Paula has over 30 years’ experience representing plaintiffs and defendants in business, commercial, fiduciary, and employment litigation in federal and state courts, before federal and state administrative agencies, and in arbitration and mediation.
In addition to this litigation work, her significant transactional experience includes advising clients in connection with the formation, governance, and dissolution of closely held entities; the protection of a small business’ trade secrets, confidential information, and goodwill; the negotiation of complex commercial contracts, executive employment and severance agreements, vendor and client services agreements, and commercial lease agreements.
Areas of expertise:
Complex Commercial Contracts. Drafting, reviewing, and litigating complex commercial contacts, including asset and stock purchase agreements; LLC operating agreements and limited partnership and joint venture agreements; distributorship agreements; commercial leases; and intellectual property licensing agreements.
Closely-Held Entities. Transactional and dispute resolution services for closely-held businesses, whether start-up, family, or generational, including formation, wind-up, and dissolution; disputes among the principals, whether direct or derivative, and shareholder claims against directors and officers; business valuations in connection with merger, dissolution, or sale.
Professional Responsibility. Prosecution and defense of claims of legal malpractice claims and disputes over client billing. Advice to lawyers and law firms in connection with compensation disputes and the withdrawal or separation of attorneys from a firm. Significant exposure to the application of rules of professional responsibility through a recent four-year appointment to (and service as Chair of) the Board of Bar Overseers of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.
Employment Matters. Executive employment and severance agreements; employment agreements in small and closely held business; protection of trade secrets, confidential information, and goodwill through contractual mechanisms; claims of wrongful termination; claims of statutory discrimination on the basis of age, gender, race, and disability; claims of retaliation; wage act claims.
Business Torts. Prosecution and defense of claims of competitive torts including trademark and trade dress infringement, unfair competition, trade secret misappropriation, tortious interference, unfair and deceptive business practices, and fraud, as well as claims involving the enforcement of restrictive covenants against former employees.
Real Estate. Transactional and dispute resolution work in connection with commercial and residential tenancies; real estate development and brokerage; condominium governance and operations; land use and zoning; quiet title actions; express, implied, and prescriptive easements; and conveyancing issues arising in both recorded and registered land systems.
