Bob Powers is Honored as a "Lawyer of the Year" by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly

Bob Powers was honored by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly as a “Lawyer of the Year” at a dinner held March 7, 2013 at the Park Plaza Hotel.  This recognition was based on his work on the case of Juliano v. Simpson, 461 Mass. 527 (2012).  In the Juliano case, our firm successfully defended a lawsuit seeking to impose liability based upon ownership of property on which underage drinking occurs.  Plaintiffs sought to dramatically enlarge the scope of social host liability.  Bob argued that it was fundamentally unfair to subject a homeowner to litigation with potentially ruinous financial consequences simply because underage drinking occurred on their property.  The Supreme Judicial Court agreed.  “If mere control of premises gave rise to a duty for social hosts, the difficulties facing judges and juries would be manifold,” Justice Fernande R.V. Duffley wrote for the Court.  Bob is grateful to Lawyers Weekly for the recognition of his work and that of Melick & Porter.  “Great teams produce great results” he said at the dinner “and at Melick & Porter we have a great team.”