Smith Kane Co-Founder Mark D. Smith Named a Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly 2026 Hall of Fame Honoree

Smith Kane, LLP announces that Partner Mark D. Smith was selected as a Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly 2026 Hall of Fame honoree. The Hall of Fame recognizes top Massachusetts lawyers who have been practicing for 30 or more years and who have made significant contributions to the development of the law and bar while improving the quality of justice in the commonwealth. Smith and fellow inductees will be honored at an annual awards ceremony at the Venezia Restaurant Boston on Sept. 15.

In 2000, Smith co-founded Laredo, Smith & Kane, now Smith Kane, LLP. Over the past 25 years, he has helped establish a firm known for excellence in white-collar criminal defense, government investigations, and complex litigation. Equally important, Smith has devoted significant time to mentoring younger attorneys and fostering a collaborative culture that emphasizes integrity, professionalism, and exceptional advocacy.

In his legal practice, Smith concentrates on the defense of white-collar criminal cases and government investigations. He represents businesses and individuals during all stages of criminal and other government enforcement actions. He also has been retained by national law firms to handle a wide range of Massachusetts-specific litigation and regulation matters as outside counsel on behalf of their clients. Smith is a former President of the Boston Bar Association, and was appointed by the Supreme Judicial Court to the Court Management Advisory Board (CMAB), serving as the Chair in 2020.

Prior to entering private practice, Smith was the Deputy Chief of the Criminal Bureau in the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, where he supervised over 50 prosecutors assigned to the Environmental Crimes Strike Force, Public Integrity Division, Economic Crimes Division, and the High Technology Crimes Unit. Prior to becoming Deputy Chief, Smith also served for five years as Chief of the Public Integrity Division and participated in or supervised the prosecution of more than one hundred public corruption cases. He also acted as a Special Assistant United States Attorney in joint federal and state criminal investigations and prosecutions. Earlier in his career, Smith served as a public defender in New York City and tried several cases in New York State Supreme Court. He also clerked for a trial judge of that same court.

Smith Kane Managing Partner Matthew A. Kane said, “Throughout his 40-year legal career, Mark has sought not only to serve clients effectively, but also to strengthen the institutions that support the rule of law and the legal profession. Whether as a prosecutor, defense attorney, law firm founder, bar leader, or court advisor, he has consistently raised his hand when asked to lead, solve problems, and help advance the administration of justice. We congratulate Mark on this well-deserved honor.”

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 to Receive BBA’s 2026 Voice of Change Award

Smith Kane, LLP announces that Partner Payal Salsburg is the recipient of the Boston Bar Association’s (BBA) 2026 Voice of Change Award.

As part of the BBA’s annual Beacon Awards, the Voice of Change Award recognizes a luminary leader in the legal community who has forged a new path and played an extensive role in advancing diversity and inclusion within the profession. Throughout her distinguished career, Salsburg has exemplified those qualities through her exceptional legal work, steadfast commitment to mentorship, and longstanding dedication to strengthening both the legal profession and the communities it serves. Salsburg will be honored at the BBA’s 16th Annual Beacon Awards Gala on November 5, 2026.

For more than 16 years, the Beacon Awards have recognized groundbreaking leaders who have forged bold paths in diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. In a statement, BBA President-Elect Mark C. Fleming said, “Payal’s career has always combined outstanding professional achievement with a dedication to investing in others. Our profession is so fortunate to benefit from Payal’s mentorship, service, and unwavering commitment to our legal community, all of which have made a lasting impact on the future of our profession. We are proud to recognize her with the Voice of Change Award.”

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.

An active volunteer and mentor, Salsburg serves in leadership positions with the following organizations: Asian American Lawyers Association of Massachusetts, Boston CASA, Boston Bar Association, Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers, South Asian Bar Association of Greater Boston, Supreme

Judicial Court’s Standing Committee on Lawyer Well-Being, Women’s Bar Association of Massachusetts, Women’s Bar Foundation, and Women’s White Collar Defense Association.

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.

Matthew Kane Featured in Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Article on Recent Auto Industry Sales Call Case

Matt Kane was featured in a Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly article about a court case involving a Toyota dealership and unwanted sales calls.

In a recent case, a customer sued a Toyota dealership claiming it kept calling her after she’d asked to be left alone, despite her number being on the national do-not-call list. The dealership argued the case should go to arbitration instead of court, because the customer had agreed to sweeping click-wrap terms, including an arbitration provision, when she submitted her information to a pair of third-party car-shopping websites.

The Court enforced one arbitration agreement, but not the other. One website couldn’t produce evidence of the customer’s consent to its terms. But the other site produced a clear record showing how its web pages would have appeared to the customer, including the click-wrap terms that were a prerequisite to receiving pricing offers. Based on the latter, the Court enforced the arbitration provision.

When asked to respond to the case, Matt’s biggest takeaway came down to the evidence: “the analysis really turns on the facts… the TrueCar clickwrap stuck because they had a screenshot of what the customer would have seen when perusing the web. AutoWeb, however, did not do the same. Once that fact issue was resolved, the law was very clear.”

Ultimately, the lesson for businesses: if customers agree to terms online – whether that’s an arbitration clause, a liability waiver, or anything else – keep a record of exactly what they saw and clicked. Without it, those terms may not hold up later.

Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Names Smith Kane, LLP a 2026 Best Legacy Law Firm for Long-Term Success and Community Impact

Smith Kane, LLP was named a 2026 Best Legacy Law Firm by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, a distinction that recognizes Massachusetts-founded law firms with a proven record of success, longevity, workplace excellence, and community engagement. The recognition comes during a milestone year for Smith Kane as the firm celebrates its 30th anniversary and begins a new chapter following its recent rebrand from Laredo, Smith & Kane LLP. The firm is recognized in the June 29 edition.

The Best Legacy Law Firm award honors organizations that have successfully navigated changing client needs, legal developments, economic conditions, and workplace expectations while maintaining a strong reputation and commitment to excellence. “We are honored to be recognized among Massachusetts’ Best Legacy Law Firms,” said Smith Kane Managing Partner Matthew A. Kane. “For three decades, our success has been built on delivering sophisticated legal counsel with a highly personalized approach. As we celebrate our 30th anniversary and continue our evolution as Smith Kane, we remain focused on helping clients solve complex problems, supporting our people, and making meaningful contributions to the communities we serve.”

Founded in 1996 as Laredo & Smith, the firm was established with a mission to combine the sophistication of a larger law firm with the responsiveness and efficiency of a boutique practice. Today, Smith Kane advises businesses, executives, and individuals in matters involving commercial litigation, employment law, white collar criminal defense, government investigations, and other complex legal issues. A hallmark of the firm’s longevity has been its collaborative workplace culture, which emphasizes mentorship, professional development, and internal advancement. Smith Kane attorneys are active leaders in the legal and nonprofit communities, serving with organizations, such as the Boston Bar Association, Women’s Bar Association, Asian American Lawyers Association of Massachusetts, South Asian Bar Association of Greater Boston, United Way, and Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA).

“Our size has always been one of our greatest strengths,” said Payal Salsburg, partner and a member of the management team. “We are large enough to provide the depth of experience clients need, yet small enough to remain agile, cost-effective, and deeply invested in every client relationship. That balance has enabled us to thrive through changing markets and continue delivering exceptional value.”

The 2026 Best Legacy Law Firms honorees will be recognized by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly as part of its annual In the Leadawards program.

 

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 Contributes Chapter to 2026 Edition of MCLE Massachusetts Employment Law Guide

Boston law firm Smith Kane, LLP announces that Partner Darshana Indira authored a chapter on gender discrimination for the 2026 edition of the Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) Employment Law Guide. A comprehensive resource for navigating the state’s stringent labor and employment statutes, the guide provides step-by-step guidance on state employment laws, case law, and practical tips. It is authored by a comprehensive, rotating panel of leading practitioners from across the state and features contributions from dozens of specialized employment attorneys.

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 Appointed to the South Asian Bar Association of Greater Boston’s Advisory Board

Smith Kane, LLP announces that Partner Payal Salsburg was appointed to the Advisory Board of the South Asian Bar Association of Greater Boston (SABA GB). In this role, she works with other board members to help the organization advance initiatives that promote the mentorship and professional development of South Asian legal professionals.

A longtime SABA GB member and supporter, Salsburg has served in a number of leadership roles, including as President (2021-2022) and Board Director (2019-2020). In 2020, she received the SABA GB Mentor of the Year Award in recognition of her dedication to mentoring law students and early-career attorneys.

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.

SABA GB is a local chapter of the South Asian Bar Association of North America (SABA NA), which is the umbrella organization for local SABA groups throughout the United States and Canada.

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.

Brendan Cox Quoted in Law360 Article on Massachusetts Superior Court’s New Standing Rule 1-26

Brendan Cox was featured in a Law360 article discussing Massachusetts Superior Court’s new Standing Rule 1-26.

Taking effect June 1, it expands the range of proceedings held presumptively by videoconference.

Brendan discussed that while remote hearings offer real savings in travel and wait time, they also eliminate the informal interactions between attorneys that may provide significant opportunities for faster resolutions for clients. He said: “Those communications are really hard to value, but the value is more than zero. Remote proceedings take away that opportunity to some degree.”

The article also highlighted concerns around training opportunities for younger attorneys, as many of the hearings where new lawyers typically gain courtroom experience are now presumptively remote.

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 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.