Partner, Employment Law, Business Litigation & Dispute Resolution
Lawrence “Lonnie” Murray
As an experienced business litigator and legal counselor, Lonnie Murray knows how to effectively advise and represent his clients. Having honed his skills for over 20 years as an attorney, Lonnie is an effective advocate, knowing when to deal aggressively and, more importantly at times, when to work collaboratively with the other party. Lonnie recognizes that clients depend upon him to understand how the legal landscape in any given situation affects their specific business needs.
Lonnie has extensive experience in advising and representing employers in all aspects of employment law including separation agreements; discrimination; wage and hour issues; lay-offs; family and medical leave issues; disability issues; trade secrets; non-competition; and non-solicit agreements. Lonnie has provided sexual harassment prevention training for employers. In addition, he has negotiated employment and separation agreements on behalf of executives and physicians.
Lonnie has successfully tried cases at every level of the state and federal courts in Massachusetts. He has also represented clients before the Appeals Court, Supreme Judicial Court, First Circuit Court of Appeals, Bankruptcy Appellate Panel and Massachusetts Appellate Division. Lonnie has represented clients in arbitrations, including international arbitrations. He advises and represents companies, organizations and individuals in a wide variety of business sectors including national temporary staffing agencies, food services, multi-state assisted living facilities, dental and medical practices, international multi-media companies, high tech, health care and manufacturing. Representative matters include contract disputes; minority shareholder disputes; real estate disputes; franchise terminations; creditors in adversarial bankruptcy proceedings; trade secrets; copyright claims; non- compete agreements; discrimination cases; and constitutional issues.
Education, Admissions & Experience
Education
- J.D., cum laude, Suffolk University Law School, 1992
- B.A., cum laude, University of Massachusetts Amherst, 1989
Admissions
- Massachusetts
Experience
- Negotiated seven figure settlement for small business owner who lost his business after a supplier breached their contract.
- Obtained seven figure verdict for client and dismissal of seven figure counterclaim in intra- family business dispute.
- Settled claims on behalf of client for seven figures where competitor had misappropriated its marketing system.
- Successfully enforced non-competition agreement for food service client which included a statute of limitations provision allowing an employee only 30 days to pursue arbitration rather than the statutory three years.
- Mediated minority shareholder dispute in manufacturing industry for seven figure settlement.
- Resolved health care fraud charges for owner of dental practice preventing disbarment from state and federal funding program and obtaining dismissal of criminal charges.
- Obtained six figure jury verdict for minority shareholder who was wrongfully terminated.
- Prevailed in a seminal case before the Supreme Judicial Court involving client’s due process rights under the Massachusetts Declaration of Rights.
- Won an injunction for a Massachusetts based high tech company against its former high level executive who moved to California to avoid application of a non-compete agreement in order to work for a direct competitor without any evidence of misappropriation of any condential information by the executive.
- Successfully defended on appeal a claim of a violation of corporate client’s due process rights of proper notice as a creditor in bankruptcy.
Awards & Community Involvement
Honors & Awards
- Massachusetts Super Lawyers (2011-2024)
- AV® Preeminent Rating by Martindale-Hubbell Massachusetts Rising Stars (2006-2007)
Community Involvement
- St. Francis De Sales, Lector
- Charlestown Youth Hockey and Soccer
- Charlestown Working Theater
- Charlestown Knights of Columbus, Member
Memberships & Articles
Memberships
- University of Massachusetts Club, Founding Board Member
- Stone Horse Yacht Club, Board Member
- USA 500, Member and Group Facilitator
- Boston Bar Association
- American Bar Association
Articles
- Lonnie has been quoted in numerous publications including Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, the Massachusetts Bar Association’s Section Review and the American Bar Association’s Franchise Law Journal on such topics as Department of Labor policies, restrictive employment agreements, and franchise termination issues.
July 15, 2024 
