To combat fraud by companies seeking to profit off government contracts and reimbursement programs, Congress and Massachusetts lawmakers enacted what are known as “False Claim” acts. The Federal False Claims Act (FCA) and the Massachusetts False Claims Act (MFCA) have similar purposes and are similarly designed, but they have distinct characteristics that set them apart. […]
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On October 31, 2023, a federal civil jury found that the National Association of Realtors (NAR) has conspired to inflate commissions paid to homebuyers’ real estate agents. It determined that the NAR and its co-defendants (some of the largest real estate companies in the country) owed almost $1.8 billion in damages to the plaintiffs (a […]
In Massachusetts, the Supplier Diversity Program is a state program that encourages state agencies to award state contracts to certified diverse businesses. To qualify for the program, companies must be certified as a diverse business in any of the following categories: Minority Business Enterprises Women Business Enterprises Service-Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises Veteran Business Enterprises Lesbian, […]
For nearly two decades, the First Circuit has recognized that there can typically be no failure to hire an individual without allegations that the individual applied for the job at issue. While noting that there may be certain facts that render an application unfeasible, this has been a rare finding. The United States District Court […]
By Annabelle Hentz, Law Clerk The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts recently upheld a Superior Court’s ruling that rent acceleration clauses are enforceable by commercial landlords against defaulting commercial tenants. Rent acceleration clauses allow for unpaid rent to constitute liquidated damages when a tenant defaults—regardless of the amount of unpaid lapsed time. Case Background Recently, […]
Until recently, Massachusetts federal courts had not determined whether a debt collector violates the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (“FDCPA”) by failing to state whether interest is accruing (or not accruing) when offering to settle a consumer debt. In a recent ruling, a Magistrate Judge for the United States District Court for the District of […]
In Massachusetts when a buyer finds property to purchase, the first step in the process is to make an offer that the seller will accept. The buyer binds his offer with a small deposit until a more formal Purchase & Sale Agreement (“P&S”) is executed and additional deposit funds are delivered. The offer generally outlines […]
Construction subcontracts establish the legal relationship between subcontractors and prime contractors. Most subcontracts should mirror the terms and conditions outlined in the agreement between the owner and the general contractor (the “Prime Contract”) or, at a minimum, be consistent with and provide an explanation when the terms do not mirror the Prime Contract. To ensure […]
On June 21, 2023, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court issued its decision in Adams v. Schneider Electric USA, Inc., addressing the so-called “Cat’s Paw” theory of liability. In reversing summary judgment originally granted in favor of the employer Schneider Electric, the SJC concluded that an employer can still violate the Massachusetts anti-discrimination statute, G.L. c. […]
