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Interim Guidance for School Districts – COVID-19

Yesterday Governor Baker declared a state of emergency in Massachusetts regarding the COVID-19 (“coronavirus”) outbreak which is impacting the United States. Among the many activities being affected by this outbreak is K-12 public education. As school administrators wrestle with the implications of the outbreak for their schools, governmental authorities at the federal and state level […]

U.S. Department of Education Announces New Title IX Initiative Targeted to K-12 Public Schools

The United States Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (“OCR”) recently announced a new initiative to combat sexual assault in K-12 public school districts.  This new initiative is intended to enhance OCR’s enforcement of Title IX in public schools and strengthen the ability of public school districts to adequately respond to all incidents of […]

Liz Valerio and Nick Dominello to Present at 2020 Massachusetts Association of School Personnel Administrators (“MASPA”) Annual Law Day

On March 20, 2020 Liz Valerio and Nick Dominello will present at the MASPA Annual Law Day at the Verve Hotel in Natick, MA. Liz and Nick will be discussing the following topics: the Americans with Disabilities Act and reasonable accommodations including service and emotional support animals in the workplace; state ethics law and public […]

Liz Valerio and Nick Dominello to Present at 2020 MMA Annual Meeting & Trade Show

On January 24, 2020 Liz Valerio and Nick Dominello will present at the Massachusetts Municipal Association’s Annual Meeting & Trade Show at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston, MA. Liz and Nick will be panelists on an MMA workshop panel entitled, “Social Media: Policies, Ethics and the Law Workshop.” The MMA has described the panel […]

Liz Valerio Receives Life Membership in the MASC

Valerio Dominello and Hillman congratulates Liz Valerio who received Life Membership in the Massachusetts Association of School Committees (MASC) on November 8, 2019.  Liz was recognized for her involvement in and commitment to MASC, as well as her advocacy for the children of Massachusetts through her years of assistance to MASC and her membership on […]

Liz Valerio to Present at COSCAP Fall Conference

On November 8, 2019 Liz Valerio will present at the Council of School Committee Administrative Personnel’s 2019 fall conference at the Resort and Conference Center at Hyannis.  Liz will be presenting on personnel files and “everything you want to know about school committee meetings.”

Liz Valerio and Elizabeth Paris to Present at MMHR Annual Labor Relations Seminar

On November 1, 2019 Liz Valerio and Elizabeth Paris will present at the Massachusetts Municipal Human Resources Association’s annual labor relations seminar at the Devens Common Center in Devens, MA. Liz and Elizabeth will be presenting on 2019’s major labor law cases.

Four VDH Attorneys Named 2019 Massachusetts Super Lawyers and Rising Stars

Robert D. Hillman and John Foskett have been named Massachusetts Super Lawyers for 2019 and Nicholas J. Dominello and Jennifer F. King have been named Massachusetts Rising Stars.  Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.  This […]

Ethics Commission Disposition Addresses Tour Company Rewards to Teachers for Organizing School-Sponsored Student Travel

There is a widespread practice in Massachusetts in which teachers organize school-sponsored trips overseas for students through tour companies such as EF Tours. These companies offer rewards programs in which teachers who organize tours through those companies can earn stipends and points towards products and free travel for themselves. In a disposition agreement recently issued […]

Supreme Judicial Court Sustains Decision Regarding Managerial Authority

On October 7, 2019, the Supreme Judicial Court addressed the inherent managerial authority of a public employer to take unilateral employment actions by examining the distinction between “broad” and “narrow” statutory authority in Board of Higher Education v. Commonwealth Employment Relations Board, SJC-12621. Specifically, the SJC held that a statute granting the state employer the […]