Five Smith Kane Attorneys Recognized in the 2026 Edition of Massachusetts Super Lawyers

Smith Kane, LLP announces that five of its attorneys have been recognized in the 2026 edition of Massachusetts Super Lawyers, with four included on the Super Lawyers list and one on the Rising Stars list. With these rankings, nearly all of the attorneys at the firm were recognized this year.

The following Smith Kane attorneys were included on the Massachusetts Super Lawyers list:

Partner Darshana Indira was recognized as a Massachusetts Rising Star in Employment & Labor.

In addition, Smith Kane is one of only a few Boston law firms of similar size to have two partners – Kane and Salsburg – named to the Super Lawyers Top 100 list. Salsburg was also included on the Top 5 Business Litigation list in Massachusetts and the Top 50 Women list, recognizing Massachusetts’ top 50 women attorneys.

Super Lawyers is a research-driven, peer-influenced rating service of lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The mission of Super Lawyers is to bring visibility to those attorneys who exhibit excellence in practice.

About Smith Kane, LLP

Celebrating 30 years, Smith Kane, LLP has built a reputation for helping clients grow their businesses, manage risk, and resolve complex legal matters. Founded in 1996, the firm offers big-firm expertise paired with the strategic, responsive, and client-focused approach of a boutique practice. Smith Kane represents clients in business law and litigation, white collar criminal defense, government investigations, and employment law matters from its Boston office.

Smith Kane’s Darshana Indira Co-Chairs WBA’s Pioneering Women of Color Celebration

Smith Kane, LLP announces that Darshana Indira co-chaired the Women’s Bar Association’s (WBA) “Pioneering Women of Color Celebration,” on May 20. The event honored Clerk Allison Cartwright, Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court for Suffolk County, and the late Renee Inomata, Casner & Edwards LLP, in recognition of their inspiring dedication to advancing equity in the legal profession and society. Indira, who co-chairs the WBA’s Women of Color Committee, helped select the awardees and co-hosted the evening with fellow committee co-chairs.

Indira is an accomplished employment and business lawyer who advises company owners, organizational leaders, and C-suite executives across a wide range of employment and commercial litigation matters. Her practice spans both transactional counseling and complex disputes, with particular experience in industries including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, healthcare, and retail.

Indira provides strategic counsel to businesses navigating the complexities of employer-employee relationships. She regularly advises management and senior executives on executive compensation matters, employment agreements, restrictive covenants, and severance negotiations.

In addition to her employment law practice, Indira is a trusted advisor to startups and emerging companies in Massachusetts and across the country. She works closely with founders and leadership teams to form entities, draft foundational corporate documents, and establish employment frameworks that support long-term growth. As those businesses evolve, she continues to serve as a key legal resource, advising on disputes and litigation when they arise.

Indira is an active leader in the legal community. She is co-chair of the BBA’s Labor & Employment Section, a member of the Women’s Bar Association’s Board of Directors and co-chair of its Women of Color Committee. She also serves as vice chair of the Massachusetts Bar Association’s Business Law Section Council. In 2025, Indira was named an Excellence in the Law: Up & Coming Lawyer by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly.

About the Women’s Bar Association of Massachusetts

Founded in 1978 by a group of activist women lawyers, the Women’s Bar Association boasts a large membership of women lawyers, judges, policy makers, and law students across Massachusetts. The WBA is committed to the full and equal participation of women in the legal profession and in a just society. The WBA works to achieve this mission through committees and events and by developing and promoting a legislative agenda to address society’s most critical social and legal issues. Other WBA activities include networking and professional development, drafting amicus briefs, studying employment issues affecting women, encouraging women to enter the judiciary, recognizing the achievement of women in the law, and providing pro bono services to women in need through its sister organization, the Women’s Bar Foundation. For more information, visit www.womensbar.org.

About Smith Kane, LLP

Celebrating 30 years, Smith Kane, LLP has built a reputation for helping clients grow their businesses, manage risk, and resolve complex legal matters. Founded in 1996, the firm offers big-firm expertise paired with the strategic, responsive, and client-focused approach of a boutique practice. Smith Kane represents clients in business law and litigation, white collar criminal defense, government investigations, and employment law matters from its Boston office.

Smith Kane’s Darshana Indira Presents on MCLE’s “Checklist for Involuntary Employee Separations” Webinar

Smith Kane, LLP announces that Partner Darshana Indira served as a faculty member for the Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education’s (MCLE) webinar, “Checklist for Involuntary Employee Separations,” held May 12.

The program provided a comprehensive overview of best practices for minimizing legal risk and safeguarding rights during the employee separation process. Indira and fellow panelists addressed the complex legal landscape surrounding involuntary separations, including obligations under employment agreements, considerations regarding layoffs and reductions in force, performance management processes leading to separation, strategies regarding separation agreements, as well as potential claims arising under state and federal law and common law.

The discussion highlighted common legal pitfalls employers face, such as discrimination and retaliation claims, whistleblower protections, statutory violations, and potential claims under FMLA and PFML. Panelists also examined procedural risks, including compliance with wage payment laws at termination and the proper handling of post-employment restrictive covenants.

In addition to employer considerations, the webinar explored the employee perspective, emphasizing how the separation process can be overwhelming and unclear—particularly regarding the legal rights employees may have or be able to assert.

Indira is an accomplished employment and business lawyer who advises company owners, organizational leaders, and C-suite executives across a wide range of employment and commercial litigation matters. Her practice spans both transactional counseling and complex disputes, with particular experience in industries including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, healthcare, and retail.

Indira provides strategic counsel to businesses navigating the complexities of employer-employee relationships. She regularly advises management and senior executives on executive compensation matters, employment agreements, restrictive covenants, and severance negotiations.

In addition to her employment law practice, Indira is a trusted advisor to startups and emerging companies in Massachusetts and across the country. She works closely with founders and leadership teams to form entities, draft foundational corporate documents, and establish employment frameworks that support long-term growth. As those businesses evolve, she continues to serve as a key legal resource, advising on disputes and litigation when they arise.

Indira is an active leader in the legal community. She is co-chair of the BBA’s Labor & Employment Section, a member of the Women’s Bar Association’s Board of Directors and co-chair of its Women of Color Committee. She also serves as vice chair of the Massachusetts Bar Association’s Business Law Section Council. In 2025, Indira was named an Excellence in the Law: Up & Coming Lawyer by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly.

About Smith Kane, LLP

Celebrating 30 years, Smith Kane, LLP has built a reputation for helping clients grow their businesses, manage risk, and resolve complex legal matters. Founded in 1996, the firm offers big-firm expertise paired with the strategic, responsive, and client-focused approach of a boutique practice. Smith Kane represents clients in business law and litigation, white collar criminal defense, government investigations, and employment law matters from its Boston office.

Darshana Indira and Trisha Gautam Publish Law360 Article Covering Massachusetts Whistleblower Protections

Darshana Indira and Trisha Gautam recently published an article in Law360 analyzing the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court’s recent decision in Galvin v. Roxbury Community College and its implications for employers under the Massachusetts Whistleblower Act.

In the article, titled “What Mass. Ruling Clarifies About Whistleblower Protections,” Indira and Gautam examine the court’s decision, addressing whether employees whose job duties include monitoring and ensuring compliance can claim whistleblower protection when the alleged violation falls within their own responsibilities.

The court answered the question decisively: an employee does not lose whistleblower protection simply because identifying or reporting the violation was part of the employee’s role.

This case involved Thomas Galvin, who served as the director of facilities and public safety at Roxbury Community College and was responsible for campus security and compliance with the Clery Act. After learning of unreported sexual assault allegations that should have been included in the college’s federal disclosures, Galvin raised concerns internally and with the Massachusetts State Auditor’s Office. His employment was subsequently terminated, and a jury found that his whistleblowing was the determinative cause of his termination.

Indira and Gautam explain that the court’s reasoning reinforces the broad scope of the Whistleblower Act. The statute contains no limitation excluding employees who are involved in or responsible for the conduct at issue, and the court recognized that compliance officers and similar roles are often the individuals most likely to identify regulatory failures. Excluding them from protection would undermine the statute’s purpose of encouraging the reporting of violations that might otherwise remain concealed.

At the same time, the article notes an equally important distinction drawn by the court: establishing that an employee engaged in protected activity does not resolve whether the employee was unlawfully terminated. Employers retain the ability to address performance issues and misconduct, including failures related to compliance. The critical question is whether the adverse action was taken because of the employee’s protected activity—a fact-intensive determination properly left to the jury.

The article offers practical takeaways for employers, including how important it is to maintain thorough documentation of performance evaluations and disciplinary decisions, ensuring that employees have accessible internal channels for raising concerns, and applying disciplinary policies consistently. There is a particular emphasis that employers who invest in strong compliance programs and approach disciplinary decisions with care will be better positioned to navigate scrutiny when compliance failures come to light through internal reporting.

The full article is available to subscribers at Law360.

Smith Kane’s Darshana Indira Presents at the MBA’s 47th Annual Labor & Employment Spring Conference

Smith Kane, LLP announces that Partner Darshana Indira presented at the Massachusetts Bar Association’s (MBA) 47th annual Labor & Employment Spring Conference, April 30 at Suffolk University Law School. Indira spoke on the “Employment Law Update Panel,” which brings together practitioners to discuss pressing legal issues including recent case law, new regulations and other employment law-related developments.

Indira is an accomplished employment and business lawyer who advises company owners, organizational leaders, and C-suite executives across a wide range of employment and commercial litigation matters. Her practice spans both transactional counseling and complex disputes, with particular experience in industries including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, healthcare, and retail.

Indira provides strategic counsel to businesses navigating the complexities of employer-employee relationships. She regularly advises management and senior executives on executive compensation matters, employment agreements, restrictive covenants, and severance negotiations.

In addition to her employment law practice, Indira is a trusted advisor to startups and emerging companies in Massachusetts and across the country. She works closely with founders and leadership teams to form entities, draft foundational corporate documents, and establish employment frameworks that support long-term growth. As those businesses evolve, she continues to serve as a key legal resource, advising on disputes and litigation when they arise.

Indira is an active leader in the legal community. She is co-chair of the BBA’s Labor & Employment Section, a member of the Women’s Bar Association’s Board of Directors and co-chair of its Women of Color Committee. She also serves as vice chair of the Massachusetts Bar Association’s Business Law Section Council. In 2025, Indira was named an Excellence in the Law: Up & Coming Lawyer by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly.

About Smith Kane, LLP

Celebrating 30 years, Smith Kane, LLP has built a reputation for helping clients grow their businesses, manage risk, and resolve complex legal matters. Founded in 1996, the firm offers big-firm expertise paired with the strategic, responsive, and client-focused approach of a boutique practice. Smith Kane represents clients in business law and litigation, white collar criminal defense, government investigations, and employment law matters from its Boston office.

Smith Kane Elevates Senior Counsel Darshana Indira to Partner

Smith Kane, LLP announces that Darshana Indira has been elevated to partner, effective April 1, 2026.

Indira is an accomplished employment and business lawyer who advises company owners, organizational leaders, and C-suite executives across a wide range of employment and commercial litigation matters. Her practice spans both transactional counseling and complex disputes, with particular experience in industries including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, healthcare, and retail.

“Darshana has become an invaluable advisor to our clients and a trusted colleague within the firm,” said Matthew A. Kane, Managing Partner of Smith Kane. “Her thoughtful approach to complex employment and business issues, combined with her litigation experience and practical business judgment, makes her a natural fit for partnership. As we celebrate our 30th anniversary and continue to grow following our recent rebrand, Darshana’s leadership will play an important role in the firm’s future.”

Indira provides strategic counsel to businesses navigating the complexities of employer-employee relationships. She regularly advises management and senior executives on executive compensation matters, employment agreements, restrictive covenants, and severance negotiations.

In addition to her employment law practice, Indira is a trusted advisor to startups and emerging companies in Massachusetts and across the country. She works closely with founders and leadership teams to form entities, draft foundational corporate documents, and establish employment frameworks that support long-term growth. As those businesses evolve, she continues to serve as a key legal resource, advising on disputes and litigation when they arise.

Indira is an active leader in the legal community. She is co-chair of the BBA’s Labor & Employment Section, a member of the Women’s Bar Association’s Board of Directors and co-chair of its Women of Color Committee. She also serves as vice chair of the Massachusetts Bar Association’s Business Law Section Council. In 2025, Indira was named an Excellence in the Law: Up & Coming Lawyer by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly.

About Smith Kane, LLP

Celebrating 30 years, Smith Kane, LLP has built a reputation for helping clients grow their businesses, manage risk, and resolve complex legal matters. Founded in 1996, the firm offers big-firm expertise paired with the strategic, responsive, and client-focused approach of a boutique practice. Smith Kane represents clients in business law and litigation, white collar criminal defense, government investigations, and employment law matters from its Boston office.

Smith Kane’s Darshana Indira Moderates BBA Panel, “Preparation with Purpose: Managing Deponents in Employment Matters”

Smith Kane, LLP announces that Darshana Indira moderated the Boston Bar Association (BBA) panel, “Preparation with Purpose: Managing Deponents in Employment Matters,” March 12 at noon.

This program focused on how employment litigators prepare deponents for deposition, with an emphasis on judgment, strategy, and risk management. Attendees heard from both employee-side and management-side attorneys about how they approach deposition preparation and gained practical strategies for structuring prep sessions, addressing credibility issues, and avoiding common mistakes in employment matters.

Indira is an accomplished employment and business lawyer who advises company owners, organizational leaders, and C-suite executives across a wide range of employment and commercial litigation matters. Her practice spans both transactional counseling and complex disputes, with particular experience in industries including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, healthcare, and retail.

Indira provides strategic counsel to businesses navigating the complexities of employer-employee relationships. She regularly advises management and senior executives on executive compensation matters, employment agreements, restrictive covenants, and severance negotiations.

In addition to her employment law practice, Indira is a trusted advisor to startups and emerging companies in Massachusetts and across the country. She works closely with founders and leadership teams to form entities, draft foundational corporate documents, and establish employment frameworks that support long-term growth. As those businesses evolve, she continues to serve as a key legal resource, advising on disputes and litigation when they arise.

Indira is an active leader in the legal community. She is co-chair of the BBA’s Labor & Employment Section, a member of the Women’s Bar Association’s Board of Directors and co-chair of its Women of Color Committee. She also serves as vice chair of the Massachusetts Bar Association’s Business Law Section Council. In 2025, Indira was named an Excellence in the Law: Up & Coming Lawyer by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly.

About Smith Kane, LLP

Celebrating 30 years, Smith Kane, LLP has built a reputation for helping clients grow their businesses, manage risk, and resolve complex legal matters. Founded in 1996, the firm offers big-firm expertise paired with the strategic, responsive, and client-focused approach of a boutique practice. Smith Kane represents clients in business law and litigation, white collar criminal defense, government investigations, and employment law matters from its Boston office.

Smith Kane’s Darshana Indira Elected to the Women’s Bar Association of Massachusetts’ Board of Directors

Smith Kane, LLP announces that Darshana Indira was elected a 2026-27 member of the Women’s Bar Association (WBA) of Massachusetts’ Board of Directors. Indira joins an impressive team of women lawyers in an At-Large Director position. In this leadership role, Indira will help drive the WBA’s mission to bring together the women lawyers in the Commonwealth so that they may build important personal and professional relationships.

Indira is an accomplished employment and business lawyer who advises company owners, organizational leaders, and C-suite executives across a wide range of employment and commercial litigation matters. Her practice spans both transactional counseling and complex disputes, with particular experience in industries including pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, healthcare, and retail.

She provides strategic counsel to businesses navigating the complexities of employer-employee relationships. She regularly advises management and senior executives on executive compensation matters, employment agreements, restrictive covenants, and severance negotiations.

In addition to her employment law practice, Indira is a trusted advisor to startups and emerging companies in Massachusetts and across the country. She works closely with founders and leadership teams to form entities, draft foundational corporate documents, and establish employment frameworks that support long-term growth. As those businesses evolve, she continues to serve as a key legal resource, advising on disputes and litigation when they arise.

Indira is an active leader in the legal community. In addition to her position as a WBA board director, she is co-chair of the WBA’s Women of Color Committee. She also serves as co-chair of the Boston Bar Association’s Labor & Employment Section, and as vice chair of the Massachusetts Bar Association’s Business Law Section Council. In 2025, Indira was named an Excellence in the Law: Up & Coming Lawyer by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly.

The WBA of Massachusetts promotes, enhances, and achieves the full and equal participation of women in the legal profession and in a just society. The WBA encourages professional interaction and exchange of ideas among its members through programs such as meetings, forums, monthly calendars, special publications, and programs. The WBA’s membership represents women across a full range of practice areas from law firms, as solo practitioners and also in-house counsel positions across the state. The WBA proudly provides excellent leadership opportunities, a networking forum for business development, continuing education at all levels and more.

About Smith Kane, LLP

Celebrating 30 years, Smith Kane, LLP has built a reputation for helping clients grow their businesses, manage risk, and resolve complex legal matters. Founded in 1996, the firm offers big-firm expertise paired with the strategic, responsive, and client-focused approach of a boutique practice. Smith Kane represents clients in business law and litigation, white collar criminal defense, government investigations, and employment law matters from its Boston office.

What happens when HR execs violate their own policies?

Darshana Indira authored an article, “What Happens When HR Execs Violate Their Own Policies,” for HR Executive. In the article, Darshana discusses how recent headlines involving HR executives and workplace misconduct highlight a critical issue for employers: the heightened legal exposure and credibility concerns that arise when compliance leaders violate the policies they enforce. The article examines why consistent enforcement matters, how to conduct impartial investigations when leadership is involved, and the reputational consequences of failing to hold HR leaders accountable.

Five Laredo, Smith & Kane Attorneys Recognized by Boston Magazine as 2025 “Top Lawyers”

Laredo, Smith & Kane announces that five of its attorneys were selected by Boston Magazine for inclusion on the 2025 Top Lawyers list. The exclusive list honors the best attorneys in the region, from corporate to family law.

The five Laredo, Smith & Kane attorneys named to the list include:

Boston Magazine’s annual Top Lawyers list is compiled through peer nominations. Attorneys are invited to nominate up to three of their peers in a select number of law specialties. Top vote-getters in each specialty are reviewed by an advisory board of select lawyers, chosen for their credentials and the high number of votes they received.

About Laredo, Smith & Kane, LLP

For nearly 30 years, Laredo, Smith & Kane has helped clients grow their businesses and resolve legal matters–offering clients big-firm expertise with the client-centered strategy that only a small firm can provide.  The firm’s attorneys successfully combine a strategic approach to running a business with thoughtful, thorough, and protective legal representation. The firm represents clients in matters related to business law and litigation, white collar criminal defense, government investigations, and employment law.