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.

 

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.

Matthew Kane Publishes Article in Mass Lawyers Weekly on Wire Fraud Loss Allocation

Matthew A. Kane authored an article titled “Wire fraud litigation: understanding the loss allocation rules for Article 4A”  for Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly. In the article Matt examines the loss allocation rules governing wire transfer fraud under Article 4A of the Uniform Commercial Code. Drawing on his experience representing banks, Matt explains how losses from wire transfer fraud are allocated under the statutory framework and why the results often surprise the victims.

Matt shares that most wire transfer fraud does not involve sophisticated hacking. Instead, fraudsters rely on social engineering, impersonation, and forged documents to trick businesses into authorizing transfers to accounts the fraudster controls. When a business later discovers the fraud and turns to its bank for reimbursement, Article 4A determines who bears the loss, not common law concepts like negligence or causation. Under Article 4A, if the customer authorized the payment order (even if the customer was deceived into doing so), the bank generally has no obligation to refund the loss. The statutory framework was designed not to assess which party was more careful, but to establish in advance who would bear the risk.

Matt’s article also addresses the role of “commercially reasonable” security procedures, the ability of banks and customers to modify loss allocation rules by agreement, and the high burden a customer faces when attempting to shift liability back to a bank. He notes that Article 4A intentionally displaces competing legal theories when the alleged loss arises from the execution of a wire transfer.

For commercial litigators, Matt emphasizes that claims arising from induced wire transfer fraud require more than showing that the fraud was foreseeable or that the bank might have acted differently. Successful claims typically turn on whether the bank deviated from agreed security procedures or relied on procedures that were not commercially reasonable.

The full article is available to subscribers at Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly.

Smith Kane Adds Trisha Gautam As New Litigation Associate

Smith Kane, LLP announces the addition of Trisha Gautam as an associate in the firm’s Business Litigation practice. Representing companies and executives in complex business disputes, Gautam supports clients in all aspects of litigation including legal research, due diligence, discovery, depositions, case strategy, and trial preparation.

Before joining Smith Kane, Gautam was an associate at a boutique law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse in complex civil actions. In this role, she handled a wide range of discovery issues, involving motion practice, case management, and deposition support. Gautam’s experience also includes serving as a legal extern for the in-house counsel team of a global biopharmaceutical company, where she gained a business perspective that she applies to her work in private practice. She also served as a legal intern with the Massachusetts Department of Telecommunications and Cable.

“We’re pleased to welcome Trisha to our growing firm,” said Matthew A. Kane, Managing Partner at Smith Kane. “She brings strong potential, a thoughtful approach, and a genuine enthusiasm for the practice of law. We look forward to supporting her growth as she develops her skills and contributes to our team and clients.”

Gautam is active in the legal community as a member of the Boston Bar Association, Massachusetts Bar Association, South Asian Bar Association of Greater Boston, and the Women’s Bar Association. She received her J.D. from Boston University School of Law and received her B.A. from Chapman University, Wilkinson College. 

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 Celebrates 30 Years of Strategic Growth and Leadership

Smith Kane, LLP is proud to celebrate its 30th anniversary, marking three decades of effective legal counsel, courtroom excellence, and unwavering commitment to clients and community.

Founded originally as Laredo & Smith in 1996 in Boston’s Financial District, the firm was built on a clear vision: to combine large-firm sophistication with the agility, responsiveness, and client-centered approach of a boutique practice. Over the past 30 years, the firm has grown into a respected litigation and business law firm serving businesses, financial institutions, and individuals throughout Massachusetts and beyond.

This milestone comes during a defining chapter in the firm’s evolution. In 2025, the firm transitioned leadership as part of its long-term growth strategy, with Matthew A. Kane assuming the role of Managing Partner and Partner Payal Salsburg joining the management team. Later that year, following the election of co-founder Marc C. Laredo as Mayor of the City of Newton, the firm rebranded as Smith Kane, LLP, reflecting both continuity and confidence in its future.

“Reaching 30 years is a significant milestone and a testament to the trust our clients place in us every day,” said Kane. “Our success has always been rooted in proactive problem-solving and thoughtful planning — the same forward-looking guidance we provide to our clients — along with a steadfast commitment to delivering practical, results-driven legal solutions.”

Throughout its history, the firm has guided clients through high-stakes litigation, complex business disputes, white collar criminal defense matters, government investigations, and employment issues. Known for its tenacious representation and strong appellate advocacy, the firm has successfully represented clients before state and federal trial courts, as well as the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court and Appeals Court.

“Our rebrand marked the beginning of our next chapter, but our foundation remains the same,” said Salsburg. “We have an exceptional team of lawyers and staff and a culture built on integrity, collaboration, and excellence. As we celebrate 30 years, we are focused not only on where we’ve been, but on how we continue to grow and serve our clients in the decades ahead.”

Laredo, who co-founded the firm and helped guide it for nearly three decades, played a central role in establishing its reputation for thoughtful advocacy and community engagement. His election to public office reflects the leadership values that have long defined the firm’s culture.

As Smith Kane enters its next decade, the firm will continue to invest in its people, its brand, and its long-term growth. A refreshed visual identity and forward-looking business plan underscore the firm’s commitment to remaining a trusted advisor to clients navigating complex legal and business challenges.

 

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.