What’s New

Last Saturday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act to address the anticipated economic impacts of the Coronavirus outbreak and to provide support to affected Americans. Although the bill may be subject to changes, it is expected that the Senate will pass the bill and it will be signed into…

Read More

The spread of COVID-19 has triggered economic turmoil and unprecedented government intervention into private industry. Business owners, lenders, landlords, employers and their respective counter-parties are reviewing the key terms of innumerable business arrangements and relationships impacted by current events. One common contract term that ordinarily draws little attention and is often relegated to the miscellaneous…

Read More

On March 15, 2020, stemming from concerns about COVID-19, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker issued an order prohibiting on-premises bar and restaurant operations. The order, effective Tuesday, March 17 through April 5, 2020 (unless otherwise extended) states, in part “Any restaurant, bar or establishment that offers food or drink shall not permit on-premises consumption of food…

Read More

An article by RIW Attorney Adam Barnosky is featured in the New England Real Estate Journal. The article, “Adaptive reuse and the modernization of the New England shopping mall,” discusses how redevelopment and adaptive reuse are key to the successful transformation of defunct shopping malls into modern mixed-use destinations in the decade ahead. Read the…

Read More

Congratulations to RIW Attorney Michael Rosen on being named a “2019 Lawyer of the Year” by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly. Michael will be honored at the Leaders in Law event. For regular updates, follow RIW on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.

Read More

In this issue of the RIW At Your Service Newsletter: Upcoming Industry Events Articles: • Hospitality & Retail Industries Potentially Impacted as Massachusetts Looks to Lead States Codifying Data Privacy Protections • Cannabis Cafes & Home Delivery Approved by State Regulators • 4 Key Legal Considerations When Choosing Your Restaurant’s Location • Marketing Corner Industry Trends/News Client News Events…

Read More

Businesses operating in the retail and hospitality industries tend to gather a large amount of personal data. In addition to collecting employee data, as consumer-facing entities, retail and hospitality businesses typically gather large volumes of customer data. As such, businesses in these industries can see the significant regulatory impact when states look to make legislative…

Read More

This article was originally posted on Boston Magazine. Starting a new restaurant requires months, if not years, of planning. From concept to financing, location scouting to staffing, the number of tasks is countless, and the hurdles never-ending. The most difficult issues arise not from the things you expect, but from the unknown and unanticipated like…

Read More

On Tuesday, September 24, the Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) voted to approve a highly-regulated home delivery program for adult-use cannabis, as well as a pilot program for cannabis cafes. While voters approved home deliveries and cannabis cafes as part of the 2016 adult-use ballot initiative, regulations were initially delayed while the CCC opted to focus…

Read More

While the Massachusetts’ Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML) does not officially go into effect until January 1, 2021, employers must notify employees by September 30, 2019 and begin deducting withholdings as of October 1, 2019. Unlike the Federal Family Medical Leave Act, PFML applies to all employers and may also include independent contractors. PFML offers…

Read More