Alan Shapiro

A photograph of Alan Shapiro

About Alan

Mr. Shapiro has practiced law with the firm since 1984 and has been a partner since 1987. He formerly served as a Hearing Officer and Staff Counsel at the Massachusetts Labor Relations Commission from 1981 to 1984. Like all of the firm’s attorneys, his practice concentrates in the representation of labor unions and their members.

A graduate of the Roxbury Latin School (1969), Harvard College (1973), University of Massachusetts, Boston (MA English 1977) and Emory University School of Law (1980), Mr. Shapiro has taught courses at The Labor Guild and participated in numerous seminars sponsored by the Massachusetts and Boston Bar Associations and Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, Inc. He has argued cases before the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, Appeals Court, and First Circuit Court of Appeals.

When not practicing law, Mr. Shapiro avidly bicycles both long distances on weekends and to and from work, weather permitting. He also plays a fairly mean game of pool. He lives in Jamaica Plain with his wife, Marie Lee, Esq.

 617-523-2500
 617-523-2527

Email Alan Shapiro

While you are welcome to contact an attorney at Sandulli Grace, P.C., you should be aware that this Web site presents general information about Sandulli Grace, P.C. and is not intended as legal advice, nor should you consider it as such. You should not act upon this information without seeking professional counsel.

Please keep in mind that merely contacting Sandulli Grace, P.C. will not establish an attorney-client relationship. Sandulli Grace, P.C. cannot represent you until the firm knows there would not be a conflict of interest and the firm determines that it is otherwise able to accept the engagement. Accordingly, please do not send Sandulli Grace, P.C. or any of its attorneys any information or documents until a formal attorney-client relationship has been established through an interview with an attorney and you receive authorization in the form of an engagement letter from Sandulli Grace, P.C. Any information or documents sent prior to your receipt of an engagement letter cannot be treated as confidences, secrets, or protected information of any nature.

Submitting this contact form acknowledges that you understand and agree with this notice.

Alan’s Blog Posts

Appeals Court Upholds Duty Of Fair Representation

by

Following the decision of the Massachusetts Appeals Court in United Steelworkers of America v. Commonwealth Employment Relations Board [http://socialaw.com/slip.htm?cid=19281&sid=119], union officials have been put on notice that what they don’t know can hurt...

HRD Gives Up On Banding, For Now

by

In case anyone hasn’t seen it, the following is now posted on the HRD web site: 2008 Police & Fire Promotional Exam Info Update Due to the recent preliminary injunction issued by the Suffolk Superior Court in regard to the police promotional exams, the Human...

HRD Appears To Have Given Up On Banding

by

Based on the attached memo sent to the police chiefs by HRD, it appears the agency has finally relented and will establish promotional lists from the October 2008 exam in the traditional “whole number” formula. As the memo goes on to state, HRD will attempt through...

MCOP and BPPA File For Injunction to Stop Banding

by

Today, March 27, Massachusetts Coalition of Police and Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association, jointly represented by Alan Shapiro and Bryan Decker of Sandulli Grace, filed a lawsuit in Suffolk Superior Court to enjoin the Human Resources Division from promoting with...

HOW BAD IS QUESTION 1? REALLY BAD!

by

I had a police officer client in my office a few days ago who insisted that Question 1, which would repeal the Massachusetts state income tax, will definitely pass.  When I heard that, I knew I had to at least write something to try to convince that tiny proportion of...

What Happens When You Don’t Have A Union

by

Recently, as you can see in this news article, Circuit City decided to fire thousands of trained, competent employees and replace them with lower-paid people off the streets. Why? Because they legally can.Here is an example of why workers need unions. These Circuit...

Seminar – HOW TO RUN A LOCAL POLICE UNION

by

Sandulli Grace P.C., in cooperation with the Massachusetts Coalition of Police, AFL-CIO, will present an educational seminar, HOW TO RUN A LOCAL POLICE UNION (WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW COULD HURT) on Monday, April 2, 2007, at the Doubletree Hotel, Westborough. This is the...

Boston Municipal Police Round 1

by

Although the Superior Court did not presently enjoin the lateral transfer of the Municipal Police into the Boston Police Department, he essentially agreed with the fundamental argument laid out by the Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association (BPPA), represented by the...

Don’t Blame Me

by

This New Hampshire Supreme Court case shows what happens in a jurisdiction without a state supreme court that protects individual rights. In this New Hampshire case, the NH Supreme Court upheld the discharge of a state trooper for refusing to take a polygraph (lie...

Mandatory Overtime Is A Fact of Life

by

The Appeals Court has again confirmed that, not withstanding an arbitrator’s ruling, it will not permit any infringement on what it views as a police chief’s inherent managerial right to require mandatory overtime of public safety personnel. In Town of Saugus v....

Well Funded Labor Agencies Lead to Savings

by

More funding for the state's Department of Labor would speed the resolution of labor disputes and assist both employers and workers, labor attorneys told state officials Thursday. At a budget hearing that DOL officials said would inform their talks with the Executive...