Law Firm Overview

Areas of Practice

• Family Law
• Labor and Employment
• Appeals
• Probate Administration
• Mediation/Arbitration
• Civil Litigation
• Custody and Visitation
• Divorce
• Adoption
• Federal Civil Practice
• Divorce Mediation

Honors and Awards

• Fellow, American Bar Foundation
• Lawyer of the Year Award, Kent County Bar Association, 2001
• Raymond J. Pettine Civil Libertarian of the Year Award, Rhode Island Affiliate of ACLU, 1999
• Silver Bullet Award, Rhode Island ARC, 1998
• Dorothy Lohmann Community Service Award, Rhode Island Bar Association, 1997
• Special Recognition Award, Rhode Island Affiliate of ACLU, 1992
• Cooperating Attorney of the Year, Rhode Island Affiliate of ACLU, 1991
• Phi Beta Kappa, 1973
• First Amendment Law , Best Lawyers in America , 2008
• AV Rating from Martindale-Hubbell
• Labor & Employment Law, Best Lawyers in America, 2008

Pro Bono Activities

• Volunteer Lawyers Program, Rhode Island Bar Association
• Cooperating Attorney, American Civil Liberties Union

Representative Clients

• Telecommunications, Inc.
• Warwick Fraternal Order of Police

Representative Cases

• Lee v. Weisman, 112 S.Ct. 2649 (1992)
• Lynch v. Donnelly, 465 U.S. 668 (1984)
• French v. Pan Am Express, 869 F.2d 1 (1st Cir. 1989)
• Parente v. Town of West Warwick, 868 F.2d 522 (1st Cir. 1989)
• Members of the Jamestown School Committee v. Schmidt, 699 F.2d 1 (1st Cir. 1983)
• Casey v. DePetrillo, 697 F.2d 22 (1st Cir. 1983)
• Landrigan v. City of Warwick, 628 F.2d 736 (1st Cir. 1980)
• Yang v. Sturner, 770 F.Supp. 558 (D R.I. 1990)
• Yang v. Sturner, 728 F. supp. 845 (D R.I. 1990)
• Fratiello v. Mancuso, 653 F. Supp. 775 (D R.I. 1987)
• Healey v. Bendick, 628 F. Supp. 681 (D R.I. 1986)
• Fausto v. Diamond, 589 F. Supp. 451 (D R.I. 1984)
• In re: Request for Advisory Opinion from the House of Representatives, 875 A.2d 445 (R.I. 2005)
• American Condominium Assn., Inc. v. IDC, Inc., 870 A.2d 434 (R.I. 2005)
• Folan v. State of Rhode Island, 723 A.2d 287 (R.I. 1999)
• State v. Goodreau, 560 A.2d 318 (R.I. 1989)
• Leone v. Town of New Shoreham, 534 A.2d 871 (R.I. 1987)

West Practice Categories

Alternative Dispute Resolution, Arbitration, Mediation, Business & Commercial Law, Contracts, Business Organizations, Education Law, Colleges & Universities, Employment Law -- Employee, Employment Law -- Employer, Wills, Family Law, Adoption, Child Support, Custody & Visitation, Divorce, Labor Law, Labor Arbitration, Litigation & Appeals, Federal Trial Practice, Probate & Estate Administration, Workers' Compensation Law