Counsel, Consultation, Coaching

Approach

As legal counsel, consultant, and coach, Alyssa focuses on helping clients align their mission and values with all aspects of their operations, culture, and strategy. Alyssa prioritizes building trust, centering worker dignity, encouraging ethical and values-based decision-making, and strengthening relationships in all aspects of her practice. Central to Alyssa’s “beyond compliance” approach is her theory that little can be accomplished without trustful relationships and dignity for all organizational stakeholders; compliance alone is insufficient to successfully manage risk  or, ultimately, to thrive.

 

Experience
Alyssa specializes in workplace matters and organizational leadership, strategizing with clients to preempt and resolve challenges holistically and compassionately. Most recently, Alyssa led the workplace practice at a leading firm specializing in nonprofit legal services. Prior to private practice, Alyssa advised on performance management, employee relations, and DEI practices as VP and MA Director of Conservation Law Foundation. Her background also includes in-house counsel at Northeastern University and field attorney at the  National Labor Relations Board. Alyssa is a sought-after speaker and educator on a range of topics, including proactive risk management, workplace inclusion, conflict resolution, and gender identity/LGBTQ equity in the workplace. She has presented at events sponsored by Philanthropy MA, the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network, and Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education (MCLE). Alyssa serves on the MA Commission on LGBTQ Youth and the Human Rights Committee for Beverly, MA.  Alyssa formerly served on the Executive Committee of the Greater Boston PFLAG Board of Directors.

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Education 

​Alyssa has a J.D. from Georgetown University Law School, an M.A. from Union Theological Seminary, where she received the Charles A. Briggs award for “conscience, commitment, and courage,” and her B.A. with honors from Swarthmore College. Following law school, Alyssa clerked for federal judge Francisco A. Besosa in the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. She is a trained mediator and has completed two training programs conducted by the MA Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD): ​​​​​​”Train-the-Trainer: Workplace Discrimination & Harassment” and “Conducting Internal Discrimination Complaint Investigations.”

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Admissions 

Alyssa is admitted to practice in Massachusetts, the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, and the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.