Department of Industrial Accidents Office of Legal Counsel

Find out what the Office of Legal Counsel does and how to contact staff members.

Chief Legal Counsel

Philip Imbrescia, Esq.
General Counsel
[phone]

The Office of Legal Counsel provides legal representation, advice, and support to the Department of Industrial Accidents ("DIA") to assist the DIA in accomplishing its statutory mandate of providing and maintaining a workers' compensation system for the protection of the Commonwealth's workforce. The team of attorneys within the Office of Legal Counsel is committed to providing the highest quality legal services to all of the DIA's various units and personnel.

Our attorneys perform a variety of legal functions for the DIA. They provide representation as well as legal research and opinions for the entire DIA and its various units. This representation includes working with the Massachusetts Attorney General in responding to litigation or complaints made against the DIA. Attorneys also assist in the hearings held regarding Stop Work Orders issued to uninsured employers, acting as Hearing Officers or representing the DIA's Office of Investigations at such hearings. Our office is also responsible for collecting fines and, when warranted, pursuing criminal prosecution of uninsured employers.

The primary function of our office is the oversight of the Workers' Compensation Trust Fund ("WCTF"). Our attorneys provide various legal services in connection with the WCTF's payment of benefits to the injured workers of uninsured employers. This includes seeking reimbursement from the employer on behalf of the Trust Fund. Additionally, attorneys assist the Trust Fund in reimbursing insurance companies, under appropriate circumstances, in a timely and efficient manner.

Many other units within the DIA benefits from our legal services. For instance, we provide legal counsel to the Health Care Services Board with regards to all of the Board's statutory responsibilities. For the Office of Education and Vocational Rehabilitation, our attorneys negotiate and litigate cases against insurers unwilling to provide this vital service to injured workers. Additionally, our office supports and cooperates with the Workers' Compensation Advisory Counsel.

Occasionally, our office extends its legal services beyond the DIA. We review legislation and draft opinions, upon request, for the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development ("EOLWD") and the Massachusetts Comptroller's Office. Our office also works with the Department of Labor Standards on the licensing of employment agencies, as well as acting as Hearing Officers for that department in hearings pertaining to appeals of license denials. We are also pleased to extend our services to the Massachusetts community in general by providing attorneys and their knowledge base for both Continuing Legal Education classes and general information seminars throughout the Commonwealth.

We do not however, provide legal advice to injured workers, employers, or non-Commonwealth entities.

Assistant General Counsels

Office of Legal Counsel
Department of Industrial Accidents
Lafayette City Center
2 Avenue de Lafayette
Boston, MA 02111-1750

Fax: [phone]

Pedro Benitez-Perales	[phone]
William Brady	[phone]
Timothy P. Foley	[phone]
Mary C. Garippo	(857) 3217373
William Hanlon	[phone]
Jennifer Korzeniowski	[phone]
Kathleen McNeill	[phone]
David Michels	[phone]
Gerard Pugsley	[phone]
Janice Toole	[phone]
Michael Ververis	[phone]