MBF Board & Staff

Robert J. Ambrogi is a lawyer who practices media and technology law and serves as executive director of the Massachusetts Newspaper Publishers Association. Earlier in his career, he was editor-in-chief of the National Law Journal, the nation’s largest legal newspaper, and editorial director of American Lawyer Media's Litigation Services Division. Before joining ALM, Bob was founding editor of the national newspaper Lawyers Weekly USA and editor-in-chief of Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly.

In addition to practicing law, Amis internationally recognized for his writing and speaking about legal technology and innovation. He writes the award-winning blog LawSites; is a columnist for Above the Law, the most highly trafficked legal website; and hosts the podcast about innovation in law, LawNext. In 2011, he was named to the inaugural Fastcase 50, honoring “the law’s smartest, most courageous innovators, techies, visionaries and leaders.” In 2017, he received the Yankee Quill award for journalism from the Academy of New England Journalists and was honored by the ABA Journal magazine as a Legal Rebels Trailblazer. In 1993, he received the Massachusetts Bar Association’s President’s Award for his service at Lawyers Weekly.

A 1980 graduate of Boston College Law School, he is a fellow of the College of Law Practice Management. For the MBF, he is a past president and Oliver Wendell Holmes Fellow.

Valerie Caldwell served as the assistant clerk magistrate in the Dorchester Division of the Boston Municipal Court until her retirement in 2019. She is a member of the Black Lawyers Association and of the Massachusetts Black Women Attorneys, where she earned a Member Appreciation Award in 2016 for their 35th Anniversary. Caldwell has been a member of the MBA since 2004.

Caldwell graduated from John Marshall Law School. She is a Life Fellow of the MBF.

Corey Carvalho currently is an Assistant Judicial Case Manager at the Hampshire County Probate and Family Court. Previously, he worked at the UMass Amherst Student Legal Services Office, where he served as the Directing Attorney for several years. His practice areas included immigration, domestic relations, housing, consumer protection, and administrative law.

He has taught a variety of law-related undergraduate and graduate courses, including “Outer Space Law”, which explores the treaties and domestic laws and policies that regulate the use of outer space by nations and private entities. He has been an active member of the MBA since 2009, volunteering his time for Dial-A-Lawyer sessions and Mock Trial competition. He is also a volunteer coach of the mock trial team at UMass Amherst.

Carvalho is a graduate of Western New England University School of Law (cum laude) and UMass Amherst. He is a Louis D. Brandeis Fellow of the MBF.

Hon. Megan H. Christopher is an Associate Justice of the Suffolk Probate and Family Court, on which she has served since 2012. Prior to joining the bench, Judge Christopher practiced law for 22 years at MetroWest Legal Services, representing low-income and elder clients in administrative and court proceedings, with a focus on family law. 

Judge Christopher is a graduate of Wellesley College and Northeastern University School of Law.  She is an Oliver Wendell Holmes Life Fellow of the MBF.

Frank J. Ciano is an experienced General Practice Lawyer, assisting clients in personal injury claims, criminal matters, will preparation, real estate, business transactions, and divorce cases.

Ciano served as president of the Middlesex County Bar Association and of the Cambridge, Arlington, Belmont Bar Association, and he also served as a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association House of Delegates.  Ciano is Chairman Emeritus of the Dante Alighieri of Massachusetts and recipient of the I Migliori award, which honors Americans of Italian Ancestry who have excelled in their chosen field and made a significant contribution to society.  In 2009, 2014, 2015, and 2017, Ciano received the Martindale-Hubbell Peer Reviewing Rating Plaque for his high ethics and legal ability.

Ciano is a graduate of Boston College and Suffolk Law School.  He is a Louis D. Brandeis Life Fellow of the MBF and a member of the MBF Justice Circle.

Ed Dombroski is Managing Partner at Travers | Dombroski where his family law practice specializes in divorce, custody, pre-nuptial and co-habitation agreements, Hague Convention international custody matters, paternity, enforcement and modifications of judgments, and appeals.

Dombroski also lectures on financial issues in family law.  He is often called upon by local and national media outlets to provide legal analysis and perspective on family law issues.  Dombroski was consistently selected over ten years by his peers by Law & Politics as a Massachusetts Super Lawyers “Rising Star,” being included in both that print edition and Boston Magazine annually. He is a member of the Boston Bar Association, Massachusetts Bar Association, New York State Bar Association, and the American Bar Association. 

Dombroski earned his JD from Boston University School of Law and graduated cum laude from Union College where he was also bestowed departmental honors.  He previously served on the Board of Directors for RESPOND, Inc., New England’s first domestic violence agency.  After serving on the Town of Wakefield, MA Finance Committee he was elected as a Town Councilor, a position he currently holds.  Dombroski is a Life Fellow of the MBF.

Tara D. Dunn concentrates her practice on complex civil litigation matters, including commercial and employment law, as well as criminal defense. Prior to joining Todd & Weld, Dunn was an Assistant Attorney General in the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, where she worked on a variety of enforcement matters, including civil rights, employment, environmental protection, and fair housing.

Dunn currently serves in the Air Force Reserve Command at Westover Air Reserve Base in Massachusetts. She previously served on active duty in the Space Command of the United States Air Force. 

In addition to her Air Force service, Dunn is also Vice President of Massachusetts Black Women Attorneys and a member of the Board of Directors of the Civil Rights Restorative Justice Project and Prisoners’ Legal Services.

Dunn is a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy and Northeastern University School of Law. She is a Foundation Fellow of the MBF.

Hon. Robert G. Fields is an Associate Justice of the Housing Court Department, Western Division. Judge Fields joined the staff of the Western Division Housing Court as a First Assistant Clerk Magistrate and then became its Clerk Magistrate in 2003. In 2008, he was sworn in as an Associate Justice.

Fields’ commitment to public service began long before he took the bench. Just out of law school, he began his career at Neighborhood Legal Services in Lynn.  He continued his public interest work by co-founding Heisler, Fields & Feldman, P.C. (currently Heisler, Feldman, McCormick & Garrow, P.C.).  The Springfield firm is unusual in that it served, and continues to serve today, almost exclusively low-income clients.

Fields is a perennial presence on the Foundation’s annual grant review committees.  Fields received the 2013 MBF President’s Award at the Western Massachusetts grantee reception for his commitment to increasing access to justice for the most vulnerable and marginalized of Massachusetts.

Fields is a graduate of the State University of New York at Binghamton and the Northeastern University School of Law.  He is a Life Fellow of the MBF. 

Hon. Marguerite T. Grant was appointed to the Massachusetts Appeals Court by Governor Charle Baker in 2020. Prior to her appointment, she was the General Counsel & Director of Training in the Norfolk District Attorney's Office. She advised Norfolk District Attorney Michael W. Morrissey on legal and personnel matters and conducted training programs for prosecutors, victim-witness advocates, and police.  She also represented the Commonwealth on appeal, particularly in homicide and sexual assault cases.

Grant serves on the Board of Editors of Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly.  She served on the Board of Bar Overseers from 2005-2008 and as its Chair from 2007-2008; she was a BBO hearing committee member from 1997-2003.  She was previously an Assistant District Attorney in the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office and an associate at Hill & Barlow, P.C.

Grant is a graduate of Wellesley College and Stanford Law School, where she was managing editor of the Stanford Law Review. She is a Life Fellow of the MBF.

David C. Henderson was a partner in the Boston office of Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP until his retirement from private practice on December 31, 2019. Prior to his 27 years at Nutter, he was on active duty in the United States Air Force for more than 20 years, serving as a pilot, T-38 instructor pilot, judge advocate, and staff judge advocate.

Henderson also has served on the Board of Directors for the New England Center and Home for Veterans, and the Massachusetts Interest on Lawyers' Trust Accounts (IOLTA) Committee. He was named as a Massachusetts Super Lawyer in 2014-2019, a Best Lawyer in America in 2016-2020, and an American Bar Association Pro Bono Leader in 2018 and 2019. He is a member of the Massachusetts and District of Columbia Bars.

Henderson is a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy, the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, and the Yale Law School. He is a President's Circle Life Fellow of the MBF.

Margaret J. Hurley serves as the Chief of the Attorney General’s Central Massachusetts Division, located in Worcester. She is also the Director of the Attorney General’s Municipal Law Unit, which is charged with review and approval of all town bylaws and municipal charters.

Before joining the Attorney General’s Office, Hurley worked in private practice at Morrison, Mahoney & Miller (now Morrison Mahoney) in Boston and at Mirick, O’Connell, DeMallie & Lougee in Worcester. While in private practice, she represented various cities and towns as Special Litigation Counsel and Acting Town Counsel, and defended numerous medical malpractice and other civil cases through trial.

Attorney Hurley previously served on the Executive Committee of the City Solicitor and Town Counsel Association and as a Hearing Committee Member of the Board of Bar Overseers. She is a Past President of the Worcester County Bar Association and a former co-chair of the Public Law Section Council of the Massachusetts Bar Association. Hurley has served on both the Planning Board and Town Administrator Screening Committee for the town of Grafton.

Hurley is a graduate of Boston College and Boston College Law School. She is a President's Circle – Bronze Fellow of the MBF.

Hon. Maynard M. Kirpalani was appointed in 2010 by Governor Deval Patrick to be an Associate Justice of the Superior Court of Massachusetts. He recently served as the Regional Administrative Justice Civil for Middlesex County and on the Supreme Judicial Court Committee on Attorney Voir Dire. Judge Kirpalani began his career in 1978 at the firm of Parker Coulter Daley & White, where he was a partner until 1995. He later served as a partner at Peabody & Arnold, where he was chair of the general liability litigation group, and in the Boston office at Wilson, Elser, Moskowitz, Edelman & Dicker, where he was the senior partner at the time of his appointment to the bench. Judge Kirpalani spent more than 30 years in the defense of complex tort litigation including, products liability, drug and medical device, aviation, toxic torts, environmental, employment practices, and professional liability, insurance coverage, and "bad faith" matters. He also served as lead national defense counsel in numerous cases, including multi-jurisdictional pharmaceutical and medical device litigation.

Judge Kirpalani has been active in the Massachusetts Bar Association as a member of the Board of Delegates and on both the Civil Litigation and Judicial Administration Section Councils. He also served on the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Defense Lawyers Association. He is a Vice President of the Massachusetts Judges Conference.  Judge Kirpalani serves as a board member of the Boston Inn of Court and is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates. He frequently speaks to professional audiences about various aspects of trial practice.

Judge Kirpalani is a graduate of Washington College and the University of Virginia School of Law. He is a Life Fellow of the MBF.

John T. Lynch retired as a managing director of Davis, Malm & D’Agostine, P.C. in 2020. He practiced corporate law in Boston for 45 years. During his tenure, he served as outside general counsel to many businesses and has represented companies in transactions in the United States, Europe, and Asia. He also has more than 30 years’ experience serving as trustee of various private trusts.

In 2020, Lynch also retired as Chairman of the Board of Directors and President of The Hundred Club of Massachusetts, Inc., a Massachusetts charity that provides benefits to the surviving families of Massachusetts police officers and firefighters killed in the line of duty. He was a member of The Hundred Club for 45 years. He is currently legal counsel and a member of the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Fallen Firefighters Memorial Fund, Inc. He also is the trustee of several private trusts and is a trustee of and manages two private foundations.

Lynch served in the U.S. Army from 1969-1972, graduating from the U.S. Army Officer Candidate School, Fort Belvoir, VA.

Lynch is a graduate of Wheeling College and the University of Notre Dame Law School. He is a Louis D. Brandeis Life Fellow of the MBF.

James F. Martin is a partner at Robinson Donovan, practicing Corporate & Business Counseling, Litigation, and Commercial Real Estate. He analyzes transactions and litigation from a business perspective, creating innovative and efficient solutions. Martin is recognized as a leading automotive franchise attorney throughout New England and has successfully handled the purchase and sale of numerous car dealerships and related real estate, franchise negotiations, floor plan and real estate financing and all types of litigation arising from the operation of a dealership. He has been named one of Massachusetts Super Lawyers in 2004, 2006-2007, and 2009-Present, and a Best Lawyer in America since 2001.

Martin is a member of the American, Massachusetts, and Hampden County Bar Associations and is a Life Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. Martin is a former Chairman for the Baystate Medical Center Board of Trustees, as well as a former Chairman of Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Tip-Off Tournament and Peach Basket Festival. He is a member of the National Association of Dealer Counsel and the Massachusetts Automobile Dealer Association. Previously, Martin was a member of the Springfield Riverfront Development Commission and the Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) Foundation. 

Martin is a graduate of Georgetown University, where he received both his BA and JD. He is a Louis D. Brandeis Life Fellow of the MBF.

Hon. Scott D. Peterson is an Associate Justice of the District Court, on which he has served since 2017.

Prior to his appointment to the bench, Judge Peterson was in private practice for over 30 years, most recently at his own firm, The Law Office of Scott D. Peterson. Before entering private practice in 2013, Judge Peterson worked for Foley & Foley, an employment litigation firm, and Healy & Healy, an insurance defense and general litigation firm. Judge Peterson represented individuals, insurers, and small and medium-sized businesses in connection with construction claims, personal injury claims, insurance disputes, and employment claims.

Judge Peterson litigated cases before United States District Court, and the Massachusetts Superior and District Courts, and argued appeals before the Supreme Judicial Court and the Appeals Court. Judge Peterson served as a Special Assistant District Attorney with the Plymouth DA’s Office and has held leadership positions with the Plymouth County Bar Association, including as President in 2010, and the Massachusetts Bar Association, where he served on the Executive Management Board.

Judge Peterson graduated from Boston College in 1983 with a B.A. in Political Science, and received his J.D. from Suffolk University Law School in 1986. He is a Life Fellow of the MBF.

Iris Taymore Schnitzer concentrates her practice in estate planning and wealth management.  She serves as an arbitrator for the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and the Massachusetts Bar Association’s Fee Arbitration Board.  She is a real estate broker; and was a licensed life insurance advisor, life and health insurance broker, and FINRA registered representative for decades.  She served as the chief executive officer and chief investment officer of a registered investment advisory firm and as a vice president and trust officer of a major bank.

Schnitzer is active in bar and other community service activities.  She volunteers with Senior Partners for Justice through which she serves as a judicial designee to review care plan reports of guardians of incapacitated adults for the Massachusetts Probate Court.  Senior Partners for Justice presented her with the Meg Connolly MVP Award for this “extraordinary pro bono work.”  In addition, Schnitzer does pro bono work through Volunteer Lawyers Project, is a member of the Trusts and Estates Section of the Boston Bar Association and its Estate Planning Committee, is a member of the IOLTA Committee, and served as a judge for the American Bar Association, Law Student Division’s National Appellate Advocacy Competition for many years.

She has mediated with various pro bono programs at Massachusetts District Courts and the Boston Municipal Court.  She has served as president of the Boston chapter of the American Association of Individual Investors and the Massachusetts division of the Women’s Equity Action League.  In addition, Schnitzer has been involved with the Dana-Farber Women’s Cancers Program Executive Council, the Boston Lyric Opera, the Patriot’s Trail Girl Scout Council, and the United Way.

Schnitzer is a graduate of Boston University and Massachusetts School of Law. She is a Louis D. Brandeis Life Fellow of the MBF.

Mary Jeanne Stone focuses her practice on Family Law, Bankruptcy and Alternative Dispute Resolution. Prior to starting her own firm in 2010, she was a Partner at Belford & Stone in Fall River, MA. She is an Associate Attorney with Lider, Fogarty & Ribeiro, P.C. and is Of Counsel to the Law Office of Nancy C. Stanton.

Stone is an MLAC Board Member, and serves on the IOLTA Committee. She regularly serves as a Guardian Ad Litem in disputed custody cases and is a volunteer ARC Attorney. Stone is a Past President of the Bristol County Bar Association and a Past member of the Joint Bar Committee on Judicial Appointments.

A graduate of Fairleigh Dickinson University and New England School of Law, Stone is a Life Fellow of the MBF.

Christopher P. Sullivan is a partner at Robins Kaplan LLP in Boston, where he represents clients in civil trials involving complex litigation matters, including financial and securities cases and intellectual property disputes. He is an accomplished trial lawyer who has been named a Massachusetts or New England Super Lawyer by Super Lawyers every year since 2004. Sullivan was listed in The Best Lawyers in America in 2020, he was named a Top Rated Lawyer for 2019 by New York Magazine and the New York Law Journal and was named one of the Top 100 Irish American Lawyers, among other accolades.

In the fall of 2018, immediately following his Massachusetts Bar Association presidency, Sullivan spearheaded a “Hamilton” fundraiser, which raised $57,000 to establish a Hamilton Hurricane Relief fund for Puerto Rican residents impacted by Hurricane Maria in 2017. The fundraiser was a joint effort between the MBF, the MBA, and the Massachusetts Association of Hispanic Attorneys. In 2014, Sullivan worked with the MBA and the Federal Bar Association to launch the Massachusetts chapter of SOLACE (Support of Lawyer/Legal Personnel – All Concern Encouraged), an email-based network of Massachusetts legal professionals who provide critical aid to members of the legal profession in times of need.

Sullivan is a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross and Fordham University School of Law. He is a Life Fellow of the MBF.

Kimberly E. Winter has been a member of the firm  of McLaughlin, Richards, Biller, Schindel & Winter, LLP since 2018. Prior to that she was a partner in the law firm of White, Freeman & Winter, LLP in Weston after coming to that firm from Sugarman & Sugarman, PC in Boston. Winter concentrates her practice in health care law and civil litigation- primarily medical malpractice and other   types of serious injuries caused by negligence. Winter is also a Registered Nurse with a current specialty certification is Neonatal Intensive Care. 

Winter is Past President of the Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys and a current member of their Board of Governors. Winter is also on the Emeritus Board of Directors of the Women’s Bar Association and is an active member of the Massachusetts Bar Association (former chair of the Health Law Section Council and a member and past chair of the Lawyer Referral Service Committee). Winter presently serves as a Hearing Officer for the Board of Bar Overseers. She lectures frequently on liability issues affecting health care professionals and has lectured and authored material for numerous educational programs and publications related to civil practice in her area of concentration.

Winter is a graduate of Wheaton College (Illinois), Northwestern University and Suffolk University Law School. She is a Brandeis Fellow of the MBF.