Massachusetts Labor and Employment Attorney Specializes in Executive Advocacy
Experienced lawyer handles a wide range of issues for business owners, C-level executives and other high-level corporate employees throughout Massachusetts
Attorney Rossi is experienced in providing legal representation to executives and professionals in all aspects of employment law, business, domestic relations and tort litigation. He is a member of Beta Gamma Sigma, the national business school honor society. He counsels his executive and professional clients on ways to avoid lawsuits through negotiated employment agreements, performance based compensation, commissions, vested stock options, for cause terminations, not for cause terminations, exit strategies, non-competition (non-competes), restrictive covenants, proprietary property, non-solicitation agreements, nondisclosure agreements (NDA’s), and other executive compensation package and contract issues. Attorney Rossi also provides representation to executives and professional in divorce and tort law related matters.
Attorney Rossi focuses most of his employment practice on evaluating and negotiating all aspects of executive employment contracts, and all matters related one’s current employment situation, or potential termination from one’s company.
Mr. Rossi has over 30 years of complex employment representation and negotiation
Attorney Rossi understands that employees are often hesitant to stand up for their rights even when the mistreatment is obvious. This can be even more intimidating if your employer is a large corporation. I deliver comprehensive support to clients so they can pursue justice in matters relating to:
- Compensation — Attorney Rossi will evaluate one’s entire compensation package, including salary, applicable commission, equity awards/stock options, and regularly scheduled bonuses to ensure is on par with others in the same field with the same experience.
- Noncompete agreements — Companies have some interest in protecting their business, but many noncompete agreements go too far. If you believe that you have been unfairly restricted from taking a new position in your field, Attorney Rossi will assess your potential claim.
- Exit plans — Attorney Rossi will strategize with you to determine the best course to take when in the process of leaving your current employer, and determining next steps once your position has been terminated.
- Wrongful termination — If terminated based on age, gender, race, religion or ethnicity, Mr. Rossi will pursue proper relief including recovery of lost compensation and related benefits.
- Severance agreements — Mr. Rossi will examine any employer severance agreements presented to terminated employees, to determine whether there may be grounds for discrimination, or whether Federal, State or Local employment laws or rules may have been violated.
- Workplace discrimination — Attorney Rossi represents clients in Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) cases, claims under state discrimination laws and other matters stemming from unlawful bias. he also assists clients who have faced sexual harassment from a superior at their workplace as well as those forced to do their job in a hostile work environment.
Once you understand the legal standards that affect your situation, you can make confident decisions about how to handle your job-related issue.
Notable Cases:
- WRONGFUL TERMINATION AND RETALIATION Negotiating a mid-six figure settlement for a high level multinational defense contractor executive. The terms of the settlement agreement included provisions safeguarding the executive’s ability to maintain a high level government clearance status.
- NON-COMPETITION: SALES ASSOCIATE Negotiating a resolution on behalf of a sales associate who was alleged by his previous employer to be barred from his new employment by a non-competition agreement. The previous employer was seeking a restraining order barring the sales associate’s continued employment with his new employer. The lawsuit brought by the previous employer also sought money damages and an extension of the time during which the non-competition period would run. The resolution resulted in the sales associate being able to keep his employment with his new employer, a significant reduction in the original non-competition period and the payment of no money damages.
- SEVERANCE AGREEMENT: MARKETING EXECUTIVE Negotiating a severance agreement for a marketing executive who was notified of the company’s intention to transfer her to an inferior management position within the company, albeit with no reduction in pay or benefits, shortly after she returned from Family Medical Leave. The severance agreement involved the negotiation of significant terms regarding the the payment of salary and employment benefits into the future as well as the employer’s agreement to provide a suitable employment reference the content of which was drafted by the client.
- INJURY & UNLAWFUL RETALIATION: PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER Negotiating a six figure settlement for an elementary school teacher who was the victim of a physical assault and unlawful retaliation by her principal. The settlement of this case also involved negotiation of significant terms regarding the teacher’s future employment including the timing and basis of future evaluations and observations by her principal.
- SEXUAL HARASSMENT: PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER Obtaining a dismissal of a 14 count sexual harassment complaint brought against a teacher. The dismissal of all counts was obtained following written findings against the teacher by the assigned investigator and resulting action having been taken by the teacher’s principal. In addition to dismissal, all evidence regarding the complaint, findings and principal’s action were removed from the teacher’s personnel record.
- FAILURE TO PAY: NATIONAL SALES REPRESENTATIVE Obtaining a six figure recovery for a national sales representative employed by an international software company. This settlement arose out of the employer’s refusal to pay commissions and other benefits due under a pretext of wrongdoing and breach of fiduciary duty by the sales representative.
- HANDICAP & SEXUAL PREFERENCE DISCRIMINATION: CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Negotiating a six figure settlement agreement on behalf of a CFO and operations manager. This agreement arose out of the company’s demotion and subsequent discharge of the CFO allegedly due to handicap and sexual preference discrimination.
- FAILURE TO PAY: CONTRACT CONSULTANT Obtaining a recovery, including legal fees, for a contract consultant who rendered software manual writing services to a software company after the company refused to pay according to the contract terms. This recovery was obtained by agreement approximately three quarters of the way through trial in the Superior Court.
- ESTOPPEL Obtaining a recovery in an estoppel claim for a former employee of a company which, after one week, terminated the employment relationship with knowledge that the employee had relocated from out of state in reliance upon the employer’s offer of employment. The employer agreed to this settlement on the eve of trial.
- PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER WITHOUT TENURE: EXIT STRATEGY Negotiating an exit strategy with a school district on behalf of a teacher without professional status. This strategy included compensation and benefits through the end of her academic year and terms to facilitate her ability to obtain new employment in her field and continue her career goals.
Contact a knowledgeable Massachusetts employment lawyer
If you believe that you have been mistreated on the job or have another type of concern relating to labor or employment law, Attorney Rossi is ready to help. Contact Attorney Rossi online or at 617-742-5400 to schedule a consultation.