Practice Areas

Royal attorneys have nearly 30 years of labor relations experience. The firm represents unionized employers in court and before administrative agencies, such as the National Labor Relations Board. The Royal Law Firm defends its clients against unfair labor practice charges and at arbitration in matters involving contract interpretation and employee discipline or discharge. The firm also advises its clients during union organizing, NLRB elections and labor negotiations, interpreting and applying collective bargaining agreements and understanding the types of actions that may constitute an unfair labor practice.

In addition, The Royal Law Firm advises its non-union clients on developing the best practices for maintaining a union free workplace. In fact, it is committed to practicing preventive labor relations by counseling on positive communications with employees, developing effective policies and conducting supervisory training

Our attorneys have successfully defended private-sector and public-sector employers in federal and state courts as well as before administrative agencies in various areas of employment law, including the following:

• Individual and class action wage and hour law
• Employment discrimination and harassment, such as
• Disability
• Race
• Sex
• Age
• Sexual orientation
• National origin
• Gender identity
• Leaves of absence such as the Family and Medical Leave Act
• Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)
• Workplace safety and OSHA
• Wrongful discharge

The Royal Law Firm attorneys recognize that engaging in protracted litigation is not always the best solution to a problem. Alternative dispute resolution, such as mediation and arbitration, is an important consideration to litigation, which can become time-consuming and costly. Our attorneys' expertise in litigation avoidance and alternative dispute resolution includes evaluating and advising clients on the advantages of utilizing alternative dispute resolution as an option. When such alternatives are available and worthwhile, our attorneys represent clients during mediation and arbitration.

We are your counsel for any COVID-19 related questions, COVID-19 related planning, and COVID-19 related litigation. Our attorneys have been handling matters ranging from advice on the state of current laws, employee time-off requests, travel bans, disability and age concerns, and litigation defense.

We have successfully defended numerous companies in business litigation matters, including the following:

• Business tort and casualty litigation matters
• COVID-19 related litigation
• Unfair competition claims
• Contract disputes
• Real Estate disputes
• Construction claims
• Product liability

The Royal Law Firm advises federal contractors on contract compliance issues and assists in creating and implementing affirmative action plans. As part of this process, the firm conducts statistical analyses, helps set goals and prepares plan texts, reports, sample policies, notices and letters. The firm also provides training to management to help them better understand their affirmative action plans and obligations under them as well as the procedures for plan development and implementation.

In addition, Royal assists clients during audits conducted by the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) and defends them should the OFCCP issue notices of violation or assert claims of discrimination.

For non-federal contractor clients, we advise on the legalities relative to implementing diversity initiatives and voluntary affirmative action plans.

The Royal Law Firm helps employers develop and implement policies and procedures to safeguard the private information of their employees and customers, fulfilling their obligations under Massachusetts' data security laws and reducing the risk of identity theft. Royal attorneys provide comprehensive risk assessments, train management and employees regarding best practices for protecting sensitive information, and help employers develop written information security programs that comply with Massachusetts' identity theft regulations and are tailored to their clients' specific needs.

The Royal Law Firm attorneys also advise employers with respect to their obligations to employees under state and federal privacy laws.

Employers face significant obligations under state and federal laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act. The Royal Law Firm works with clients in drafting leave and accommodation policies, responding to requests for leave or requests for accommodation, managing employee absences, and ensuring that hiring procedures comply with the ADA's requirements regarding disability-related inquiries and medical examinations.

A myriad of state and federal laws require employers to provide a workplace that is free from discrimination and harassment. The attorneys at The Royal Law Firm have extensive experience defending employers against claims of discrimination and harassment. Royal also works closely with clients to reduce the risk that employees will file claims of discrimination by providing valuable advice in all aspects of the employment relationship, including hiring, promotion, discipline, and discharge.

When employers receive internal complaints of discrimination or harassment, The Royal Law Firm provides guidance in responding to such complaints and assists clients in conducting prompt and thorough investigations and remedying any discrimination or harassment that may have occurred. Royal attorneys also provide training to employees and management regarding discrimination and harassment and draft comprehensive non-discrimination and non-harassment policies for their clients.

The Royal Law Firm counsels clients in the development of drug-free workplace policies and drug and alcohol testing procedures that comply with applicable laws such as the Drug-Free Workplace Act.  Royal attorneys provide guidance regarding whether employees may be subjected to random drug testing and whether "reasonable suspicion" exists to support a non-random drug test for an individual employee. For clients with employees who are covered by the Department of Transportation, The Royal Law Firm provides training programs that are compliant with the DOT's supervisory training and employee education requirements.

The Royal Law Firm assists in drafting various employee benefits and compensation plans, including cafeteria plans, retirement plans, 401(k) plans, stock option plans and plans for highly compensated key employees. Our attorneys also offer counsel on the potential implications of certain plans and have experience litigating ERISA matters when disputes arise.

Because we believe that careful planning and counseling can reduce the likelihood of a lawsuit or can at least improve the likelihood for success should litigation arise, we offer a variety of litigation avoidance-related services, such as preparing, reviewing, and updating employment policies and handbooks, drafting Affirmative Action plans, conducting audits to ensure businesses are compliant with all applicable state and federal laws, and providing employee and management training on a variety of training topics, such as sexual harassment and anti-discrimination, discipline and documentation, the ADA and reasonable accommodations, wage and hour, leaves of absences, electronic issues in the workplace, independent contractor status, joint employment issues, and maintaining a union-free environment

The Royal Law Firm attorneys provide advice, counseling, and training on Massachusetts General Law Chapter 151A, the Massachusetts unemployment insurance law, including the standards for awards of unemployment benefits and disqualification. We also advise clients on the Division of Unemployment Assistance's (DUA) rules and procedures, explaining how evidence is presented and weighed, the role of witnesses, how witnesses' credibility may be assessed, and the role of the DUA Hearing Officer. The firm has assisted clients in preparing and presenting reasons for termination and appeal in accordance with Massachusetts law and has represented clients both at unemployment hearings and before the Board of Review.

The Royal Law Firm attorneys understand the importance of protecting against unfair competition and offer many preventive services to assist businesses in securing adequate protection, which includes advising on and drafting legally enforceable covenants not to compete, non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements and non-solicitation agreements; preparing employment agreements for business executives and others in upper management and conducting audits of current business practices. In addition to our preventive services, we aggressively litigate unfair competition and improper intellectual property disclosure matters. Prior to initiating litigation on our business client's behalf, our attorneys carefully weigh the potential ramifications to the business and the value of seeking court intervention through temporary restraining orders and injunctions.

The Royal Law Firm attorneys have significant experience defending employers in both individual and class action wage/hour litigation. Our broad expertise includes defense in the following types of wage/hour cases: misclassification of employees as exempt, misclassification of employees as independent contractors, failure to pay minimum wage, failure to pay and/or properly calculate overtime pay, failure to pay for all time worked, including donning and doffing issues, failure to pay commissions, improper tip pooling, failure to provide meal breaks, and failure to pay for "off-the-clock" time. Our attorneys also represent employers in these types of disputes before the United States Department of Labor and state wage/hour enforcement agencies. With wage/hour litigation on the rise and the increased penalties for violations, The Royal Law Firm offers various preventive services to employers in order to reduce the risk of a viable wage/hour claim and to otherwise comply with applicable wage/hour laws. Royal attorneys advise on wage/hour matters, providing counsel on issues related to the classification of workers, calculation of pay, commissions, tips, pay procedures, meal breaks, and other state and federal wage/hour laws. Our wage/hour preventive services include audits of companies wage/hour practices, drafting policies and procedures, including legally compliant incentive plans, and conducting management training.

The Royal Law Firm represents employers, insurers, and self-insurers in the defense of workers' compensation claims. We handle all phases of workers' compensation litigation, including hearings at the Division of Industrial Accidents and appeals. In addition to offering litigation services, we also assists our clients in developing appropriate claims investigation programs and safety measures in order to help reduce the number and cost of workers' compensation claims.

The Royal Law Firm attorneys have extensive experience designing preventive solutions to ensure that company workplaces are safe under federal and state law. Our attorneys excel at drafting handbook provisions that inform workers of their workplace rights and protect companies from complaints and liability. Additionally, Royal attorneys have experience counseling employers on the applicability of federal (OSHA) and state safety regulations, including Massachusetts' and Connecticut's Divisions of Occupational Safety. Additionally, Royal attorneys assist employers with other workplace safety concerns including workplace violence and substance abuse issues. Our firm has extensive experience drafting policies designed to prevent these problems. We also conduct training programs for managers on how to best carry out these policies.

Royal attorneys have significant experience in the preparation, review, and analysis of a multitude of commercial and corporate contracts. Our contract review and drafting includes the analysis of all terms, clauses, conditions, stipulations, obligations, and liabilities to determine any pitfalls or issues, outlining, and negotiating them for our clients. We carefully analyze every word choice and contingency within an eye to practicality as well as to the forum state's controlling law to make sure the contract does not contain any problematic language or unintended consequence or result. We propose and negotiate revisions where appropriate and help our clients reach sensible results.

Royal attorneys' contract law experience includes the preparation and review of comprehensive contracts involving vendors, business partners, and employment relationships. We have prepared a multitude of service agreements, branding agreements, licensing agreements, hosting agreements, affinity agreements, and collaborative agreements.  In performing such work for our clients, we have crafted detailed statements of the work and services to be performed therein. We have also advised on and negotiated issues related to contract renewals and the termination of contracts. Specifically, Royal attorneys have prepared hosting agreements and complex agreements related to the maintenance of medical records and electronic billing, which included the parameters and precautions involved with data backup and confidentiality concerns for large health care and information technology organizations.  Royal has prepared affinity agreements between banking associations and financial services institutions and higher education.  Royal has also prepared important collaborative, partnership, and branding agreements on behalf of a Fortune 500 Company, including the launch of a new business line for them.  One of our attorneys is a tenured law professor who has been instructing lawyers on how to prepare concise and comprehensive agreements over the last four decades in both the J.D. and L.L.M. programs. Business and educational organizations have engaged our attorneys to present seminars to other attorneys on topics such as Drafting Contracts, Representations and Warranties, Indemnification Provisions, Non-Competes, Drafting in Anticipation of Future Litigation, and Contract Ethics.   

Royal maintains a specialized commercial real estate department headed by Senior Counsel, Jane Minasian.  We offer a full range of commercial real estate services and the real estate team has advised on innumerable large commercial real estate projects for many international, national, and regional companies. 

Our services for complex commercial real estate transactions include:

• Full due diligence reviews
• Letters of intent
• Purchase and sale agreements
• Construction contracts, construction management and architect agreements
• Purchase and disposition of real estate portfolios
• Commercial real estate transaction counseling
• Property title and title insurance review
• Issuance of title insurance policies
• Commercial real estate contracts
• Title, zoning and environmental reviews and opinions
• Permitting and regulatory approvals, strategic planning and project oversight
• Public contracting and procurement: analysis of Massachusetts Uniform Procurement Act and preparation of proposals in response to requests for proposals issued by governmental bodies

Our services for commercial leasing include:

• Due diligence, including title and environmental reviews
• Drafting and negotiation of all forms of commercial leases
• Drafting and negotiation of all forms of commercial leases
• Amendments, whether for renewal, expansion or other reasons
• Subleases and assignments
• Termination agreements
• Construction, construction management and architect agreements related to landlord or tenant improvements
• License agreements
• Management agreements
• Broker agreements
• Subordination, Non-Disturbance and Attornment Agreements
• Estoppel certificates
• General support for in house legal teams.

Royal is poised to step in as local counsel when out-of-state businesses require assistance within our service area.  We know the state-specific laws and local practices and procedures that make practicing in our jurisdiction trickier from the outside.  Partnering with us as local counsel makes the litigation process easier and more streamlined. 

The Royal Law Firm also serves as an outside counsel resource to General Counsel and in-house legal departments to assist during times of work overflow or work surges.  Because our service area and jurisdiction have a number of state-specific and quirky laws, we help General Counsel and in-house legal departments navigate those state-specific nuances.