Attorney Profiles GREGORY J. ACETO, ESQ. Gregory J. Aceto, a founding partner of Johnson & Aceto, LLP, has a litigation and trial practice concentrated in the areas of commercial and complex civil litigation, criminal defense, personal injury, landlord-tenant relations, estate dispute, family law and construction litigation in the United States District Courts and Bankruptcy Courts and Massachusetts Superior Courts, District Courts and Probate Courts. Mr. Aceto has also engaged in litigation and trial work in the states of California, Florida, Rhode Island, New York and Colorado and related discovery work in the states of Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Michigan and New Hampshire, and the countries of France and the United Kingdom.

Mr. Aceto has extensive civil and criminal trial experience, having successfully tried numerous jury cases and bench trials in state court. Mr. Aceto has also had substantial experience in the areas of post-judgment collections, post-trial relief and appellate work. In addition, Mr. Aceto is counsel to various small-to-medium size businesses and entrepreneurs providing advice and counsel as to a myriad of issues including contractual and fiduciary disputes, corporate fraud and misrepresentation, employee relations, corporate structure and reorganization, regulatory and zoning compliance, collection of accounts receivable, licensing and protection of assets.

Mr. Aceto also has been appointed and served as an arbitrator and umpire in various matters before the Massachusetts Superior Court. He also serves as a conciliator in the Middlesex County Probate Court.

Mr. Aceto is a 1990 graduate of Vanderbilt University School of Law, and a 1987 graduate of Boston College (B.A., Political Science). Mr. Aceto was the Elliott E. Cheatham Scholar at Vanderbilt University School of Law for 1990. He is an active member of the Fides Society of Boston College.

Mr. Aceto is admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the State of California and before the First Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States District Courts for the District of Massachusetts and the Central District of California, the Northern District of California and the District of Colorado. His professional affiliations include the Boston Bar Association, the State Bar of California and the Middlesex County Bar Association.

Mr. Aceto resides in Natick, Massachusetts with his wife and three children.

SELECTED PROFESSIONAL PUBLICATIONS Kolodziej v. Smith: An Employee's Right to a Secular Workplace. Boston Bar Journal, January/February, 1993 Criminal Sanctions for Corporate Tortious Acts, For the Defense, November, 1991

ROBIN A. JOHNSON, ESQ. Robin A. Johnson is a graduate of Hamline University, in St. Paul, Minnesota, magna cum laude, and of Brown University where she received a Master’s degree in sociology. At Brown, she was the recipient of a National Institute of Mental Health fellowship in medical sociology. She received her Juris Doctor degree from Boston University School of Law. Upon graduation from law school, Ms. Johnson practiced law for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and for the private law firms of Hutchins & Wheeler (now, Nixon Peabody) in Boston and Bowditch & Dewey in Worcester. Additionally, for nearly six years, Ms. Johnson was the Senior Medical Center Counsel at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center (including the medical school, hospital and faculty group practice).

In June 1994, Ms. Johnson established her own law firm concentrating in the representation of health care providers and other nonprofit institutions. At the same time she served as Counsel to the firm of Schwartz, Shaw and Griffith until June 1, 2000 when she became a founding shareholder in Johnson & Aceto, LLP. Her practice focuses upon nonprofit corporations and reimbursement, licensure, accreditation, and compliance on behalf of community mental health centers, hospitals, clinics, home health agencies, large physician practices, accreditation agencies, and trade associations of health care providers.

Ms. Johnson is a past Chair of the Massachusetts Bar Association Health Law Section. She is currently a member of the Boston Bar Association Health Law Steering Committee and Co-Chair of the Boston Bar Association HIPAA Task Force. She is also the Chair of the Enforcement Sub-Workgroup of WEDi/SNIP’s Privacy and Security Workgroup, and she is a consultant with the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare in Rockville, MD. Ms. Johnson is a frequent speaker on legal topics at trade and professional association meetings. She is a member of the Board of Directors of Bethany Hill School, Inc. in Framingham, MA and is also the Secretary of the Corporation For Sponsored Ministries of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Boston.

Ms. Johnson can be reached in her Boston office at 617-728-0888 or through e-mail at Johnson@Johnsonaceto.com.

MICHAEL S. BONNER, ESQ.

Michael S. Bonner, a partner with Johnson & Aceto, LLP, places a priority on helping clients efficiently solve their legal issues by working closely with them to develop and implement an effective strategy that advances their personal and business objectives. He has extensive experience representing clients in a wide-array of business disputes including those involving shareholder relationships, freeze-out claims, partnership dissolutions, employment disputes, and corporate governance issues. Mr. Bonner also has significant experience litigating real estate disputes, breach of contract claims and disputes that involve allegations of bad faith or unfair practices.

In addition to his litigation practice, Mr. Bonner represents and advises clients in the formation of new companies. Mr. Bonner provides advice regarding the appropriate business structure, such as a traditional corporation, LLC or LLP, and prepares the necessary organizational documentation including, articles or certificates of organization, by-laws, votes and resolutions, partnership agreements, LLC operating agreements, and employment, non-disclosure and non-competition agreements, where needed. Mr. Bonner serves as counsel for a number of small businesses, providing ongoing advice on various legal matters, including corporate maintenance, corporate governance, contractual agreements, shareholder and employment issues, and other business matters such as strategies to minimize future litigation risks.

Mr. Bonner also has extensive experience representing individuals and businesses in the purchase and sale of real estate.

Mr. Bonner was selected as a 2007 “Rising Star” by Boston Magazine in its “Massachusetts Super Lawyers - Rising Stars Edition.” Nominated by his peers, this honor recognizes him as one of the best lawyers in the state under the age of 40. Only the top 2.5 percent of all up-and-coming lawyers make the final list.

Mr. Bonner graduated cum laude from Saint Anselm College in 1994, where he received the Student Athlete of the Year Award. In 1997, Mr. Bonner graduated cum laude from Suffolk University School of Law. In addition to his law degree, Mr. Bonner obtained a Masters in Business Administration from Suffolk University’s Frank Sawyer School of Management in 2004. He was inducted into the Beta Gamma Sigma honor society, which is the highest scholastic honor that a business student can achieve.

Mr. Bonner began his legal career with Morrison, Mahoney & Miller, LLP, in Boston, where he focused his practice on the defense of a wide variety of civil matters in state and federal courts. In 1998, Mr. Bonner left Morrison to assist in the foundation of Pierce, Davis & Perritano, LLP, where he continued his civil litigation practice with an emphasis on products liability. In 2001, Mr. Bonner became associated with Yurko, Salvesen & Remz. There, he represented and advised businesses and individuals in various legal matters including shareholder disputes, partnership dissolutions, antitrust matters, non-competition agreements, real estate transactions, and other complex business matters.

Mr. Bonner is admitted to practice in the state and federal courts of Massachusetts and New Hampshire. He is a member of the Boston Bar Association, where he volunteers each year for the BBA’s “Law Day in Boston Public Schools” program. He is also an active member of the Massachusetts Bar Association, serving as the Program Chair for two continuing legal education programs, “Forming a Business Entity,” and the “Business Litigation Session Conference.” Additionally, Mr. Bonner serves as an advisor for the Harvard Trial Advocacy Program and as a judge in the Ames Moot Court Competition at Harvard Law School. Mr. Bonner is a member of the Executive Committee of the Saint Anselm College Boston Business Roundtable.

MICHELLE L. PRAGER, ESQ.

Michelle Prager graduated from the University of Connecticut in 1996 with a degree in Political Science and was awarded with Academic Excellence in the area of Criminal Justice. In 2001, she graduated from Suffolk University Law School. In addition to her law degree, Ms. Prager also obtained a Masters in Public Administration from Suffolk University’s Frank Sawyer School of Management.

Ms. Prager began her career at Johnson & Aceto, LLP as a law clerk while attending Suffolk University Law School. Ms. Prager’s practice includes commercial and complex civil litigation involving a variety of areas, such as premises, products and professional liability; personal injury; and real estate, business and employment disputes and transactions. In addition, Ms. Prager has had substantial practice in the area of probate law including divorce, child custody, guardianship, appointment of executor/administrator of wills, and adoption.

Ms. Prager is admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, State of Connecticut, and the United States District Court of Massachusetts. Ms. Prager is a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association and Boston Bar Association.

PUBLICATIONS:

• Prager & Johnson, “Case Challenges Medicaid’s Third Party Liability Recoupments: Atlanticare Medical Center v. Warring”, Boston Bar Association Health Law Section Newsletter (September, 2001).
  

ERIN J. BRENNAN, ESQ. Erin J. Brennan joined Johnson & Aceto, LLP as a law clerk in 2002 and as an associate in 2004. Ms. Brennan’s practice includes complex civil litigation in a variety of areas, including products and professional liability; real estate, business, construction and employment disputes and transactions; and personal injury, family law and divorce. In addition, Ms. Brennan has had experience in the drafting and filing of appellate briefs.

Ms. Brennan also practices in the area of healthcare law assisting in the representation of institutional and individual healthcare providers and the representation of licensed professional providers before licensing boards and during transitions from institutions.

Ms. Brennan is a 2003 graduate of Suffolk University Law School in Boston, Massachusetts where she was a research assistant to Professor R. Lisle Baker. She spent a year working with Professor Baker on his article, “Using Insights about Perception and Judgment from the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Instrument as an Aid to Mediation,” published in the Harvard Negotiation Law Review in the Spring of 2004.

Ms. Brennan received her Bachelor of Science with Honors from St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York in 1999. While at St. Lawrence, she successfully completed her Honors thesis in Psychology and Law, entitled “Termination of Parental Rights Laws in New York State and the Psychological Effects on Children: An Overview of the Current Statutes.” As a junior at St. Lawrence, Ms. Brennan worked for the Public Defender of St. Lawrence County.

Ms. Brennan is currently admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts and the State of Connecticut. Her professional affiliations include the Boston Bar Association, BBA Lawyer Referral Service,
Massachusetts Bar Association, Miss Porter’s School Alumnae Association and Reunion Committee, St. Lawrence University Alumni Association and Reunion Committee, Kappa Kappa Gamma Alumnae Association and Suffolk University Law School Alumni Association.

LAURA E. MCCUE, ESQ.

Laura E. McCue joined Johnson & Aceto, LLP as a law clerk in 2003 and as an associate in 2005. Ms. McCue's practice includes complex civil litigation in a variety of areas, including products and professional liability; real estate, business, construction and employment disputes and transactions; and personal injury, family law and divorce.

Ms. McCue graduated cum laude from Suffolk University Law School in 2005 where she was a member of the Suffolk University Transnational Law Review. As a member of the Transnational Law Review, Ms. McCue published an article entitled, "Left Behind: The Failure of the United States to Fight for the Return of the Victims of International Child Abduction," and served on the 2004-2005 Editorial Board as the Chief Note Editor. Ms. McCue was also a member of the Phi Delta Phi Legal Fraternity and a Suffolk University Student Ambassador.

Ms. McCue is also a 2000 graduate of Stonehill College in Easton, Massachusetts where she received a Bachelor of Arts in both communication and psychology. Ms. McCue graduated as a Stonehill Scholar and achieved honors in communication upon the successful completion of an honors thesis. While attending Stonehill College, Ms. McCue also completed an independent psychology research study, presented a paper at the Southern States Communication Association Honors Conference and served as a peer tutor at the Stonehill College Writing Center.
Ms. McCue is currently admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Her professional affiliations include the Boston Bar Association, Massachusetts Bar Association, Suffolk University Law School Alumni Association and Stonehill College Alumni Association.