Melanie Stallone Speaks at NALP’s 2024 Annual Education Conference in Boston

The National Association for Law Placement (NALP) invited Cloherty & Steinberg LLP associate Melanie Stallone to speak at a program about the value of state court clerkships.  The program, entitled The Hidden Gem: Mining the Value of State Court Clerkships, was hosted at NALP’s 2024 Annual Education Conference at the Hynes Convention Center on April 18th. 

Mel spoke to an audience of legal employers and career advisors from law schools across the country.  She shared anecdotes about her year-long clerkship experience at the Superior Court of New Jersey, insights into common misconceptions regarding state court clerkships, and strategies for maximizing the value of clerkships.  Mel also highlighted how her clerkship experience allowed her to sharpen the skills that she brings to serving the firm’s clients every day.  She encouraged law school students to feel empowered to pursue state court clerkships to build the skills that will help them flourish in their future law practice.  

Federal Court Grants Summary Judgment in Favor of University Client

On February 7, 2024, the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts entered an Order granting summary judgment to Firm client Harvard University in a case brought against it by a former student.  In Sonoiki v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, a student accused of sexual assault by three women brought suit against Harvard following his dismissal from the school.  The plaintiff sought compensation and other remedies based on what he alleged were the school’s breaches of its contract with him arising out of purported errors in the school’s disciplinary process.  Following discovery and summary judgment briefing and oral argument, the Court determined that plaintiff’s lawsuit must be dismissed because, among other reasons, the parties’ contract permitted Harvard to take the actions that it took as to the plaintiff.  The full text of the Court’s opinion can be found at https://www.law360.com/articles/1794868/attachments/0, and you can read more about the case at https://www.law360.com/articles/1794868.  Counsel for Harvard in this matter included Victoria L. Steinberg, a partner at the Firm, and Rebecca M. O’Brien, an associate at the Firm. 

Cloherty & Steinberg LLP Announces Move to One Financial Center

Cloherty & Steinberg LLP is excited to announce that we have relocated to an expanded new office space in One Financial Center as of January 1, 2024!  

Please note our new address:  One Financial Center, Suite 1120, Boston MA 02111. 

We look forward to seeing you soon at our new location.

Happy New Year!

Cloherty & Steinberg LLP Partners Listed in 2023 Massachusetts Super Lawyers Index

Cloherty and Steinberg LLP is pleased to announce that firm partners Daniel Cloherty and Victoria Steinberg have been selected by the 2023 Massachusetts Super Lawyers® Index for recognition in their respective practice areas.

Mr. Cloherty is recognized in the following areas:

-          Criminal Defense: White Collar

-          Business Litigation

-          Employment Litigation

Ms. Steinberg is recognized in the following areas:

-          Business Litigation

-          Employment & Labor

Super Lawyers® handpicks and spotlights the top attorneys in each state, employing a detailed selection process involving peer nomination, independent research by the Super Lawyers team, and evaluation by a panel of practice area experts. The final published index – a “credible, comprehensive, and diverse listing of outstanding attorneys” – represents no more than 5% of the lawyers in Massachusetts.

Cloherty & Steinberg LLP Welcomes New Associate Alexandra Arnold

Cloherty & Steinberg LLP is pleased to announce that Alexandra Arnold has joined the firm as an associate. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Arnold was the Paradise-Fisher Fellow at the ACLU of Massachusetts, where her legal work focused on litigation involving a range of civil rights and civil liberties issues, including free expression, reproductive rights, and incarcerated individuals’ right to adequate medical care. She previously served as a law clerk to the Honorable Indira Talwani in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, and to the Honorable Ralph D. Gants of the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts.

Ms. Arnold represents individuals and institutions in all of the firm’s practice areas, including government investigations and criminal proceedings, as well as complex civil litigation relating to employment, business, and higher education matters. More information about Ms. Arnold’s background and practice may be found here.

Cloherty & Steinberg LLP Welcomes New Associate Melanie Stallone

Cloherty & Steinberg LLP is pleased to announce that Melanie Stallone has joined the firm as an associate.  Ms. Stallone graduated cum laude from Suffolk University Law School in May 2022.  As a law student, she was an Article Editor for the Suffolk University Law Review, worked as a Student Attorney for the Suffolk Law Innocence Clinic, and was a co-founder of the Suffolk University First Generation Law Student Association.  Ms. Stallone recently completed a one-year term serving as a law clerk for the Honorable Ralph E. Amirata of the Superior Court of New Jersey. 

Ms. Stallone represents individuals and institutions in all of the firm’s practice areas, including government investigations and criminal proceedings, as well as complex civil litigation, including employment, business and higher education matters.  More information relating to Ms. Stallone’s background and experience is available here.

Cloherty & Steinberg LLP Partners Listed in Best Lawyers in America 2024

Cloherty & Steinberg LLP is pleased to announce that firm partners Daniel Cloherty and Victoria Steinberg have each been listed in the 2024 edition of Best Lawyers in America® for their litigation work.

Mr. Cloherty is recognized in the following areas:

• Criminal Defense – White Collar

• Criminal Defense – General Practice

Ms. Steinberg is recognized in the following areas:

• Litigation – Labor and Employment

• Employment Law – Management

• Employment Law – Individuals

Best Lawyers is one of the oldest and most respected peer-review publications in the legal profession.  Selection is based upon comprehensive peer-review surveys in which thousands of attorneys confidentially evaluate their peers.

Superior Court Grants Summary Judgment in Favor of Firm Client

The Middlesex County Superior Court has affirmed its recent grant of summary judgment in favor of our New York-based client who was named as the lead defendant in a complex civil case.  The case was brought by a Cambridge-based scientist and several of his startup corporations.  The Plaintiffs had filed a civil complaint against our client in 2020 seeking millions of dollars in damages arising out of an alleged breach of a supposed investment agreement.  In addition to their contract-related claims, the Plaintiffs also asserted additional civil claims for abuse of process and alleged violations of Mass. Gen. L. ch. 93A, the consumer protection statute.  After reviewing our client’s summary judgment motion and the relevant discovery materials, the Superior Court concluded that our client was entitled to judgment on all of the claims asserted by the Plaintiffs.  Daniel Cloherty, one of the Firm’s partners, serves as lead counsel for our client in the case.

Victoria L. Steinberg Selected as PAIR’s 2023 Business Leader in Human Rights

The Political Asylum/Immigration Representation (PAIR) Project has selected Cloherty & Steinberg LLP partner Victoria L. Steinberg to receive its 2023 Business Leader in Human Rights Award for her pro bono work providing legal guidance and representation to PAIR and other community-based nonprofits.  Vicky will receive the award at PAIR’s Gala on June 6th. 

PAIR is a Boston-based nonprofit providing free legal services to asylum seekers and promoting the rights of detained immigrants.  PAIR has chosen Vicky for the Business Leader award because of her longstanding commitment to supporting PAIR and other nonprofits across Boston by providing them representation and advice on employment practices and policies, personnel matters, internal reviews, and various other issues.  PAIR recognizes that Vicky’s work on behalf of nonprofit clients allows these vital organizations to focus their attention and resources on their critical missions.

Federal Court Acquits Firm Client on All Charges

BOSTON, MA — On March 16, 2023, the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts entered an Order granting a Firm client’s post-trial motion for a judgment of acquittal in a money laundering conspiracy case.  The trial in the case had ended in a hung jury, and after consideration of all of the evidence presented during that trial, the federal court concluded that the government had failed to prove the charges against our client.  The Court entered a judgment of acquittal in our client’s favor, ending a nearly five-year ordeal for the client and his family.  The court separately granted our client’s motion to dismiss the charges on Speedy Trial Act grounds.  A summary of the decision and a link to the full text of the Court’s opinion can be found at https://masslawyersweekly.com/2023/03/21/criminal-money-laundering-conspiracy-3/.  Daniel Cloherty, a partner at the Firm, served as lead counsel in the matter.

Boston Litigators Daniel Cloherty and Victoria Steinberg Launch Boutique Litigation Firm

BOSTON, MA - Demonstrated wins for Boston-area colleges and universities, including helping Harvard and Northeastern fend off challenges to the schools’ tuition charges for online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, are helping to pave the way for distinguished Boston-based litigators Victoria L. Steinberg and Daniel J. Cloherty to leave the well-known Boston litigation firm Todd & Weld LLP and form their own boutique education, business litigation, employment and white collar defense firm.

See Law360’s coverage of Cloherty & Steinberg LLP.

Cloherty and Steinberg have defended universities in numerous Title IX lawsuits for nearly a decade of constant change in Title IX laws and regulations. Steinberg, who frequently has represented Harvard, said she finds it particularly rewarding. “We are representing universities that have to continually adjust to changing regulations and precedents.  They are constantly and thoughtfully navigating the best ways to protect their students’ access to education.”

Cloherty and Steinberg have both represented marquee institutions and national leaders in the financial, communications, and healthcare industries, among others, in complex business disputes involving commercial contracts, internal investigations, and a range of employment disputes. They are also devoted to Boston-area nonprofits, representing many local advocacy institutions pro bono. 

Besides his civil litigation practice, Cloherty has a thriving investigations and white collar criminal defense practice.  He was also recently appointed by the U.S. District Court to serve as the Chair of the Criminal Justice Act (CJA) Board for the District of Massachusetts. In that role, Cloherty works with the District Court judiciary and the federal defense bar to address issues impacting defendants and their counsel in federal criminal proceedings throughout Massachusetts. 

Cloherty graduated from Harvard College and UC-Berkeley School of Law.  After federal clerkships in the Central District of California and the Third Circuit, he started in private practice at the D.C. law firm Miller, Cassidy, Larocca & Lewin LLP before relocating to Boston and joining the powerhouse Boston boutique firm Dwyer & Collora.

Steinberg graduated from Harvard College and Boston College Law School.  After clerking for the judiciary of the Massachusetts Appeals Court, she joined Cloherty at Dwyer & Collora.

Steinberg said that she is inspired by her father, who in 1959 was among the first attorneys to join New Jersey law firm Lowenstein Sandler, a firm which has grown to be the largest in New Jersey.  She has long wanted to found her own firm and build it from the ground up, focused on the core value of client-centered legal work of the highest quality, as well as equity and inclusion both within the firm and across the legal profession.  She discovered that she shared that dream with Cloherty, with whom she has worked on cases since 2007. Steinberg and Cloherty were among four litigators who left Collora in 2017 after it was acquired by Hogan Lovells.