbitration, the defense of officers in criminal proceedings and the representation of officers who are subjected to professional standards or internal affairs inquiries.. Attorney Gambaccini is a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross, where he received an A.B. degree both in history and in political science and where he was a founding staff member of the Holy Cross Journal of Law and Public Policy. Attorney Gambaccini also is a magna cum laude graduate of the University of Connecticut School of Law. While in law school, Attorney Gambaccini was a member of the Moot Court Board and the National Italian American Bar Association, served as a lead articles editor for the Connecticut Insurance Law Journal and for two years served as a constitutional law teaching assistant for Professor Loftus E. Becker, Jr. Also during law school, Attorney Gambaccini received the Federal Bar Council’s Cornelius Wickersham Award in Constitutional Law as well as CALI awards for excellence in the study of contracts, in constitutional law and in an advanced constitutional law class focused upon the structural limitations associated with federalism and the separation of powers.. Following graduation from law school, Attorney Gambaccini served as a law clerk to the Honorable Flemming L. Norcott, Jr., Associate Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court.. Attorney Gambaccini is admitted to practice in the state and federal courts of Massachusetts, as well as the First Circuit Court of Appeals.  A member of the Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies, Attorney Gambaccini also is a volunteer attorney for its Pro Bono Center.  Attorney Gambaccini is a member of the Worcester County Bar Association and the Bar Association’s Trial Practice Section; in addition, Attorney Gambaccini currently sits on the Bar Association’s Federal District Court Committee and Superior Court Committee.. In addition, Attorney Gambaccini is a member of the Federal Bar Association and now sits on the Steering Committee for the Worcester Chapter.. From 2014 until 2021, Attorney Gambaccini served as a hearing officer for the Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers.  Hearing officers preside over administrative proceedings in order to hear evidence and to make disciplinary determinations arising out of complaints of attorney misconduct.. Attorney Gambaccini is a charter member of the National Constitution Center and has sat on the By-law Committee for the Town of West Boylston and the Board of Directors for the Holy Cross Lawyers Association.. From 2017 through 2024, Attorney Gambaccini was selected as a Massachusetts “Super Lawyer” in the area of civil rights law.  Each year, no more than 5 % percent of the lawyers in Massachusetts are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor and the annual selections are made using a rigorous multiphase process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, an independent research evaluation of candidates and peer reviews by practice area.. Previously, Attorney Gambaccini was selected as  Massachusetts “Rising Star” in eight years (2008, 2010-2016) by Law and Politics Media, Inc.  Massachusetts Rising Stars  is published annually in Massachusetts Super Lawyers Rising Stars Edition and in Boston magazine and is awarded to no more than 2.5% of the lawyers in Massachusetts under the age of forty who have distinguished themselves in the practice of law.. In 2011, Attorney Gambaccini was selected by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly as one of twenty “Up and Coming” Lawyers.  The award is given to selected attorneys who have been members of the bar for ten years or less “but who have already distinguished themselves in some manner and appear poised for even greater accomplishments.”. Having handled a number of high profile cases during his career, Attorney Gambaccini has appeared on television and radio broadcasts of several media outlets, while also regularly being interviewed by newspapers across the Commonwealth.