Recent News & Releases

• Andrew Kepple has just been elected Treasurer of the Young Lawyers Division of the Federal Bar Association’s Massachusetts Chapter. The FBA is the nation’s preeminent association of lawyers, judges and government officials focusing in federal law and legal practice. The FBA’s Young Lawyers Division hosts networking events and educational programs to encourage young lawyers to increase their participation in the federal bar, improve the administration of justice, and network with fellow attorneys, judges and court personnel.
• Michael Sams has been elected President of the Boston American Inn of Court for 2010-2011. The Boston Inn is comprised of judges, attorneys and law students and is dedicated to legal education, civility in the bar, and excellence in practice. Christopher Kenney is a founding member of this Chapter of the American Inns of Court and a former President of the Chapter.
• Kenney & Sams Obtains Defense Verdict on Behalf of Massport
• Michael Sams was elected to the Northeastern University School of Law Alumni Board of Directors. He also currently serves as co-President of the Alumni Association’s Massachusetts Chapter.
• Chris Kenney and David Kerrigan Prevail on Whistleblower Claim
• Michelle Tessier will chair a Massachusetts Bar Association Luncheon Roundtable regarding the impact of social networking on employment law in March, 2010.
• Kenney & Sams, P.C. is proud to support Homes For Our Troops, an organization that builds handicap accessible homes for our veterans returning home from war.
• Michael Sams was named a New England Super Lawyer for 2009 in the area of construction/surety law.  This award is reserved to the top five percent of lawyers in their respective areas of practice.

• Christopher Kenney was selected as a New England Super Lawyer for 2009 in the area of civil litigation defense. This award is reserved to the top five percent of lawyers in their respective areas of practice.

• Michelle Tessier was named a New England Super Lawyer Rising Star.

• Michael Sams has been appointed to co-chair the Massachusetts Bar Association’s Law Day Task Force for 2009-2010.

• Michael Sams served as a panelist on the Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education’s program concerning the Massachusetts Guide To Evidence.

• Michael Sams will chair a Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education Program concerning deposition taking, scheduled for 2010.

• Christopher Kenney has been elected President-elect of the Executive Committee of the Boston University Law School Alumni Association;
• Michael Sams will lecture as part of an MCLE panel concerning developments in Massachusetts Evidence for trial lawyers;
• Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education ("MCLE") reports that Kenney & Sams, P.C. is one of the top ten volunteering firms in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts;
• The Massachusetts Bar Association has appointed Christopher Kenney to serve as co-Chair of its Civil Litigation Section;
• Michael Sams will lecture as part of a panel discussion at a Construction Finance Managers Association program regarding the importance to contractors of protecting the bottom line for bonding purposes;
• Michael Sams presented a program at the Gould Construction Institute concerning changes in the AIA 2007 contract, and comparing that contract to the ConsensusDocs contract;
• Christopher Kenney has been selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America (2009).  This publication is based on exhaustive peer review and is regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence in the United States. This is the second consecutive year Chris has been included in this publication;
• Michelle Tessier was selected as a Rising Star among New England lawyers;
• Michael Sams was a speaker at the Massachusetts Defense Lawyers Annual Meeting concerning the admissibility and use of drug and alcohol evidence at trial;
• Christopher Kenney recently lectured at the Harvard University School of Public Health regarding risk management in the construction industry;
• Michael Sams chaired the Massachusetts Bar Association's program, Taking a Deposition With Confidence, presented at the Massachusetts School of Law;
• Christopher Kenney is co-chairing the state and local defense organization's annual conclave at the 2009 meeting of the Defense Research Institute ("DRI");
• Kenney & Sams, P.C. was named to Martindale-Hubbell's Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers in the field of Civil Litigation for 2009.  Kenney & Sams also received this award, which is bestowed on less than 5% of law firms, in 2007 and 2008;
• Michael Sams chaired a June program offered through Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education entitled, "Representing Developers, Contractors, and Design Professionals in Difficult Times";
• Christopher Kenney served on the faculty for the MBA's spring program "Latest in the Law." Chris's talk focused on developments in tort and insurance law;
• The International Association of Defense Counsel has appointed Christopher Kenney Vice-Chair of the 2009/2010 Convention Committee;
• Michael Sams has been appointed President-elect of the Boston Inn of Court for 2009-2010;
• The Northeastern University School of Law Alumni Board appointed Michael Sams to co-chair its Massachusetts Chapter;
• Michael Sams has been appointed Secretary on the Board of Directors for the Massachusetts Defense Lawyers Association for 2009-2010;
• Christopher Kenney recently completed his term as Chairman of the Trial Techniques Committee of the American Bar Association's Tort, Trial and Insurance Practice Section ("TIPS"). This committee is responsible for developing innovative trial techniques, educational programs and publications on trial practice and litigation strategy to ABA members;
• Michael Sams has been appointed General Counsel to The Gould Construction Institute;
• Christopher Kenney has been elected President of the Massachusetts Chapter of the Federal Bar Association. The FBA is the leading bar association focusing on practice before the federal courts in America;
• Michael Sams has been appointed to the Boston Bar Association's Education Committee;
• Christopher Kenney has been elected as Massachusetts State Representative to the Defense Research Institute ("DRI"). Kenney, a former president of the Massachusetts Defense Lawyers Association ("MDLA"), will be responsible for coordinating the MDLA's activities with DRI on a national and international basis;
• Michael Sams has been re-appointed Secretary of the Executive Committee of the Massachusetts Defense Lawyers Association for 2009-2010;
• Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education asked Michael Sams to Chair its program concerning public construction law and the American Institute of Architects 2007 contract documents;
• The Defense Research Institute ("DRI") presented Christopher Kenney with the Fred H. Sievert Award at its annual meeting in Washington, D.C. This award is presented annually to the lawyer recognized as the "Outstanding Defense Bar Leader" in America. DRI is an international association of defense lawyers, corporate counsel, and insurance company executives;
• Michael Sams presented a Construction Law update at the Associated Builders and Contractors;
• The Boston Bar Foundation ("BBF"), has reappointed Christopher Kenney as a Trustee. The BBF is the charitable arm of the Boston Bar Association and is dedicated to raising money for pro bono legal services for the poor;
• Michael Sams was invited to serve on an industry panel, presenting on Construction Risk Management issues;
• Construction Financial Managers Association ("CFMA") reappointed Michael Sams to the Board of Directors and as its Secretary;
• Christopher Kenney is former chairman of the Massachusetts Chapter of the Associated Builders and Contractors ("ABC"). ABC is a national organization of construction industry professionals dedicated to promoting free enterprise and open competition in the industry;
• Michael Sams chaired a Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education Program entitled, "Representing Builders, Design Professionals, & Developers in Troubled Times," in Boston;
• Michael Sams was asked to speak on the Independent Contractor Law at the annual MetroWest Chamber of Commerce business program;
• Michael Sams has chaired Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education's ("MCLE") programs discussing the so-called Massachusetts Independent Contractor Law, in Boston, Andover and Taunton in 2007 and 2008.  Those programs discussed the statute's implications and how best to manage the related risk it creates;
• Michael Sams chaired an Associated Builders and Contractors program addressing the so-called "Massachusetts Independent Contractor Law".

Recent Professional Activities & Bar Leadership

• Governor's Judicial Nominating Commission (2006-2007)
• MCLE Civil Litigation Curriculum Advisory, Chairman
• Federal Bar Association (Mass.), President
• Massachusetts Defense Lawyers Association, Secretary
• Gould Construction Institute, General Counsel
• Boston Inn of Court, Vice President
• National Association of the Remodeling Industry, Massachusetts Chapter Secretary

Recent Representative Achievements

• Successfully negotiated the release and dismissal of all claims against a Massachusetts public agency brought by a longshoreman injured in the course of maritime work;
• Recently negotiated a multi-million dollar settlement from several corporate defendants whose negligence caused catastrophic injuries to our client, a food service management employee.The settlement was completed;
• Obtained the reversal of a damages award against our client, a commercial real estate developer, in the Massachusetts Appeals Court;
• Successfully settled a wrongful death case against our client in Florida and then recovered 100% of the settlement funds from an insurer in a related coverage dispute;
• Obtained summary judgment for our client in a business dispute and then successfully prosecuted an abuse of process counterclaim to recover our client's legal fees and expenses;
• Obtained a multiple damages assessment for a subcontractor in a payments dispute against a general contractor;
• Obtained a lack of probable cause finding at the MCAD for a housing authority in a discrimination lawsuit;
• Defeated attempt by our client's former employer to enforce an alleged non-compete agreement; allowing our client to pursue employment with a new company in the same field;
• Obtained a settlement for a homeowner against a municipality for all damages caused by the municipality's collapsed and leaking water line, which caused uneven settlement in his home;
• Obtained discharge of sub-contractor's mechanic's lien and payment from the sub-contractor's principal to our client, the general contractor, in a case the sub-contractor filed against our client; and
• Obtained summary judgment on breach of contract claim for client general contractor against its sub-contractor.