Smith Kane’s Payal Salsburg Speaks at AALAM Webinar on the Massachusetts Judicial Nominating Process

Partner Payal Salsburg served as a panelist for the webinar, “From AAPI Attorney to Judge: Becoming a Judge in Massachusetts,” on May 26th. Hosted by the Asian American Lawyers Association of Massachusetts (AALAM), the webinar provided an overview of the Massachusetts Judicial Nominating Commission (JNC) and the judicial application process.

The program featured former and current members of the JNC, along with AAPI judges who have successfully navigated the nomination process. The discussion provided attendees with valuable insight into how the JNC operates and offered practical guidance on pursuing a judicial appointment in the Commonwealth.

A current JNC Commissioner, Salsburg was joined by a distinguished panel that included the Hon. Gloria Tan of the Massachusetts Appeals Court (formerly of the Massachusetts Juvenile Court), the Hon. Catherine Ham of the Massachusetts Superior Court, and Peggy Ho, former JNC Commissioner. The program was moderated by AALAM board member and Judicial Pipeline Committee member Mian Wang of Greenberg Traurig, LLP.

Salsburg is a member of Smith Kane’s management team. As a business and litigation attorney, she focuses her practice in the areas of business litigation, corporate advice and counsel, and white-collar criminal defense. She represents corporations, small businesses, and individuals in contract and business disputes, False Claims Act matters, State Ethics Commission inquiries, and government and internal investigations. Salsburg also advises closely held businesses on corporate and employment matters. Prior to joining Smith Kane, Salsburg was a litigator at a large international law firm, in its Florida and Boston offices. She is a sought-after speaker on many topics, including business litigation, ethics, and lawyer well-being. Salsburg is recognized for her deep commitment to volunteerism in the community. Her pro bono experience includes several successful CORI-sealing petitions, petitions for asylum, an appeal from an inmate on Florida’s death row, litigation and appeal to assist a not-for-profit foundation, and invoking Hague Convention protection to return a child wrongfully removed to the United States by a parent. She was also a bar advocate for criminal matters at the district court level.

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 Payal Salsburg Presented on the BBA Webinar, “Civil Motions 101: A Practical Guide for New Litigators”

Smith Kane, LLP announces that Partner Payal Salsburg presented on the Boston Bar Association’s (BBA) webinar, “Civil Motions 101: A Practical Guide for New Litigators,” May 15.

Hosted by the BBA’s Business & Commercial Litigation Section, the webinar provided early-career attorneys with a clear, practical introduction to common civil motions and their role in litigation. Geared toward lawyers handling motions practice for the first time, it covered key types of motions, governing standards, and essential procedural rules. Salsburg and fellow speakers provided guidance on how to craft effective written submissions, develop persuasive arguments, and navigate motion hearings with confidence.

Salsburg is a member of Smith Kane’s management team. As a business and litigation attorney, she focuses her practice in the areas of business litigation, corporate advice and counsel, and white-collar criminal defense. She represents corporations, small businesses, and individuals in contract and business disputes, False Claims Act matters, State Ethics Commission inquiries, and government and internal investigations. Salsburg also advises closely held businesses on corporate and employment matters. Prior to joining Smith Kane, Salsburg was a litigator at a large international law firm, in its Florida and Boston offices. She is a sought-after speaker on many topics, including business litigation, ethics, and lawyer well-being. Salsburg is recognized for her deep commitment to volunteerism in the community. Her pro bono experience includes several successful CORI-sealing petitions, petitions for asylum, an appeal from an inmate on Florida’s death row, litigation and appeal to assist a not-for-profit foundation, and invoking Hague Convention protection to return a child wrongfully removed to the United States by a parent. She was also a bar advocate for criminal matters at the district court level.

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 Payal Salsburg Speaks at the BBA’s “Game Changers: Celebrating Living Legacies of Women in the Law” Event

Smith Kane, LLP announces that Partner Payal Salsburg presented at the Boston Bar Association’s (BBA) annual “Game Changers: Celebrating Living Legacies of Women in the Law” event, May 14. The program featured a distinguished panel of trailblazing women who have broken barriers across the legal profession, offering insights on leadership, career progression, and the evolving role of women in law. Salsburg joined fellow panelists, representing diverse generations and sectors of the legal industry, to discuss the profession’s evolution, as well as their personal experiences with career advancement, mentorship, and work-life integration.

Salsburg is a member of Smith Kane’s management team. As a business and litigation attorney, she focuses her practice in the areas of business litigation, corporate advice and counsel, and white-collar criminal defense. She represents corporations, small businesses, and individuals in contract and business disputes, False Claims Act matters, State Ethics Commission inquiries, and government and internal investigations. Salsburg also advises closely held businesses on corporate and employment matters. Prior to joining Smith Kane, Salsburg was a litigator at a large international law firm, in its Florida and Boston offices. She is a sought-after speaker on many topics, including business litigation, ethics, and lawyer well-being. Salsburg is recognized for her deep commitment to volunteerism in the community. Her pro bono experience includes several successful CORI-sealing petitions, petitions for asylum, an appeal from an inmate on Florida’s death row, litigation and appeal to assist a not-for-profit foundation, and invoking Hague Convention protection to return a child wrongfully removed to the United States by a parent. She was also a bar advocate for criminal matters at the district court level.

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 Payal Salsburg Moderates BBA Webinar, “From Practice to Politics: Candid Stories from Women Who’ve Done It”

Smith Kane, LLP announces that Partner Payal Salsburg served as a moderator on the Boston Bar Association’s (BBA) webinar, “From Practice to Politics: Candid Stories from Women Who’ve Done It,” January 27.

The panel hosted candid conversations with women of color who began their careers as attorneys, entered the political arena, and then returned to legal practice. Panelists shared their personal journeys, what motivated them to pursue public office or political roles, the challenges and opportunities they encountered, and how legal training prepared them for leadership beyond the courtroom. Led by Salsburg, the discussion also explored concrete ways attorneys can support and uplift colleagues who pursue political ambitions, such as running for office, serving in government, or engaging in advocacy.

Salsburg is a member of Smith Kane’s management team. As a business and litigation attorney, she focuses her practice in the areas of business litigation, corporate advice and counsel, and white-collar criminal defense. She represents corporations, small businesses, and individuals in contract and business disputes, False Claims Act matters, State Ethics Commission inquiries, and government and internal investigations. Salsburg also advises closely held businesses on corporate and employment matters. Prior to joining Smith Kane, Salsburg was a litigator at a large international law firm, in its Florida and Boston offices. She is a sought-after speaker on many topics, including business litigation, ethics, and lawyer well-being. Salsburg is recognized for her deep commitment to volunteerism in the community. Her pro bono experience includes several successful CORI-sealing petitions, petitions for asylum, an appeal from an inmate on Florida’s death row, litigation and appeal to assist a not-for-profit foundation, and invoking Hague Convention protection to return a child wrongfully removed to the United States by a parent. She was also a bar advocate for criminal matters at the district court level.

About Smith Kane, LLP

For nearly 30 years, Smith Kane, LLP 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.

Payal Salsburg Moderated MCLE 11th Annual Appellate Practice Conference Panel of Judges

Payal Salsburg co-chaired the 11th annual MCLE Appellate Practice Conference in December.

A premier yearly event for appellate practitioners, the conference featured a full-day, concentrated focus on the appellate process. This year, the conference covered exciting changes happening in appellate practice, including developments in criminal law and civil law, new judges, new clerk of court, and more. Each topic was timely and geared toward helping attorneys become better appellate litigators.

As part of the programming, Payal moderated a panel of the newest judges of the Massachusetts Appeals Court, including Assoc. Justice Jennifer Allen, Assoc. Justice Gloria Tan, and Assoc. Justice Chauncey Wood. The justices provided feedback on good appellate briefs and oral arguments, as well as their experiences as the newest justices on the Massachusetts Appeals Court.

Laredo, Smith & Kane’s Darshana Indira Presents on BBA Webinar, “MA Pay Transparency Law – Policies & Practice”

Laredo, Smith & Kane announces that Senior Counsel Darshana Indira served as a panelist on the Boston Bar Association’s (BBA) webinar, MA Pay Transparency Law – Policies & Practice, on May 21. Indira and fellow panelists provided an overview of the Massachusetts Pay Transparency Statute’s salary-range disclosure rules, new wage-data reporting duties, and the enforcement and claim risks for employers. Additionally, they discussed practical tips to stay ahead of the curve.

As an accomplished employment and business lawyer, Indira advises company owners, organizational leaders, and C-suite executives across a broad spectrum of employment and commercial litigation matters. With a deep understanding of various industries, including pharmaceuticals, biotech, healthcare, and retail, her expertise spans both transactional and litigation work. Indira provides strategic counsel to businesses on the complexities of employer-employee relationships. She assists management and senior executives in navigating executive compensation, employment agreements, non-compete clauses, and severance negotiations.

In addition to her employment law expertise, Indira is a trusted advisor in business law. She works with startups and emerging companies in Massachusetts and other states, helping them form their entities, draft foundational documents, and establish employment agreements. As these businesses grow, she remains a key legal resource, assisting with any potential litigation or disputes they may face. Indira was named a 2025 Excellence in the Law: Up & Coming Lawyer by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly. An active BBA member and leader, Indira currently serves on the 2025 Employment Law Conference Steering Committee.

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, employment law, and school disciplinary and Title IX matters.

Laredo, Smith & Kane’s Payal Salsburg Presents on BBA Webinar, “Fostering Wellness and Connections in the Workplace”

Laredo, Smith & Kane announces that Partner Payal Salsburg will serve as a panelist on the Boston Bar Association’s (BBA) webinar, “Fostering Wellness and Connections in the Workplace,” May 6, 2025.

This panel will explore how individuals and organizations across the legal field are fostering healthier, more connected workplaces that support both personal resilience and professional success. Salsburg and fellow panelists, which include public interest lawyers and a junior associate at a big law firm, will share how they navigate workplace expectations, set boundaries, and champion wellness from different roles within the profession.

Salsburg is a member of the Laredo, Smith & Kane’s management team. As a business and litigation attorney, she focuses her practice in the areas of business litigation, corporate advice and counsel, and white-collar criminal defense. She represents corporations, small businesses, and individuals in contract and business disputes, False Claims Act matters, State Ethics Commission inquiries, and government and internal investigations. Salsburg also advises closely held businesses on corporate and employment matters. Prior to joining Laredo & Smith, Salsburg was a litigator at a large international law firm, in its Florida and Boston offices. She is a sought-after speaker on many topics, including business litigation, ethics, and lawyer well-being. Salsburg is recognized for her deep commitment to volunteerism in the community. Her pro bono experience includes several successful CORI-sealing petitions, petitions for asylum, an appeal from an inmate on Florida’s death row, litigation and appeal to assist a not-for-profit foundation, and invoking Hague Convention protection to return a child wrongfully removed to the United States by a parent. She was also a bar advocate for criminal matters at the district court level.

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, employment law, and school disciplinary and Title IX matters.

Laredo, Smith & Kane’s Darshana Indira Serves on BBA’s 2025 Steering Committee for Law Day Live at Fenway Park

Laredo, Smith & Kane announces that Senior Associate Darshana Indira is serving on the Boston Bar Association’s (BBA) 2025 Steering Committee for Law Day Live at Fenway Park.

Scheduled for June 11, this year’s Law Day Live is the must-attend event of the summer for Boston’s legal community, bringing together both rising stars and seasoned professionals for a one-of-a-kind evening. Designed to celebrate connection, community, and the next generation of legal talent, Law Day Live will unite summer associates, mentors, young lawyers, and firm leaders for an evening of networking and fun at America’s most beloved ballpark. All tickets include food, beverages, entertainment, and the chance to enjoy a Red Sox game from the 521 Overlook event space in centerfield.

Indira is an active BBA member and leader. She is a member of the Labor and Employment Section and Public Interest Leadership Program, and is a Steering Committee member for the Labor & Employment Section and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Section. She also serves as Co-Chair of the BBA’s Lawyer Wellbeing Committee.

As an accomplished employment and business lawyer, Indira advises company owners, organizational leaders, and C-suite executives across a broad spectrum of employment and commercial litigation matters. With a deep understanding of various industries, including pharmaceuticals, biotech, healthcare, and retail, her expertise spans both transactional and litigation work. Indira provides strategic counsel to businesses on the complexities of employer-employee relationships. She assists management and senior executives in navigating executive compensation, employment agreements, non-compete clauses, and severance negotiations.

In addition to her employment law expertise, Indira is a trusted advisor in business law. She works with startups and emerging companies in Massachusetts and other states, helping them form their entities, draft foundational documents, and establish employment agreements. As these businesses grow, she remains a key legal resource, assisting with any potential litigation or disputes they may face. Indira was named a 2025 Excellence in the Law: Up & Coming Lawyer by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly.

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, employment law, and school disciplinary and Title IX matters.