Boston Archdiocese Replaces Firm with In-House Counsel
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston is changing the face of its legal representation, axing its longtime but controversial law firm and replacing it with an in-house counsel.
Critics have long called for the archdiocese to replace its law firm, which for years defended the archdiocese against individuals who claimed they were abused by priests, the Boston Globe reports.
Cardinal Sean P. O’Malley announced Thursday that Goodwin Procter partner F. Beirne Lovely Jr. will replace the Rogers Law Firm, led by Wilson D. Rogers.
The new in-house counsel will handle a wide variety of legal matters, including personnel and real estate issues, along with church closings and sexual abuse cases.
The Rogers Law Firm won’t be completely out of the picture. It will still represent the archdiocesan hospital network. According to the Globe, the archdiocese reported paying the firm $610,000 last fiscal year and $448,054 in 2005. The hospital network reported paying the firm $6.9 million over the past eight years.
