Top best State Lawyers in Worcester | 120 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

Mary Feeney’s practice focuses on real estate development and land use, construction services, general representation of colleges, universities, and secondary schools, commercial and retail leasing, facilities-related regulatory, code and licensing matters, and transactional matters for higher education and other non-profit organizations. Mary has extensive experience representing colleges, universities and secondary schools in business, operational, regulatory, and licensing matters. She specializes in construction, real estate, student and academic affairs, including faculty relations, and governance matters drawing on her practice for over ten years as a University Attorney at the Office of the General Counsel at Harvard University and the representation of local and regional colleges and universities and non-profit organizations. Mary recently represented a land trust in the acquisition of 12.5 acres from a municipality for the purpose of preservation, public access and education, sustainable agriculture and animal husbandry, and responsible environmental stewardship, including preparation of draft Town Meeting votes and providing advice on possible bid challenges under the public procurement laws.  She also recently drafted and negotiated 95 year ground lease for development of an environmental center on a college campus and drafted and negotiated a construction contract for development of a new facility with a project cost of $25 million. For a college consortium, Mary negotiated a purchase agreement for land and drafted and negotiated a Design-Build Agreement for the development of a $13.5 million library annex/book depository.  Mary has advised non-profit boards on governance matters including board restructuring and comprehensive bylaw revisions. Mary is a frequent lecturer on education law, zoning, real estate, construction and regulatory topics. She has been selected by her peers to be included among the Best Lawyers in America, 2008-2015 editions in the field of Education Law.

Lou Ciavarra is the immediate past Managing Partner of the Firm and now the Leader of the Litigation Practice Area. For almost 30 years he has advised businesses on avoiding and, when necessary, litigating business disputes. Lou has tried and won numerous jury and bench trials in federal and state courts on matters involving complex business disputes, intellectual property disputes, construction disputes and securities fraud. He has also represented professionals and firms in the securities industry before FINRA and state regulatory authorities. Lou’s practice often involves counseling business clients on employment matters, protection of intellectual property, contract negotiations and "bet the company" litigation. Lou has the highest Martindale & Hubbell Peer Review ranking of  AV Preeminent, 5.0, and has been selected for inclusion in Massachusetts Super Lawyers each year since its inception in 2004. Only five percent of the lawyers in a state are so selected each year. He has also been selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© in the fields of Commercial Litigation and Litigation - Intellectual Property. Active in federal court practice, he is a former President of the Federal Bar Association - Massachusetts. When Lou was Managing Partner of the Firm, the Massachusetts Women’s Political Caucus named him a “Good Guys” honoree for his ongoing commitment and partnership in achieving equality for women. He is also a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America (LCA), an invitation-only honorary society that includes less than one-half of one percent of American lawyers.. Representative cases that Lou has handled include a copyright infringement trial on behalf of a software client; an action to enjoin unlawful competition and protection of trade secrets; defense in a suit by the acquirer of a subsidiary of our client alleging breach of contract and a claim of securities fraud against our client.

Katie Szewczyk concentrates her practice in all areas of estate and related tax planning, long-term care planning, special needs and disability planning as well as business succession planning. In addition, Katie assists her clients with estate and trust administration, elder law and probate litigation matters.

Kathryn Toomey is an attorney in the central Massachusetts area. The daughter of the Honorable Daniel F. Toomey, she grew up in Holden, Massachusetts with a healthy respect and an in-depth knowledge of the legal system. She graduated from Wachusett Regional High School and spent her undergraduate years between UMass-Amherst, University of Hawaii and abroad for international programs in France.  After graduation from Suffolk University Law School in 2000, Ms. Toomey had the pleasure of being sworn in as a licensed attorney by her father, and many people thought she would follow in his footsteps by practicing criminal law and becoming a judge. While she upholds the same ethics and reverence for the law instilled in her by her father, she has chosen a slightly different career path.. Ms. Toomey has been practicing law since 2001.  Her areas of expertise include real estate, personal injury and basic estate planning.  Her work experience began at Burns & Farrey, one of the larger firms in Worcester, as an associate attorney where she spent many years learning both litigation and probate matters.   Five years later, she choose to gain a different perspective by working at a general practice firm, Eden & Rafferty, where she solidified a career consisting of real estate, representing lenders, buyers and sellers; personal injury, representing both the plaintiffs and defendants; and simple estate planning, including drafting wills, powers of attorney and trusts.. In November of 2006, Ms. Toomey opened the doors to her own practice in downtown Worcester.  She has an active practice performing real state closings throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, working with several area lenders, and with the buyers or sellers personally. She is a title agent for Old Republic Title Insurance.  Ms. Toomey also continues to work actively in the fields of personal injury and estate planning.

Joseph Ransom focuses his practice on all aspects of commercial real estate law including drafting and negotiating purchase and sale agreements, leases, and loan documents, as well as analyzing and resolving title and zoning issues.He recently represented a client in the purchase and sale of two commercial buildings for several million dollars.

John Shoro's practice emphasizes estate, gift and generation-skipping tax planning, business tax planning, individual income tax planning, long term care planning, elder law and trust and estate administration. He also handles tax matters related to the sale, acquisition and reorganization of businesses.. John is listed in Best Lawyers in America and named a Massachusetts Super Lawyer.. John was named by the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts to serve on an Ad Hoc Committee to study and report to the Court on Bosch litigation.

Jeff graduated with a degree in political science from Northeastern University in 1992 and attended law school at Suffolk University graduating in 1995. His earliest legal experience includes serving as an Assistant District Attorney and prosecuting cases throughout Worcester County. After leaving the DAs office in 2001, Attorney Head was appointed as an Assistant City Solicitor for the City of Worcester, where he focused on issues related to real estate, permitting and zoning. Jeff was in private practice from 2001 to 2006 as a transactional attorney handling both residential and commercial real estate matters. From 2006 to 2014 Attorney Head was employed by a regional title insurance company, initially as Title Counsel and then Claims Counsel. In this role Jeff handled many complex real estate matters and managed title-related litigation. Jeff’s breadth of experience as a real estate lawyer allows him to provide clients with high quality representation that is both cost efficient and effective.

Jay E. Macklow is the managing partner  of Landman, Akashian & Macklow, LLP. Mr. Macklow is a graduate of Boston College and a  graduate of New England Law Boston, formerly known as New England School of Law. He was the Managing Business Editor of The New England Journal of Civil and Criminal Confinement. Mr. Macklow is admitted and licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the State of Rhode Island. His practice consists of a general practice with a focus on real estate,( residential and commercial) workers' compensation, personal injury, and Social Security Disability. Attorney Macklow has many years experience as a trial attorney. He has conducted trials and hearings in both courts and at administrative agencies. Mr. Macklow is a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association, Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys, and the Worcester County Bar Association. He is a title insurance agent for First American Title Insurance Company. He has strong interests in sports, fitness, music and family.. The attorneys and staff at Landman, Akashian & Macklow, LLP pride ourselves in providing our clients with the highest level of legal advice and service. We also are able to provide our clients with resources and referrals in matters that are associated with their cases or may be beyond the scope of our representation.

I concentrate my practice in the areas of estate planning and administration, and business representation and planning. In the area of estate planning, my range of practice varies from the simple will to sophisticated estate planning, including revocable, irrevocable and charitable trusts, qualified personal residence trusts, and family limited partnerships. In the business area, I counsels clients on business formations, transactions, asset purchases and sales, employment agreements, contracts, buy-sell agreements and leases.

I am a Worcester native and have been practicing Estate Planning & Elder Law for ten years in Massachusetts. I have always had a passion for working with the elderly and enjoy helping families navigate the estate planning process to not only protect assets when/if they pass away, but to provide lifetime protections of assets and preserve personal decision making and protection of minor children, all while limiting the role of the court system. I handle Wills & Trusts, Elder Law, Special Needs Planning, and MassHealth/Medicaid Planning/Applications/Appeals.

George Tetler has extensive experience representing business and real estate entities in a wide range of business planning and transactional matters with emphasis on mergers, acquisitions, reorganizations and restructurings. He represents corporate, non-profit, educational, healthcare and financial institution clients in a variety of financings, including asset-based and mortgage financing, project and construction financing, bond financing, and credit enhancement.. George also represents several financial institutions with respect to general corporate and regulatory compliance issues, formation of bank holding companies, national banking associations, and bank subsidiaries, as well as acquisitions of financial institutions. He also counsels secured and unsecured creditors, creditors' committees and debtors in complex Chapter 11 bankruptcy cases.

Frederick M. Misilo, Jr., is an Officer of Fletcher Tilton PC, Chairperson of the Elder Law and Special Needs Practice Group, and Chairperson of the Trust and Estate Department. He also serves on the firm's Management Committee. As one of the nation’s leading elder law and special needs attorneys, he focuses his practice on the areas of elder law, special needs planning, estate planning, estate and trust administration, guardianship, and adult service advocacy.

Donna Truex has been a member of Bowditch & Dewey’s Real Estate & Environmental practice area for over 15 years. She advises and represents clients in all aspects of real estate transactions, including acquisition, financing, development, permitting, construction, licensing, leasing and disposition.. Specializing in the use and development of real estate, Donna has extensive experience appearing before state and local boards and the Land Court to acquire licenses, permits, or to resolve complex title matters. Donna is also experienced before the ABCC on liquor licensing and compliance matters and the Appellate Tax Board regarding real estate tax abatement and exemption matters.

Based in Worcester, Massachusetts, the Law Office of Harry P. Kotseas, P.C. provides personalized legal representation to buyers, sellers, and lenders in real estate transactions, and provides expert advice and guidance in the preparation of wills and settlement of estates. The attorneys associated with the firm are well versed in many areas of the law and have been exposed to virtually every area of real estate conveyancing. Stressing personalized service, reasonable fees, and advanced technology, the Law Office of Harry P. Kotseas, P.C. is the natural choice for your real estate needs. Let the Law Office of Harry P. Kotseas, P.C. make your next transaction as smooth and economical as possible.. In addition to Attorney Kotseas, the staff at the Law Office of Harry P. Kotseas, P.C. includes Cheryl J. Morrill, Esquire and Sharon F. LaPlante, Esquire.

B.A. Legal Studies, Summa Cum Laude. Bay Path College, Longmeadow, MA. J.D.. Campbell University, Buies Creek, NC. Massachusetts Bar Admission, 2009. Connecticut Bar Admission, 2010. Working as an estate and Medicaid planning attorney has always been near and dear to Attorney Fay’s heart. Her grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at the early age of 57. As a child, Attorney Fay was unable to help her family through the emotional and financial complexities involved in estate and Medicaid planning. As the family was unprepared for such a situation, she watched as her grandmother and grandfather lost their hard-earned assets one month at a time during her grandmother’s 14-year stay in a nursing home. Her grandfather worked hard to care for his wife, but failed to take care of his health and died early, at age 63. This left the family to continue caring for the living spouse.. After watching the experience of her own family, Attorney Fay found her niche in estate and Medicaid planning, knowing she could do for others what she could not do for her own family. Today, Attorney Fay takes every opportunity to guide others through what can often be the most difficult time in their lives. Through community outreach and education, she hopes that fewer and fewer individuals will find themselves in such a difficult situation during their golden years.

Austin Joyce has trial experience with Reardon, Joyce & Akerson,
P.C. in federal and state trial courts involving civil and criminal
matters with appellate experience in federal and state courts. Austin is
a general practice attorney with emphasis on police misconduct and
discrimination cases. Before joining Reardon, Joyce & Akerson P.C.,
Austin gained experience with various aspects of probate, criminal law,
estate and fiduciary taxes, foreclosures, residential real estate, civil
litigation, corporate law, UCC practice, banking law, and legal
research with the Law Offices of Austin M. Joyce in Auburn, MA. Website:

Attorney Richard Rafferty has over 29 years of experience fighting for the rights and freedoms of people living throughout Massachusetts. He is a 1983 graduate of Worcester State College, a 1988 graduate of New England School of Law, and continues to find opportunities to develop his craft and better serve his clients.. Attorney Rafferty concentrates his practice in the areas of Personal Injury, Motor Vehicle Accidents, Medical Malpractice, and Criminal Law, areas where he feels he can have the greatest impact representing innocent victims whose lives have been disrupted or altered through no fault of their own. He brings into each case a level of determination, expertise, and passion, as well as the respect of judges and prosecutors, making it possible for him to help his clients get the results they deserve.. Attorney Rafferty is passionate about his work with local labor unions and remains invested in representing these unions and the incredible work they do. He is also actively involved with community organizations across Worcester, including a multi-service and multicultural non-profit organization CENTRO, where he serves as Chairman of the Board since 1992. Mr. Rafferty’s work with CENTRO closely aligns with the work he does for his clients – he fights for people who need and deserve a voice in the community.

Attorney Brenda M. Rivard and her paralegal, Teresa A. Amici, are here to assist you with your legal needs. Attorney Rivard knows that in this day and age of ever-changing laws, it is necessary for her to focus her practice on related areas of the law in order to provide the best representation possible for her clients. Attorney Rivard focuses her practice on elder law, estate planning, special needs planning, estate administration (probate) and guardianships and conservatorships. This includes Wills, Trusts, Health Care Proxies, Durable Powers of Attorney, and Declarations of Homestead for all ages, planning for individuals with special needs or disabilities, asset preservation, Medicaid (MassHealth) planning and applications.. Attorney Rivard addresses the lifetime needs of individuals, couples, and families at all stages of life to preserve their choices, assets and values. She assists in planning for the maintenance and welfare of your families, health care, residential transitions, incapacity and death.. The firm is located on the first floor of a home in a residential area with convenient on-street parking in Worcester, Massachusetts. Attorney Rivard encourages her clients to think of her as their “primary care attorney.” She will provide you with the appropriate advice in those areas in which she practices, and refer you to another attorney or professional whom she trusts if your concern is outside of her areas of practice or expertise. If you are unable to come to the office due to your health or other circumstances, she can visit with clients in their homes, hospitals and nursing homes.. Listen to her radio show “Life’s Transitions” on Emmanuel Radio on Sundays at 2:30 p.m., Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m. and Saturdays at 4:30 p.m. at 1230AM/970AM/ or .  You can also listen to podcasts of her radio show by going to .

At Peters and Sowyrda, we work hard for our clients and have developed a solid reputation for honesty and creativity and have built a track record of success that speaks for itself. We keep in constant contact with our clients and make ourselves available through office meetings as well as phone and email. We believe that good communication is the key to a successful law practice and keeping our clients satisfied. Our clients demand the best representation — knowledgeable, experienced, compassionate and responsive — at a cost that is reasonable. Our clients demand the best and our lawyers work hard to deliver the best.. Elizabeth was born in Cuba, and raised in Spain.  She grew up in Worcester, Massachusetts.  Elizabeth spent seven years in Boston, where she studied Business Administration at Boston University School of Management and then received her J.D., cum laude, and Tax LL.M from Suffolk University Law School.. Elizabeth joined Peters and Sowyrda in 2017.  She is a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association and the Worcester County Bar Association.. She is active in her community, as a Board Member of Adelante, and member of Live Worcester, CENTRO, NAHREP, and Realtors Associations of Massachusetts.