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Douglas I. Louison 
Boston, Massachusetts
Partner
phone (617) 439-0305
fax (617) 439-0325
email Email Me

Partner in the firm of  Louison, Costello, Condon & Pfaff, LLP .  The firm is a comprehensive defense litigation and labor and employment firm, specializing in the defense of complex and specialty loss civil litigation claims on behalf of insurance companies, municipalities, commercial businesses and individuals both civilly and criminally.

Douglas I. Louison is a graduate of Boston University and Suffolk University Law School. 

Upon admission to the Bar, Attorney Louison served as Assistant Corporation Counsel for the City of Boston Law Department from 1984 to 1987.  In that capacity, Attorney Louison handled numerous civil actions involving claims for personal injury and property loss, civil rights violations, breach of contract and other miscellaneous matters.  In 1987, he and his Law Department colleague, Nancy Merrick, founded the firm of Merrick and Louison.  Since that time, Attorney Louison has developed his practice, as well as an outstanding reputation, as a trial attorney in such areas as civil rights defense, property and personal injury, as well as in civil service/employment matters.  Attorney Louison has extensive experience at all levels of state and federal courts, as well as before numerous administrative agencies.  In addition, Attorney Louison has lectured extensively and written numerous articles on liability issues, civil litigation as well as risk management and prevention. 

In February 1999, Attorneys Louison and Costello formed a partnership, combining their nearly thirty years of experience in virtually all areas of public and private representation as well as extensive experience at all levels of the state and federal judicial systems.  Louison, Costello, Condon & Pfaff, LLP currently has 9 experienced attorneys, two paralegals and a trained professional support staff.   

Attorney Douglas Louison has extensive and successful trial defense experience principally in the areas of negligence, employment, civil rights and criminal litigation.  Trials before state and federal courts as well as appeals to Massachusetts Appeals Court, Supreme Judicial Court and First Circuit Court of Appeals.  Administrative proceedings before Labor Relations Commission, Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, Civil Service Commission, American Arbitration Association and the Massachusetts Joint Labor Management Committee.

Attorney Louison has represented innumerable defendants, both individual and public and private entities.  The representation has run from local departmental hearings to administrative agencies to the state and federal trial courts and appellate courts

REPRESENTATIVE TRIAL EXPERIENCE:   
Robert Fratto, et al v. Town of Weymouth, et al, United States District Court - Boston
Shane Hayden v. Michael McKenney, United States District Court - Boston
David Jarman v. Boston Housing Authority, Suffolk Superior Court
Dornell Wigfall v. Michael T. Maloney, et al., United States District Court - Boston

Alfonso et al v. Aufiero, et al, United States District Court- Boston.
Diaz v. City of Fitchburg, United States District Court- Worcester.
Figaratto v. Benedetto, United States District Court- Boston
Commonwealth v. Ingham, Essex Superior Court.
Lenihan v. Carrier, United States District Court- Boston.
Guilbee v. City of Brockton, United States District Court- Boston.
Marnell v. Town of Randolph, United States District Court- Boston.
Commonwealth v. Pimental, Bristol Superior Court.
Rose v. Town of Concord,  United States District Court- Boston.
Staszko v. Town of Cohasset, United States District Court- Boston.
St. Germaine v.
Young v. Town of Amesbury, United States District Court- Boston.

 

For help with your specific legal issue, please call us directly at (617) 439-0305 and speak with one of our Attorneys. 

 

To learn more about us, please visit our web site links below.  Thank You!

 

Firm Overview

 

Bay State Legal Defense Service

 

Civil Rights Defense

Insurance Defense

Employee Disciplinary Defense

Town Counsel / Municipal Law

Special Counsel

Tax Title / Foreclosure

Construction and Contracts

Municipal Insurance Defense

Labor Union Representation

Police Disciplinary Defense

MBTA Commuter Rail / Car and Truck Accidents

Premises Liability

Medical Malpractice

Dram Shop Liability

Dog Bites

OUI Drunk Driving Defense

White Collar Crime

Real Estate Law

Areas of Practice:
Administrative Law
Civil Rights
Constitutional Law
Criminal Law
Employment Law - Employee
Employment Law - Employer
Government Agencies & Programs
Insurance Law
Labor Law
Litigation & Appeals
Personal Injury - Defense
Personal Injury - Plaintiff
Bar Admissions:
Massachusetts, 1985
Maine, 1995
U.S. District Court District of Massachusetts
U.S. Court of Appeals 1st Circuit
Education:
Suffolk University Law School, Boston, Massachusetts, 1984
J.D.


Boston University, Boston, MA, USA, 1981
B.S., Communication
Honors: Cum Laude


Published Works:
"Non-Deadly Force: A User's Guide - An Examination of the Standards for the Use of Force", March, 1987


"Qualified Immunity", Civil Liability Alert, December, 1987


"Trying A Hot Pursuit Case", The Sentinel, January, 1988


"Police Pursuit and Its Potential Liability", March, 1988


"Defense Tactics In A Civil Rights Case", Massachusetts City Solicitors Association Seminar, 1987


"Cases and Comments", Civil Liability Alert, Winter, 1988


"Polygraph Examinations: When Must Officers Submit", The Sentinel, 1989


"Cases and Comments", The Sentinel, 1988


Representative Cases:
O'Neill v. City Manager of Cambridge, 428 Mass. 257, 700 N.E. 2d 530 (1998)
Holland v. Fisher, 3 Mass.L.Rptr. 171, WL 878924 (Mass. Supr. 1994)
Zocchi v. Town of Hinsdale, 30 Mass. App. Ct. 803, 573 N.E. 2d 1017 (Mass. App. 1991)
Narine v. Powers, 400 Mass. 343, 509 N.E. 2d 905 (Mass.  1997)
Dowd v. Town of Dedham, 25 Fed. Appx 6 2002, WL 15851 (1st Cir. Mass 2002)
Nieves v. McSweeney, 241 F. 3d 46 (1st Cir. 2001)
Hennessy v. City of Melrose, 194 F. 3d 237, 77 Empl. Prac. Dec. P 46, 367 (1st Cir 1999)
Iacobucci v. Boulter, 193 F. 3d 14, 52 Fed.R.Evid.Serv. 1568 (1st Cir 1999)
Ali v. East Longmeadow Police Dept., 201 F. 3d 426, WL 400502 (1st Cir. 1999)
Diaz v. City of Fitchburg, 176 F. 3d 560 (1st Cir. 1999)
Scott v. Wellesly Police Dept., 187 F. 3d 622 (1st Cir. 1998)
Pendleton v. City of Haverhill, 156 F. 3d 57, 26 Media L.Rep 2281 (1st Cir. 1998)
Swain v. Spinney, 117 F. 3d 1 (1st Cir. 1997)
Guziejka v. Panas, 107 F. 3d 1, WL 9766 (1st Cir. 1997)
Brown v. Town of Weymouth, 76 F. 3d 370, WL 55703 (1st Cir. 1996)
Licari v. Ferruzzi, 22 F. 3d 344, 28 Fed.R.Servl, 3rd 1472 (1st Cir. 1994)
Pariseau v. City of Brockton, 135 F. Supp. 2d 257 (D. Mass. 2001)
Telecrop Realty, LLC v. Town of Edgartown, 81 F. Supp. 2d 257 (D. Mass. 2000)
Nieves v. McSweeney, 73 F. Supp. 2d 98 (D. Mass. 1999)
Alfonso v. Aufiero, 66 F. Supp. 2d 183 (D. Mass. 1999)
Altman v. Kelly, 36 F. Supp. 2d 433 (D. Mass. 1999)
Altman v. Kelly, 28 F. Supp. 2d 50 (D. Mass. 1998)
Medeiros v. Town of Dracut, 21 F. Supp. 2d 82 (D. Mass. 1998)
Rose v. Town of Concord, 971 F. Supp. 47 (D. Mass. 1997)
Iacobucci v. Boulter, 1997 WL 258494 (D. Mass. 1997)
Swain v. Spinney, 932 F. Supp. 25 (D. Mass. 1996)
Wayfield v. Town of Tisbury, 925 F. Supp 880 (D. Mass. 1996)
Noel v. Town of Plymouth, Mass., 895 F. Supp. 346 (D. Mass. 1995)
Riva v. Comm. of Mass., 871 F. Supp. 1511, 63 USLW 2512 (D. Mass. 1994)
Beauregard v. Epstein, 1994 WL 523816 (D. Mass. 1994)
U.S. v. Shea, 750 F. Supp. 46 (D. Mass. 1990)
Classes/Seminars Taught:
"How To Defend A Civil Rights Action", Massachusetts City Solicitors and Town Counsel Association, 1987


"Civil Rights Liability", Fourth Annual Civil Liability Conference of Law Enforcement Officers, 1987


"Negligence Liability", Fifth Annual Civil Liability Conference of Law Enforcement Officers, 1988


"Practice and Procedure under Mass. Tort Claims Act", Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys, 1988


"Civil Rights Litigation", Annual Convention of Massachusetts City Solicitors and Town Counsel Association, 1988


Recruit training courses on civil liability, Boston Police Training Academy, 1987 - 1989


"Municipal Law Update", Massachusetts Municipal Association Annual Convention, 1988


"Local Government - Risky Business", Massachusetts Municipal Association Annual Convention, 1989


Supervisory Liability, Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Academy Associates, Retraining Program, 1992


"Citizens and Law Enforcement: Confronting Police Misconduct", Suffolk Law School Lawyers Guild, 1995


"Rethinking the 4th Amendment and No-Knock Searches", National Lawyers Guild, Mass. Chapter, 1995


"Trial Practice Seminar", City Solicitors and Town Counsel Association - Annual, 1995


Defendants' Perspective Lecturer, "Municipalities Facing A Barrage of Lawsuits", Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, 1996


Professional Associations and Memberships:
American Arbitration Association


Massachusetts City Solicitors and Town Counsel Association


Massachusetts Bar Association


Boston Bar Association


Massachusetts Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers


Past Employment Positions:
City of Boston, Assistant Corporation Counsel, Assigned to Civil Rights, Torts and Claims Bureau, 1985 - 1987