Three attorneys also named to the 2023 Massachusetts Rising Stars list
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. –Shatz, Schwartz and Fentin, P.C., a regional law firm serving clients throughout western New England and New York, as well as nationally and internationally, today announced that eight of its attorneys were named to the 2023 Massachusetts Super Lawyers® list. Three attorneys were also chosen as 2023 Massachusetts Rising Stars and one was chosen as a Top 50: 2023 Women Massachusetts Super Lawyer.
Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. A Thomson Reuters business, Super Lawyers selects attorneys using a patented, multiphase process that includes peer nominations and evaluations as well as independent research.
Shareholder Carol Cioe Klyman concentrates her practice in the areas of elder law; estate planning and estate administration; special needs planning, including special needs trusts; trusts and estates litigation; and guardianships. A resident of Westhampton, she’s been recognized in the field of elder law for 19 years and was also chosen as a Top 50: 2023 Women Massachusetts Super Lawyer.
Shareholder Michele J. Feinstein was recognized for the 17th time in the fields of estate planning and probate. A resident of Longmeadow, she concentrates her practice in the areas of estate administration, elder law, health law and corporate and business planning, including all aspects of planning for the succession of business interests, representation of closely held businesses and their owners and representation of physicians in their individual and group practices.
Shareholder Gary S. Fentin was selected for the 18th year in the field of government finance. His practice focuses on the areas of commercial and real estate finance and development, industrial revenue bonds, affordable housing, business law and business foreclosures and workouts. A resident of Conway, he manages the firm’s tax-exempt bond practice and has acted as bond counsel and/or purchaser’s counsel in hundreds of such issues since 1978. The Massachusetts Development Finance Agency has approved Attorney Fentin as the only bond counsel with offices west of Worcester.
Managing Partner Timothy P. Mulhern concentrates his practice in the areas of family business planning, taxation, corporate law, commercial real estate and estate planning. He maintains licenses to practice in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the State of New York. A resident of Longmeadow, Attorney Mulhern was selected by Super Lawyers in the field of tax law for the 16th consecutive year.
Shareholder Steven J. Schwartz was selected for the 18th year in the field of business and corporate law. His practice focus includes family business planning, mergers and acquisitions, corporate law and estate planning. Attorney Schwartz represents principals in family business planning (including exit planning for business owners), and individuals and corporations in the purchase and sale of business enterprises. He also concentrates on strategic planning for the future of clients’ businesses and provides advice about alternatives in financing through venture capital and loans.
Shareholder James B. Sheils concentrates his practice in the areas of commercial finance law, creditors’ rights, banking law and telecommunications siting matters. A resident of Dennis, he was selected by Super Lawyers in the field of banking law for the ninth consecutive year.
Shelley Steuer, Of Counsel, was selected in the field of estate planning and probate for the sixth year. Attorney Steuer has practiced in Northampton since 1990. Prior to that, she served as an attorney advisor for the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, and an assistant regional attorney for the Department of Health and Human Services.
Shareholder Steven Weiss was selected in the field of business bankruptcy for the 17th consecutive year. He concentrates his practice in the areas of commercial and consumer bankruptcy, reorganization and litigation. A resident of Longmeadow, he supervises the firm’s bankruptcy, reorganization and workout practice and represents creditors, debtors and others in both commercial and consumer bankruptcy cases throughout Massachusetts. Attorney Weiss serves as a Chapter 11 Trustee and has been a member of the private panel of Chapter 7 Trustees for the District of Massachusetts for more than 30 years.
Rising Stars
To be eligible for the Rising Stars list, a candidate must be 40 years old or younger, or in practice for 10 years or less. Only 2.5 percent of Massachusetts lawyers are named to the Rising Stars list each year, including the following three attorneys from Shatz, Schwartz and Fentin.
Shareholder Michael A. Fenton was named to the 2023 Massachusetts Rising Stars list for the 10th consecutive year. He was selected in the fields of business and corporate law and focuses his practice in the areas of business planning, commercial real estate, estate planning and elder law. A resident of Springfield, he represents principals in business formation and succession planning, businesses in the purchase and sale of enterprises, developers in the acquisition and permitting of projects and high net worth individuals in establishing comprehensive and sophisticated estate plans. As an attorney with extensive experience in taxes and a master’s degree in business administration, he counsels clients in business planning concerns and has extensive land use experience including zoning, subdivision, project permitting and environmental matters.
Associate Stephen L. Sobey was named to the 2023 Massachusetts Rising Stars list for the third time. He was selected in the field of estate and probate law. A resident of Springfield, he joined the firm in 2017 and concentrates his practice in estate planning and administration and elder law. After graduating with cum laude honors and two concurrent bachelor’s degrees from Fordham University, Attorney Sobey attended Boston College Law School where he received his Juris Doctor in 2016. He is admitted to practice in Massachusetts and Connecticut.
Associate Karolina Weagle was named to the 2023 Massachusetts Rising Stars list for the first time. Attorney Weagle joined the firm in 2022 and concentrates her practice on estate planning. A resident of Westfield, Attorney Weagle graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice and Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Westfield State University in 2015. Soon after, she enrolled at New England Law | Boston, where she graduated cum laude in 2018. While in law school, Attorney Weagle made the dean’s list every semester, was awarded the CALI Excellence for the Future Award in Property II in spring 2016 and earned the New England Scholar Award for 2015-2016.
Super Lawyers Magazine publishes the lists and selected editorial profiles of its chosen attorneys and is distributed to state or regional attorneys and to law school libraries accredited by the American Bar Association. Super Lawyers is also featured in leading city and regional magazines nationwide. For more information about Super Lawyers, visit SuperLawyers.com.