News & Events
Employment Law Advisory: Preparing Your Business for State and Federal Changes
Rhode Island Expands Workplace Protections to Include Menopause Rhode Island has become the first state in the nation to define menopause as a protected class under its Fair Employment Practices Act (RIFEPA). The new amendment requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations for employees experiencing menopause, perimenopause, or related medical conditions. What Employers Should Know: Update policies: Review employee handbooks and anti-discrimination policies to reflect menopause as a protected class. Train managers and HR: Ensure staff understand the RIFEPA and ADA interactive process for accommodation requests. Prepare for accommodation requests: Expect increased requests for flexible scheduling or environmental adjustments....
Trusts & Estates, Legacy Briefly, Newsletter
This edition of our Trusts & Estates newsletter kicks off the New Year with a fresh look at fiduciary responsibility, estate planning updates, and long-term legacy building. From a practical “trustee bootcamp” on fiduciary duties, to why your will may be due for a seasonal refresh, our attorneys explore how annual check-ins can prevent costly oversights. We also take a longer view—examining dynasty and purpose trusts for multigenerational planning—and close with a reminder that true financial fitness starts with a strong, up-to-date estate plan. Whether you’re a trustee, business owner, or planning for the future of your family, this issue offers timely insights to start the year on solid footing. To see the January 2026 edition of...
General Assembly Returns After Winter Recess, Blizzard of ’26
Lawmakers returned to work on Thursday, February 26 after their mid-February winter recess and after a historic blizzard canceled session and committee hearings on Tuesday, February 24 and Wednesday, February 25. To date, over 1,100 bills have been introduced in the House while over 700 bills have been introduced in the Senate. With the exception of the COVID shortened 2020 session, approximately 2,500 to 2,600 total bills are introduced during any given General Assembly session, so we expect to see more bills introduced now that lawmakers are back. The bulk of these bill introductions will come over the next few weeks. Although committee hearings began in January, committees will truly begin meeting in earnest on Tuesdays, Wednesdays or...
Cannabis Retail Licensing Update: How Rhode Island’s Rollout is Taking Shape
Rhode Island’s Cannabis Control Commission is working through how licenses will be allocated, and exactly how many will be issued for the rollout of new adult use cannabis retail licenses. Originally, the state expected to issue 24 new retail licenses across six geographic zones (pictured right), with a maximum of four licenses per zone. Under that model, six licenses would be reserved for certified social equity applicants, six for worker-owned cooperatives, and the remaining 12 for general retail applicants. However, the Commission’s plan to evenly distribute licenses has been complicated by an uneven concentration of the nearly 100 applications submitted across each zone. 31 applications were received for Zone 6, which includes East...
Holyoke Revives Its Waterpower Legacy: A Modern Public-Private Partnership for a Sustainable Future
Since its settlement in 1745, its location on the Connecticut River in western Massachusetts has shaped the destiny of the City of Holyoke. Access to reliable, high-quality water and wastewater treatment infrastructure has long been essential to supporting the city’s growth, industry and quality of life. PDO’s attorneys are proud to have been members of the technical team that helped the City renew its legacy through the procurement of a recently-executed innovative long-term contract for the operation and maintenance of the City’s wastewater, stormwater and flood control facilities. The contract went beyond just infrastructure and operations; the new contractor will be an active partner with the City in its effort to seek a 21st century...
PDO Attorneys Named Best Lawyers in America
We are happy to announce that thirteen of our attorneys have been named Best Lawyers in America, and three more have earned a spot on the Ones to Watch list. These honors shine a light on the skill, dedication, and reputation our team has built within the legal community. Recognized nationwide as the gold standard, Best Lawyers® helps clients connect with trusted, peer-reviewed counsel, and we’re proud to be counted among the best. Congratulations to: Gene M. Carlino, Trusts and Estates William P. Devereaux, Criminal Defense: General Practice & White-Collar Joseph M. DiOrio, Banking and Finance Law, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation - Bankruptcy Leah A. Foertsch, Trusts and...
2025 Rhode Island General Assembly Recesses
The Rhode Island General Assembly recessed shortly before 2:00am on Saturday, June 21. Nearly 2,600 bills were introduced by legislators during the 2025 session. When the 2025 legislative session began on January 7th, RI lawmakers filed into the state house staring down a $250 million deficit. As is true most every session, and especially under the pressure of a growing deficit, the budget bill (budget) was the most important piece of legislation this year. Transmitted to Governor McKee on June 21, the budget bill became effective without his signature on June 29 for Fiscal Year 2026 beginning on July 1. Among the budget’s more noteworthy provisions are the following: Non-Owner-Occupied Tax. Dubbed the “Taylor Swift tax,” the budget...
PDO Attorneys Make an Impact at Rhode Island Bar Assoc. Annual Meeting
Brian Lamoureux on AI in Legal Practice At the Rhode Island Bar Association Annual Meeting this month, PDO Partner Brian Lamoureux spoke on the growing role of artificial intelligence in the legal practice. Moderated by R.I. Supreme Court Justice Erin Lynch Prata and R.I. Superior Court Judge Brian P. Stern, the session explored the ethical and practical implications of AI tools in the legal field, including the Rhode Island Supreme Court’s Committee on Artificial Intelligence and the Courts, underscoring PDO’s commitment to staying at the forefront of emerging legal trends and technologies. Matt Reeber on Attorney Fee Awards Attorney Matt Reeber also spoke at the Annual Meeting, offering an in-depth look at fee recovery after the Rhode...
PDO Attorneys Lead National Seminar on Estate Planning Ahead of 2025 Tax Sunset
In partnership with MyLawCLE, Pannone Lopes Devereaux & O’Gara (PDO) attorneys Leah A. Foertsch and Gene M. Carlino led a seminar on wealth management and estate planning—Current Aspects of Wealth Management and Estate Planning: Sunset Preparations, Tailored Vehicles, Post-Mortem Planning, and Leveraging Philanthropy (2025 Edition). The seminar covered strategies for selecting flexible wealth management vehicles, implementing effective post-mortem planning, and leveraging charitable giving to align with client goals amid evolving regulations. Attorneys Foertsch and Carlino also discussed preparations for the 2025 estate tax sunset. A key provision of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act significantly expanded the federal gift and estate...
PDO Attorneys Named Rhode Island Super Lawyers of 2025
Attorneys Devereaux, DiOrio, Reeber and Carlino Named Among Top 5 Percent of RI Lawyers Johnston, RI – Pannone Lopes Devereaux & O’Gara LLC (PDO) is proud to announce that four of its attorneys—William P. Devereaux, Principal; Joseph M. DiOrio, Chairman of the firm’s Banking and Creditor’s Rights Practice; Matthew C. Reeber, Partner; and Gene M. Carlino, Partner—have been named to the 2025 Rhode Island Super Lawyers list. Super Lawyers®, a division of Thomson Reuters, is a peer-reviewed rating platform that recognizes exceptional attorneys in each state who have demonstrated significant professional accomplishments and earned high levels of peer recognition. Only up to 5 percent of lawyers in each state are chosen for inclusion in...