Patricia M. Shumaker practices primarily in the areas of complex estate planning, trust and estate administration, elder law, and long-term care planning. She provides comprehensive planning for the costs of long-term care, including the application and appeal for Medicaid benefits.

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Patricia’s twenty-four years of experience allow her to provide targeted solutions to urgent and complex problems with the compassion, communication skills, and deep legal knowledge needed to demystify the legal process. She works in partnership with her clients to determine the best path to meet their personal goals and develops enduring relationships to assist them and their families during life’s transitions. Patricia’s strong background in elder law sets her apart from other planners and allows her clients to protect their assets, minimize taxes, and secure generational wealth.

Patricia is a cum laude graduate of the University of South Carolina School of Law, where she was the articles editor for the ABA Real Property, Trust & Estate Journal and was named to the Order of the Coif. She is an undergraduate of the University of Massachusetts in Amherst.

Patricia credits her family as the source of her strength and joy. She and her husband of over thirty years have raised two sons and are seen in their hometown coaching soccer, supporting the Scouts, and joining friends and neighbors in developing strong community bonds.

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Derek leverages his industry experience, business insight, and technology background to help clients achieve their commercial goals.

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Derek Schaffner is a technology transaction attorney who counsels clients regarding legal and strategic business issues associated with complex transactions and outsourcing engagements from the bid stage through contract execution. He is also accredited as a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US) by the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP).

His practice focuses on artificial intelligence, large language models, cloud computing, SaaS, privacy and data security, information technology, software development, systems implementation, business process transactions, integrated facilities management, third party logistics, and licensing. Derek also advises clients regarding intellectual property, information technology, and privacy issues in M&A transactions, including performing due diligence and negotiating contractual terms for those items in purchase agreements.

Derek’s representative information technology transactions include the outsourcing of IT infrastructure services and support,  managed network services, network security services, application development & maintenance, and telecommunications services. His representative business process sourcing transactions include ERP deployments, the outsourcing of finance & accounting functions, human resource/employee services, and international employee relocation services.

Derek has also represented clients in custom software development agreements, semiconductor chip manufacturing agreements, technology and pharmaceutical licenses, end user license agreements, website development/terms of service agreements, and content/distribution agreements. He has represented clients in a variety of industries with an emphasis on financial services, consumer products, manufacturing, hospitality, health care, energy, mining, and space.

Prior to practicing law, Derek held senior management positions at Microsoft, Xerox, and Accenture.

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Maureen represents families, individuals, beneficiaries, and trustees throughout eastern Massachusetts in matters involving probate, estate and trust litigation, and contested guardianships and conservatorships.

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With more than 30 years of experience in will contests and trust litigation, Maureen helps clients navigate this process which can be emotionally charged and involve complex family dynamics going back decades. She also works with estate planners who do not handle litigation, by assisting their clients when their matters do end up in litigation.

Maureen handles:

  • Will contests
  • Breach of fiduciary duty matters
  • Removal or defense of a fiduciary such as a personal representative or trustee
  • Representation of individuals acting as attorney-in-fact or under a power of attorney and/or health care proxy

Maureen’s practice brings her to:

  • The Massachusetts Probate Court
  • Superior Court
  • Massachusetts Court of Appeals

At the request of the Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Probate and Family Court, Maureen chaired a committee that resulted in the establishment of Fiduciary Litigation Session of that court. Recognizing that traditional family law judges – often focused on equitable division of assets – had limited background in the distinct complexities of fiduciary litigation, Maureen championed a dedicated area of the court. As a leading voice on the Massachusetts Bar Association Probate Council, she spearheaded the initiative to create a specific session for complex probate litigation cases. This culminated in Standing Order 3-17: Fiduciary Litigation Session Pilot Project, which allows the transfer of contested fiduciary cases to the FLS, ensuring these matters are handled by judges with specialized expertise. This initiative provided families with a more appropriate and effective forum for navigating their disputes, fundamentally transforming how complex estate and trust disputes are resolved in Massachusetts.

Beyond her work in establishing the FLS, Maureen has shared her extensive knowledge and experience as an Adjunct Lecturer, Litigation Specialist for a Pretrial Litigation course at Boston College Law School. She has been a consistent educator with the Massachusetts Bar Association since 2005, speaking at nearly all Massachusetts Probate Law Conferences for the past 13 years. Her commitment to legal education extends to her service on the Boston College Law School Alumni Association, where she proudly served as President in 2006.

Maureen’s exceptional legal capabilities and groundbreaking contributions have earned her widespread recognition within the legal community. She has been named a Massachusetts Super Lawyer in Estate & Trust Litigation for eight consecutive years (2018-2025). She received the prestigious Award of Excellence from the Greater Boston Fiduciary Law American Inn of Court (2017) and was honored with a Public Service Award from the Massachusetts Bar Association (2016). She is also a Life Fellow of the Massachusetts Bar Foundation.

Maureen is an active member of the Massachusetts Bar Association Probate Council, which she chaired and co-chaired for four years. She also chairs the Human Rights Committee for Goodwill, where she has been a volunteer for more than 25 years. With a career in the law that began at age 16, Maureen’s journey included attending school for court reporting while raising a family. This foundational experience led her to law school to become the respected trial attorney she is today. When not at work, Maureen enjoys spending time with her children, granddaughter, and her friends including travel in the U.S. and Europe. In 2021, Maureen fulfilled a lifetime dream to visit Egypt and Jordan.

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From zoning to development, Peter’s strategic legal counsel helps clients seamlessly navigate the complexities of real estate investment and unlock the potential of their properties.

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With a passion for real estate law and a commitment to delivering exceptional legal counsel, Peter Covo is a seasoned professional in the realm of real estate transactions and property law. Peter’s expertise spans a broad spectrum of real estate matters, including commercial and residential property transactions, financing and leasing, landlord-tenant disputes, property development, condominium law and land use. He also regularly assists clients with zoning, permitting and construction matters, working with town planning and zoning boards. Peter provides comprehensive legal guidance to individuals, businesses, investors and developers, ensuring that each client receives tailored solutions and meticulous attention to detail. As a trusted advisor in the real estate arena, Peter is dedicated to delivering excellence, protecting clients’ interests and facilitating successful outcomes in every transaction or case undertaken.

During law school, Peter was an intern for The Honorable Alex Kozinski of the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and at the Boston office of a major national law firm. After law school Peter joined a Private Equity fund focused on national and international real estate acquisitions, development and management. Prior to joining Conn Kavanaugh, Peter was Chair of the Real Estate Practice Group and a partner at a law firm in Boston’s MetroWest.

Peter grew up in Mexico and is fluent in Spanish. He often travels back to visit his family. When away from the office, Peter enjoys playing golf and tennis or enjoying a Bruins game with his family.

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Daniel represents businesses and individuals in complex commercial disputes, employment counseling, and probate litigation.

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In his Business Litigation practice, Daniel draws on his pre-law experience in tech and marine manufacturing to provide practical, industry-aware counsel. He assists clients in navigating commercial disputes involving breach of contract, management disputes, and unfair business practices, adopting the firm’s philosophy that proactive strategy is the most effective path to a favorable resolution.

In the realm of Employment Law, Daniel assists employers and executives with both litigation and risk management. He helps clients navigate the complexities of discrimination and wage and hour claims, as well as drafting affirmative action plans.

In Daniel’s Probate Litigation practice, he represents families, beneficiaries, and fiduciaries in complex probate and estate litigation. Recognizing that these matters often involve deep-seated family dynamics and emotional complexity, he provides a steady, objective hand in will contests and breach of fiduciary duty claims.

A product of Boston education, Daniel graduated magna cum laude from the University of Massachusetts at Boston and earned his J.D. from Suffolk University Law School. During law school, he served as a judicial intern to the Honorable Garrett J. McManus of the Suffolk County Juvenile Court and was a Senior Editor of the Suffolk Transnational Law Review. Daniel was also Conn Kavanaugh’s first-ever law student intern before joining the firm’s Summer Associate program.

Daniel is an active member of the Asian American Lawyers Association of Massachusetts (AALAM). Outside of the office, he is an avid golfer and a die-hard Celtics fan.

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Ken is an experienced trial lawyer who has successfully represented clients in complex business, employment, real estate, and insurance disputes.

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Ken provides strategic counsel and advocacy to businesses and individuals in commercial litigation and related matters. With more than fifteen years of experience litigating cases in state and federal courts across the country at the trial and appellate levels, he understands the unique challenges each client faces and knows how to develop and execute strategies to achieve their legal and business objectives.

With a focus on representing closely-held and emerging companies in the technology, manufacturing, life sciences, and professional services industries, Ken has helped clients prevail in disputes with shareholders, vendors, business partners, suppliers, commercial landlords, employees, and government regulatory agencies. He routinely litigates claims alleging breach of contract, violations of fiduciary duties, business torts, Chapter 93A, trade secret misappropriation, and violations of wage and hour laws.

Ken also has substantial experience in insurance coverage matters, having represented both insurers and policyholders in complex, multi-party litigations. This includes matters involving the scope and extent of an insurer’s duty to defend, as well as allegations of bad faith coverage and settlement positions under Chapter 176D.

Ken serves on the Massachusetts Bar Association’s Complex Commercial Litigation Section Council, including as chairman for 2023-2024. He is also a co-author of BLS Bench Notes, a guide for practicing before the Massachusetts Superior Court’s Business Litigation Session.

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Ryan is a versatile commercial litigation attorney with concentrations in construction, technology, energy, and real estate litigation.

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Alyssa represents individuals in domestic relations matters and handles their cases in probate and family courts.

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Alyssa specializes in family law litigation. She represents and guides individuals in domestic relations matters and handles cases in probate and family courts. Alyssa handles complex divorces, modification and contempt actions, custody disputes, prenuptial agreements, paternity actions, restraining orders, and adoptions.

Prior to joining Conn Kavanaugh, Alyssa was an associate at another Boston law firm where she began her family law practice. She attended Suffolk University Law School’s evening program and graduated cum laude, receiving her J.D. Prior to law school, she graduated magna cum laude from Roger Williams University in Rhode Island where she received a B.S. in legal studies and psychology, with a minor in international studies.

When not at work, Alyssa enjoys spending time with family, friends, and her fiancé and their two dogs.

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Sydney’s practice is concentrated on business law for closely held and family-owned companies.

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Sydney is a member of the firm’s Corporate/Transactional group. She handles all aspects of business law, including entity formation, corporate governance, corporate restructurings, mergers and acquisitions. Her day-to-day work also includes general contract review, drafting, and negotiation as well as commercial real estate matters.

Whether they are current or prospective clients, Sydney is eager to help entrepreneurs achieve their goals. These might include forming a single member limited liability company for a client pursuing their first venture, assisting with the transfer of a long-standing family-run company to the next generation, or negotiating the sale of a multi-million dollar business. She works with—and acts as outside general counsel for—closely held businesses engaged in an array of industries, including printing companies, insurance companies, architecture firms, consulting firms, restaurants, retail stores, real estate developers, energy conglomerates, professional services firms, and automotive shops.

Before joining the firm, Sydney worked in the corporate department of a business law firm on the North Shore. She received her Juris Doctor from New England Law | Boston, magna cum laude. While in law school, she took part in the Honors Judicial Internship Program at the Massachusetts Appeals Court, interned for a criminal defense attorney, and worked for the Middlesex County Superior Court Clerk’s Office.

When Sydney isn’t working, she loves to unwind by cooking and exploring the beautiful, historic city of Boston on foot.

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Brendan has experience in all phases of litigation from conducting and defending depositions, drafting and arguing motions, preparing for trial and negotiating settlements.

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Brendan is a member of the firm’s litigation department. His practice focuses on commercial disputes, product and premises liability, and employment matters. Brendan has represented individuals, family-run businesses, and large companies in a variety of industries, including automotive, manufacturing, chemicals, pharmaceutical, telecommunications and retail. He regularly practices in Massachusetts and Connecticut state and federal courts.

Brendan has experience in all phases of litigation from conducting and defending depositions, drafting and arguing motions, preparing for trial and negotiating settlements. He also has experience serving on multiple National Coordinating Counsel teams managing mass tort litigation for companies in jurisdictions across the country. In addition to his litigation practice, Brendan has experience advising clients – individuals and employers – on workplace policies and handbooks, severance agreements, non-compete and non-disclosure agreements, and independent contractor service agreements.

Brendan began his legal career as a prosecutor in the Essex District Attorney’s Office, where he supervised the drug court and successfully tried numerous jury trials. He graduated from Wake Forest University and the University of Connecticut School of Law, with honors. While in law school, he served as an editor on the Connecticut Journal of International Law and as Litigation Director of the Moot Court Board.

Brendan lives in Andover, MA with his wife and two children.

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