The 2024 LBA Officers and Executive Committee

Alicia Ann McNeil, President

Alicia Ann McNeil has been practicing law for over 20 years.  She has represented clients in both criminal and civil matters, including criminal defense litigation, criminal appellate work, employment law and civil litigation.  Attorney McNeil is the city solicitor of Malden; a Board Member of Massachusetts Criminal Defense Lawyers (‘MACDL”) where she serves as a co-chair of the Racial Justice Committee and a member of its Strategic Litigation Panel of the Racial Justice Taskforce; a member of the Massachusetts’ Sub-Committee to Eliminate Racism and other Barriers’ - Jury Advisory Working Group; as well as members of the American Bar Association and the National Criminal Defense Lawyers (“NACDL”).  She is an adjunct professor at Eastern Nazarene College and has participated as a judge for the American Bar Association Moot Court competitions (both for law school and high school students).  Attorney McNeil is a graduate of Suffolk University Law School.

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Benjamin Falkner, President-Elect

Attorney Benjamin Falkner focuses his practice on criminal defense and civil litigation at Krasnoo, Klehm & Falkner LLP.  He has extensive experience handling federal and state, criminal and juvenile matters at trial and on appeal. Ben handles matters in courts throughout the Merrimack Valley and beyond, in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. His criminal defense work includes allegations of all crimes, including serious federal drug and gun crimes, violent crimes, computer and financial crimes, among many others. Ben also has extensive experience with administrative law, including state registry matters and matters before federal agencies. His civil experience includes several police brutality trials.

Ben graduated with a BA in Journalism from Ohio State in 2002 and received his JD from Suffolk in 2006. Ben’s favorite activity is spending time with his two young children.

Miguel Nieves, Vice President

Miguel Nieves is a Partner at Socci & Nieves Family Law Group, LLP in North Andover, MA. Miguel focuses his practice exclusively on family law, and he provides invaluable counsel and support to a diverse range of clients throughout Southern New Hampshire and Massachusetts who have legal needs involving family law matters. Miguel has more than 20 years of family law experience. He is adept at handling matters inside and outside the courtroom. Although his goal is to resolve matters short of trial, Miguel has had numerous successful jury and bench trials throughout his career.

 Miguel received a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Political Science from The University of New Hampshire. He then graduated from New England Law | Boston in 2000 with a Juris Doctor. While in attendance, Miguel was a member of the New England Law Review where he served as a Case and Notes Editor and his article was selected for publication in the New England Law Review.

 Miguel has presented through Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education with regard to practicing Family Law on the border of Massachusetts and New Hampshire. He is an active member of the Essex Bar Association and Lawrence Bar Association. Miguel volunteers his time as a court appointed Conciliator with the Essex County Family Court. He also serves on the Development Committee and Advisory Council with the Lawrence Boys & Girls Club.

Matthew Perry, Secretary

Matthew Perry is an associate at Rosen & Goyal, P.C. in Andover.  He has extensive experience representing both plaintiffs and defendants in a variety of civil litigation matters concerning employment discrimination, business disputes, administrative agency decisions, and many other areas. Notably, Matthew represents the ballot committee responsible for Question 2 on the 2022 Massachusetts general election ballot, and argued the committee’s position before the Supreme Judicial Court.

 Matthew received his Juris Doctor from Northeastern University School of Law, where he was a judicial intern for the late Chief Justice Ralph Gants at the SJC during his 3L year.  He was also a teaching assistant for the school’s course on legal research and writing, a co-chair of the Northeastern chapter of the American Constitution Society, and a participant in the Texas Young Lawyers Association’s 2018 National Trial Competition. Prior to attending Northeastern, he received a bachelor’s degree, summa cum laude, in Political Science from Merrimack College in North Andover, and worked for Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems in Andover.

Gita Brazelis, Treasurer

Gita Brazelis is a Partner at Touchstone Closing & Escrow.  Gita was raised on the South Shore and early on relocated to New Hampshire. She graduated from the University of New Hampshire, making the Dean’s List, with a Bachelor of Science in 1990.

After several years in the workforce in various Management/Administration roles, Gita decided to pursue a legal career. In 2001, while working as a Paralegal in Boston for Peabody and Arnold, LLP, she began attending law school. In 2002, Gita began work in Andover as a Paralegal for the Law Office of Michael E. Lombard while continuing her legal education and graduated cum laude from the Massachusetts School of Law in 2005.

Gita was admitted to practice in the Massachusetts State Courts in 2005 and the New Hampshire State Court and Federal Court Systems in 2006. She is also a member of the New Hampshire Bar Association.

Members of the Lawrence Bar Association Executive Committee

  • Victoria Ranieri*

  • John Fraser*

  • Kavita Goyal*

  • Carol Cahill

  • Nancy Ignazi

  • Hillary McCamic

  • Jennifer Capone

  • Steven Blair

  • Lindsay Shaheen

  • Cristina Freitas

  • Debbie Freitas

  • Daniel Hinchey

  • Taylor Dauksewicz

  • Michael Downing

  • Brian Anderson

* Ex-officio former presidents