Salesman’s story tough sell in case

A door-to-door salesman’s pitch to a 41-year-old woman, who claimed the man sexually assaulted her at her home while he was on the job, has cost him and others plenty. The salesman, already a convicted sex offender, contended that he and the woman — who functioned at a mentally retarded range of intellectual ability — engaged in consensual sexual activity, but the woman countered that the salesman used a company sales pitch to gain access to her apartment. Two companies were also... More

Wandering eye leads secretary to cover up

In 1999, a few months after Nancy M. Billings began working for the town of Grafton as Russell J. Connor Jr.’s secretary, she began to notice that her boss could not seem to keep his eyes off her breasts. She tried changing her clothes and holding paperwork in front of her as she walked through the office, but nothing worked. So she complained to her department’s sexual harassment officer. As part of its investigation, the town sent a lawyer to interview Connor. The lawyer, a woman, noticed... More

New in-house attorney at Archdiocese is Lovely

F. BEIRNE LOVELY JR. Age: 62 Profession: Longtime corporate attorney for the Boston firm of Goodwin Procter until being named general counsel for the Archdiocese of Bostonin late November Claim to fame: First in-house lawyer to serve the Archdiocese   Q. Did your Catholic religion have anything to do with your decision to accept the job of in-house lawyer for the Archdiocese? A. Clearly, the Catholic side drove me to this position more than the lawyer side. If I felt I would be a backroom lawyer,... More

Left to Die

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From Kafka to the Three Stooges

“A lawyer is a person who writes a 10,000-word document and calls it a ‘brief.’” So said legendary author Franz Kafka, who happened to be an attorney himself. Seventy-five percent of Americans can name at least two of Snow White’s seven dwarves, but only 25 percent can name two Supreme Court justices, according to a 2006 survey. Americans are also more familiar with the Three Stooges than the three branches of government, with 74 percent correctly identifying Larry,... More

Employees need to know dishonesty won’t work

Employers who suspect that an employee may be stealing from the company need to proceed cautiously to ensure they do not expose themselves to legal liability. Companies should be on the lookout for possible warning signs that an employee is stealing, and they include: • frequent variations in cash balances; • inventory shortages; • noticeable changes in employee behavior, such as the purchase of a new car or expensive clothing; and/or • other employees’ complaints about... More

Legal options open to victims of sexual assault

Imagine you are a 19-year-old woman attending a local university. One Saturday night you go to a party with fellow students. Toward the end of the night, a guy you know, having met him in the student center, offers to walk you to the T. When you get to an isolated area, he forcibly holds you down and rapes you. You decide not to tell anyone about the assault; you think it is your fault; you think your friends will say you brought it on yourself; you decide to pretend it never happened. But, when... More

The law of Zoning

Q. There are efforts under way to build a cell tower down the street from where I live. I am concerned about the appearance of such a tower and its possible health effects. What can I do to stop it? A. Approval for such a tower will most likely need to be granted by your local zoning board. The approvals necessary vary from town to town, so you should check with yours to see what the requirements are. If you can show that the company somehow failed to meet any of those requirements, you may be able... More

The law of Personal Injury

Q. I hired a company to work on the roof of my house. One of the workers fell while doing some scaffolding and was badly injured. I’m worried he is going to sue me. Under what circumstances could I found be found liable? If I am sued, can I blame the roofing company since it was in charge of the project? A. You would probably be liable only if you were somehow negligent or at fault for the worker's injury — for example, if you owned or supplied the scaffolding, or if he fell because... More

Judge's cross-dressing should be mere footnote, not media fodder

According to well-trumpeted reports, U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Robert Somma recently was arrested for drunk-driving in New Hampshire. At the time of the incident, he apparently was dressed in women’s clothes, returning home from a gay bar. It happens that judges make some personal sacrifices when they are appointed to the bench. They become serious and ethereal, seldom associating with professional pals the way they used to. Ethical rules pressure them to isolate themselves so that they avoid... More

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