Chris Litterio was quoted in the article titled Legal pitfalls may await in the Legal Services section of the Boston Business Journal:

"I don't think something on the internet, even if it's something posted against your will, puts it off limits to an employer," said Christopher P. Litterio, managing shareholder at Ruberto, Israel & Weiner PC.

But Litterio said this scenario isn't different from the rules of operation that companies had used before the Digital Age. It's just now, he pointed out, that companies can access a lot more information with greater speed.

"It's a new way of delivering what's always been around," he said.

The article discussed possible ramifications of social networking and employment and ran in the March 5, 2010 issue of the Boston Business Journal.

Russ Stein was quoted in the article titled Banks will be conservative when it comes to lending for a while.  So... what are your options? written by Mary K. Pratt:

Nonbank financing ranges from asset-based funding, to angel investing, to debt financing, to selling shares to employees, to factoring and cash-flow lending. Each has a place in the financing market in 2010 as banks continue to be tight with their lending standards.

“Bank financing, venture capital, private equity all continue to be tough. But there are angel opportunities out there, which people are taking advantage of, as well as these alternative types of financing. That’s what I see happening,” said Russell N. Stein, chairman of the Corporate & Business Law Group at Ruberto, Israel & Weiner PC in Boston.

Stein said he has worked with clients who are using a variety of methods to get the cash they need. Each business owner has had to consider his or her own particular needs as well as the cost of each deal when choosing which route to take, he said. Some owners, for example, have turned to key employees to provide capital in exchange for ownership stakes, he said. These deals are limited to smaller private companies — $10 million or less —and involve key employees investing six figures or less.

“They’re not multimillion-dollar transactions,” he said. Nor are these deals creating ESOPs, or Employee Stock Ownership Plans, which are generally used by owners looking for liquidity.

Stein said he, too, sees some companies turning to nonbank financing options right now. He said some are factoring their accounts receivable, turning to cash-flow lending or working with specialty finance companies. Each of these options comes with a higher price tag than bank financing, but they still remain options for companies that need cash but can’t get a bank loan.

“That’s last-resort financing because the pricing on that is really high, but you might be in a situation where you must pay that premium,” he said.

The article addresses the issue that despite the rising amount of approved loans since 2007, many businesses still can't get a bank loan. It was published in the January 29, 2010 issue of Boston Business Journal.

Brad Croft was quoted in the article titled Construction case to impact lawsuits against developers; MPEA limitations period at issue written by Jack Dew:

RIW Client Alert

Supreme Judicial Court Ruling: Employers liable under the Massachusetts Wage Act for payment of unused vacation time

Authored by Bethany A. Grazio

Click here to read full alert

Brad Croft was quoted in the article titled Non-client can’t sue lawyer over bad deal ‘Reasonable reliance' requirement imposed written by Jack Dew:

Women's Business Boston
by Amy Mastrobattista

Article coming soon

Practice Area
Intellectual Property
Technology Business

New England Real Estate Journal
by Brad Croft

To view full article, click here.

Practice Area
Construction Law

Lou Katz quoted in the article entitled Failure to Launch? written by Kate O'Sullivan:

Dialing for Dollars
By all accounts, raising funds for a new business today is harder than it has been in decades. "There are no bank loans right now," says Louis Katz, a partner with law firm Ruberto, Israel & Weiner and a former CPA who works with small and midsize businesses. "The SBA is starting to free up some money for new businesses, but that's about the only place you see it. Private-equity firms are shoring up their existing companies rather than going out to find new businesses to finance,"

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Many of those who are currently jobless are highly educated, highly skilled workers: the professional and business-services sector, which includes accountants, lawyers, and consultants of all stripes, has lost 1.5 million jobs since the recession began, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. "When accounting firm or law firm lays off 20% of its workforce, those are very well-trained people they are letting go. They're either going to get another job or open up their own business," says Louis Katz

Service businesses also require little start-up capital beyond the cost of a phone line and a laptop, making them well suited to today's market. Katz has noticed start-up activity in the financial-services sector, as newly unemployed investment bankers launch financial-advisory businesses.

The article focuses on the question "Conventional wisdom holds that recessions are hotbeds of entrepreneurial activity, but will this time be different?" It was published in the October 2009 issue of CFO Magazine.

New England Real Estate Journal
by Seth M. Bonneau

Click here to view article

Practice Area
Banking, Finance & Lending

Seth Bonneau was featured in the article entitled Legal Interest: From maritime to museums, area lawyers carve unique niches for themselves, written by Mary K. Pratt:

Gaining his sea legs

Dartmouth native Seth M. Bonneau grew up on Buzzards Bay and has long had a love of sailing.

So it’s not too surprising he is building a specialty in maritime law, even if he himself didn’t expect to.