What’s New

As the initial shock of COVID-19 has just begun to fade, many in the business world are contemplating the post-coronavirus workplace. What will “business as usual” look like after federal, state, and local agencies lift stay-at-home orders and other social distance mandates? That question has been answered, at least with respect to construction projects in…

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On April 20, 2020, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker signed into law an act which adopts protections relating to evictions and foreclosures. The Act addresses three main topics: Commercial Evictions, Residential Evictions, and Foreclosures. Key provisions of the Act provide for the following:   Definitions – “Non-essential eviction”, an eviction: (i) for non-payment of rent; (ii) resulting…

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On April 3, 2020, Governor Charlie Baker signed an emergency bill into law which covers a comprehensive set of topics to address challenges facing municipalities and state agencies. Section 17 of House No. 4617 specifically addresses extending certain deadlines applicable to municipalities as well as applicants with respect to the permitting and approval process. Key…

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On April 3, 2020, Governor Charlie Baker signed an emergency bill into law allowing take-out and delivery of beer/wine for licensed restaurants in Massachusetts. The authorization applies to any restaurant which currently holds a valid “all alcoholic beverages” or “malt and wine beverages” license approved by the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission and issued by the…

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On March 27, 2020, President Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Stability (“CARES”) Act (the “Act”), as approved by the Senate on March 26, 2020, and the House on March 27, 2020. This article is intended to focus on those provisions of Phase 3 of the federal COVID-19 stimulus package relative to the…

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Thank you to everyone who was able to participate in the Restaurant Industry Discussion on Legal & Business Issues Related to the COVID-19 Outbreak webinar on Monday, March 23, 2020. These are challenging times and we hope it was useful. If you have any questions related to the subjects discussed in the webinar, or if…

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Governor Baker Seems to Overturn COVID-19 Municipal Construction Work Stoppages in the Commonwealth, But Mayor Walsh Balks In the fast-moving environment of “Can v. Can’t” and “Do v. Don’t” resulting from COVID-19 and governmental shutdowns, it is a challenge to keep track of what business activities are permitted to continue and who can perform them….

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In an effort to mitigate the significant harm to commerce caused by COVID-19, several organizations including the American Land Title Association (“ALTA”), the Mortgage Bankers Association (“MBA”), and the National Association of Realtors (“NAR”) are rallying around the Securing and Enabling Commerce Using Remote and Electronic Notarization Act of 2020 (the “SECURE Notarization Act”) to…

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Before the spread of COVID-19 last week, the Massachusetts court system—which consists of the Supreme Judicial Court (“SJC”), the Appeals Court, and the Trial Court (itself comprised of the Superior Court, District Court, Land Court, and Housing Court, among others)—was already stretched thin. For example, it is typical in many Superior Court civil sessions to…

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As sectors of the US economy effectively shut down one by one in response to COVID-19, a quick review of those sectors and essential functions that remain open for business may be the better approach to measure where things stand. In the world of real estate and mortgage financing, certain transactions may be able to…

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