Summer 2010 Quarterly Update e-news
Articles
New Practice Area Established: Real Estate and Commercial Lending Team
PLDW Online Presence
PLDW Recognized as 'Best Places to Work' in RI
Raising Awareness through Community Outreach
PLDW Partner shares expertise on design-build alternative delivery methods
Rhode Island Christian Business Network
PLDW Attorney 'Raising the Bar' in ABA Student Mentoring Program
Business leaders recognize David A. Sweet, firm administrator
PLDW Of Counsel appointed to national health care foundation
PLDW Welcomes New Attorneys to the Team
New Practice Area Established:
Real Estate and Commercial Lending Team
Senior Counsel Ray leads the Real Estate and Commercial Lending Team of lawyers with strong negotiating skills and business acumen. Mr. Ray is experienced in representing owners, developers and lenders in transactions on a national basis and he routinely provides counsel to borrowers and lenders in structuring complex real estate and commercial lending transactions. The PLDW platform utilizes Mr. Ray's skills on the Municipal Infrastructure Team work as well by providing further depth in advising municipal clients with respect to public-private partnerships and design-build-operate municipal projects. The areas of expertise provided by the Real Estate and Commercial Lending Team include commercial real estate development, conveyancing, debt and equity financing, commercial leasing, permitting and zoning and environmental law.
PLDW Online Presence
PLDW has devoted considerable resources in developing a website that provides pertinent information concerning practice areas and lawyers while encouraging visitors to log on and visit the practice in a unique way. The internet provides an opportunity to share information and exchange ideas which is now a well known concept across the world. A website also provides a 'live' marketing tool which by its very nature will be re-tooled, refreshed and/or re-designed with relative ease. This month, PLDW re-tooled its website at www.pldw.com in an effort to improve functionality for our online visitors by using technologically advanced software. Our mission is to provide our clients and visitors with current and useful information in a user friendly format and to profile the accomplishments of our lawyers in this challenging business and legal world. Visit www.pldw.com and learn more about our firm and how we can help you today.
PLDW Recognized as 'Best Places to Work' in RI
For three years in a row, Providence Business News (PBN) and Best Companies Group have selected PLDW as one of the 'Best Places To Work' in Rhode Island. This selection is a recognition of the contribution that our employees make to the continued success of our firm and is testament to their e'spirit d'corps and desire to do what is necessary to provide excellent service to our clients while maintaining a collegial environment, states Managing Partner Gary R. Pannone. PLDW strives to deliver quality legal services through teamwork and across practice areas. The 'Best Places to Work' in RI competition is annually co-sponsored by PBN and the Best Companies Group, an independent research organization based in Pennsylvania.
Raising Awareness through Community Outreach
Supporting our business leaders and professionals, and community nonprofit executives through informative workshops and seminars is an important component of the PLDW mission. In the last few months, we have reached nearly 100 people in several of our areas of legal expertise. The following describe our most recent activities and those that are scheduled this summer. Please check out the new PLDW calendar of events on our website at www.pldw.com to stay informed.
PLDW Partner William E. O'Gara and Senior Counsel Brian J. Lamoureux presented the 'digital duos' topic on "E-Communications and Workplace Law" as part of the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce's Power Learning Series. The recent explosion of texting, instant messaging and use of social media sites like Facebook in the workplace have created substantial pitfalls for employers. The popular seminar focused on this unsettled and rapidly evolving area of the law and the need for business owners to implement personnel policies that make good legal sense for their business.
Attorney Robert S. Knychalski led the first seminar in our co-sponsored 2010 series with United Way of Rhode Island on the 'nuts and bolts' of best practice methods for nonprofit executives on managing their organizations in the 21st Century. This first workshop focused on nuances and compliance issues for IRS Form 990. The second segment is scheduled for August 31 and will review how to develop an energized and informed board, and how to become more aware about important issues like governance and compliance matters, fiduciary responsibilities, and how to maintain pace with the changing landscape of the nonprofit world. The seminars are held at UWRI from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. located at 50 Valley St. in Providence, RI. RVSP Gerri Riccio at griccio@pldw.com or call Gerri at 401-824-5100 to reserve a seat.
With other corporate sponsors, all the proceeds will benefit a new MRI facility that is set to be open presently. RWMC is a member of the CharterCARE Health Partners and a valuable member of the Rhode Island system of health care.
PLDW Partner shares expertise on design-build alternative delivery methods
Nearly 50 engineers, architects, developers and municipal leaders joined PLDW Partner and Municipal Infrastructure Team Leader Teno A. West, at the firm's Providence office to listen to an overview of the process of design-build alternative delivery methods for construction projects in New England and across the country. Mr. West is a national expert in municipal infrastructure law and design-build alternative project delivery methods. He was joined by Paul S. Pizza, President of the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA), New England Region, and delivered information about the growing strength and popularity of design-build and design-build-operate construction projects in the US. The event was co-sponsored by the DBIA. Please click here to read a white paper by Attorney Robert S. Knychalski on the State of Design-Build in Rhode Island.
A second event in a year-long schedule of learning and social activities co-sponsored by PLDW/DBIA is set for August 26 beginning at 11 a.m. at the Newport Rhode Island Navy Station's Officer's Club. Led by Mr. West and titled, "Navigating Design Build: Best Practices and Principles from Owner Representatives and Process Experts", the two-part discussion will feature a panel of municipal and military leaders and expert design-build project managers who will share their insight and experience with design-build alternative delivery construction projects. Pre-registration is required for this event. Call Attorney Knychalski at 401-824-5100 for further information.
Rhode Island Christian Business Network
Attorney Rebecca E. Dupras participated in a series of presentations sponsored by the RI Christian Business Network entitled, "Your Money Matters: Straight Answers About Your Money," in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. Ms. Dupras, an experienced lawyer in the practice areas of estate planning, estate and trust administration, and probate litigation, discussed the 'ins and outs' of estate planning and shared expert legal information about wills and trusts and how to be prepared for the future.
PLDW Attorney 'Raising the Bar' in ABA Student Mentoring Program
Launched in November 2009, COS is a law-related mentoring program that matches youth with legal professionals. COS was introduced in five cities across the country by the ABA program, including Providence, RI. The YMCA of Greater Providence, COS' designated service provider, recruits, trains, and matches local high school age youth with mentors from law-related professions. Ms. Dupras takes this job seriously and meets regularly with a young person from the MET School in Providence and helps recruit other attorneys to the COS program of mentoring and sharing life and professional experiences to help young minds learn more about the law and the legal system.
Ms. Dupras was also recently appointed Vice Chair of the American Bar Association's Young Lawyers Division (ABA YLD), Committee on Public Education. The ABA YLD Public Education Committee focuses on increasing the public's understanding of and access to the legal system.
Email Ms. Dupras at rdupras@pldw.com to learn more about the COS program or to become involved in the ABA YLD.
Business leaders recognize David A. Sweet, firm administrator
David is the first and only non-lawyer chosen from a law firm in the history of the competition, according to the newspaper. Please join us in congratulating David for this well-deserved award. His dedication to his profession, PLDW and all of the staff is exemplary!
PLDW Of Counsel appointed to national health care foundation
Since 1981, the ONS Foundation has provided more than $20 million to fund local and national oncology nursing education, research, and leadership opportunities. In partnership with oncology nurses, The ONS Foundation has impacted the lives of countless patients with cancer, their caregivers, and their families. Mr. Jackvony is a nationally recognized fiduciary litigator and concentrates his practice in the areas of trust and estate planning for individuals, families, fiduciaries and charitable organizations. He has represented clients in fiduciary litigation in Rhode Island, Florida, New Jersey, California, New York, Massachusetts and Oklahoma. Mr. Jackvony served the citizens of Rhode Island as Lieutenant Governor in the late 1990s.
PLDW Welcomes New Attorneys to the Team
Mr. Goloskie joined PLDW as Counsel. He is a member of the Litigation Team and will concentrate his practice in the areas of civil litigation, including commercial, bankruptcy and employment matters. Mr. Goloskie is licensed to practice in the state and federal courts of both Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Mr. Goloskie has an extensive business background and is uniquely suited to assist in the litigation and business areas of practice. Prior to joining PLDW, Mr. Goloskie founded and grew a very successful healthcare consulting firm in which he provided guidance to hospitals and healthcare systems in the area of corporate compliance and reimbursement issues in more than fifteen states. He is also founding executive director of a nonprofit corporation comprised of four hospitals and nine community health centers.
Mr. Goloskie earned his J.D. from Boston College Law School, an M.B.A. from Webster University, and a B.S. in Marketing-Management from Thomas College. While at Boston College, he interned for a U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge in Boston. He contributes actively to several sections of the Boston Bar Association.
Michael L. Carey was appointed Senior Counsel at PLDW and practices before state, federal and bankruptcy courts in New York and New Jersey. With over twenty years of experience in corporate and business counseling, debtor and creditor law, litigation, municipal infrastructure and real estate, he brings valuable experience to the firm.
Prior to joining PLDW, Mr. Carey was a partner in the Hudson Valley law firm of Jacobowitz & Gubits LLP. Among his career achievements, Mr. Carey is the recipient of the 2009 Pro Bono Award from the Hudson Valley Legal Services and received the 1997 Pro Bono Award from the Orange County Bar Association. He serves as a member of the New York County Lawyers Association, Dutchess, Orange and Ulster County Bar Associations, and is Past President of the Mid-Hudson Bankruptcy Bar Association. Mr. Carey is also a member of the New York State Bar Association, serving on its Business Law Section Executive Committee, and is a member of the New Jersey State Bar Association. Additionally, he is a member of the Strategic Planning Committee of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court of Poughkeepsie, a member of the Hudson Valley Bankruptcy Bar Association and a member of the Annual Consumer Bankruptcy Seminar Planning Committee, 2001-Present.
Mr. Carey earned his J.D. from Seton Hall University School of Law, where he was the Managing Editor of Res Ipsa Loquitor, and his B.A. from Seton Hall University. He is admitted to practice law in state and federal courts in New York and New Jersey.
Matthew G. Feher joined Pannone Lopes Devereaux & West LLC as Counsel and is a member of the firm's Municipal Infrastructure Team. Mr. Feher will focus his practice primarily on representing municipalities, state and local government in the areas of public contracts, water law, solid waste management, real property, public finance and procurement law. Before joining the firm, Mr. Feher was a lobbyist with the Massachusetts Municipal Association and served as a member of Governor Deval Patrick's Federal Stimulus Task Force.
Mr. Feher earned his J.D. from New England School of Law and is admitted to practice law in Massachusetts. Mr. Feher is a licensed executive and legislative agent in the Commonwealth and a member of the American Bar Association, City Solicitors and Town Counsel Association and Federalist Society.
Please contact PLDW at 401-824-5100 or log onto www.pldw.com to read more about our activities, attorney bios and practice areas.
