In-House Legal Counsel

The Legal Unit assists the Commission with various responsibilities including, but not limited to:

Commission Operations:

• Responding to questions and concerns of the Commission Members
• Day-to-day advice to the Commission staff with regard to all aspects of PERAC operations

Legal Representation

• Drafting legal opinion letters in response to written inquiries
• Representing the Commission in hearings before administrative agencies
• Defending the Commission in the Superior Court or assisting the Office of the Attorney General

Retirement Board Education

• Drafting memoranda to inform Board Members and staff of new legal developments, decisions, and amendments to Chapter 32.
• Preparing educational materials and presentations for retirement boards

Legal Oversight

• Reviewing applications for disability retirement and accidental death benefits
• Reviewing and approving the supplementary rules of retirement boards

Staff

• Judith Corrigan, General Counsel
• Felicia Baruffi, Senior Associate General Counsel
• Daniel Taylor, Associate General Counsel
• Kenneth Hill, Deputy Executive Director
• Patrick Charles, Assistant Deputy Director

The Brookline Retirement Board serves the 1, 347 public employees and more than 800 retirees of Brookline.  There is a five-member board which meets monthly.

• Padraic Lydon, Esquire – Executive Director

• Largest of the Commonwealth’s 104 contributory retirement systems
• Members: Teachers and administrators in all Massachusetts public schools (except in the City of Boston), charter schools and educational collaboratives
• Employers: 421 public school districts, charter schools and educational collaboratives

• James O’Leary, General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer
• Sam Coco, Deputy General Counsel
• Ashley Freeman, Deputy General Counsel
• Lori Krusell, Senior Legal Counsel
• Robert Fabino, Chief Human Resources and Legal / Legislative Affairs Officer
• Kaileigh Hintlian and Thierno Bah, PT legal interns

Originally created by an Act of the Legislature in 1911, the Middlesex County Retirement System is the fourth largest of the 104 retirement systems in the Commonwealth. We provide retirement, disability and survivor benefits to approximately 6,000 retirees and 10,000 active employees of 31 Towns and 40 Districts and Authorities within Middlesex County.
The mission of the Middlesex County Retirement Board is to provide secure retirement benefits lawfully earned through public service to the members and beneficiaries of the Middlesex County Retirement System, and to administer those benefits with the highest degree of prudence, integrity and fiscal responsibility.

• Thomas Gibson, Esquire – Chairman
• Lisa Maloney, Esquire – Chief Administrative Officer

Jaclyn R. Zawada

jzawada@newtonma.gov.

The Norfolk County Retirement System (NCRS), established in 1911, governed under Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 32, is led by a 5 Member Board of Trustees. NCRS is 1 of 105 reciprocal retirement systems within the Commonwealth.

NCRS serves approximately 10,000 active and retired members from the County, 19 towns and 21 authorities and special districts. Retirement System membership is mandatory for employees regularly working 20 hours or more and, upon retirement, retirees receive a defined monthly benefit for life.

• Kathleen Kiely-Becchetti, Esquire – Executive Director
• Matt Feeney, Esquire – Compliance Officer and General Counsel

• Alison K. Eggers – Deputy General Counsel
• Yande Lombe – Senior Associate Board Counsel
• Brendan McGough – Senior Associate Board Counsel
• Matthew S. Szafranski – Associate Board Counsel
• Jacqueline J. Sullivan – Associate Board Counsel
• Marko Samardzic – Associate Board Counsel
• John Durgin – Associate Board Counsel