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CONTACT CASE MANAGER

Hon. Bonnie H. MacLeod (Ret.)

Availability:
    Biography
    General Biography
    Practice Areas & Industries
    Business Commercial
    Construction
    Consumer
    Employment Law
    Personal Injury/Product Liability/Torts
    Professional Liability
    Real Property
    Honors, Memberships, and Professional Activities
    Background and Education

    Hon. Bonnie H. MacLeod (Ret.) joined JAMS after serving on the Massachusetts trial court for over 27 years, first in the District Court from 1989-2002 and then, from 2002-2016, on the Superior Court, where she served as a Regional Administrative Justice for civil business in Suffolk County.

    Prior to her appointment to the bench, Judge MacLeod spent 17 years in the public sector, where she served as the Chief of the Appeals Division in the Middlesex District Attorney's Office and thereafter as First Assistant Bar Counsel and Chief of the Litigation Division in the Office of Bar Counsel. She was a member of the adjunct faculty at Boston College Law School, New England Law/Boston, Northeastern University Law School and Suffolk Law School, where she served 33 years as an adjunct professor before retiring from teaching in 2019.

    Known for her diligent preparation and compassion, Judge MacLeod garnered a well-earned reputation within the legal community for her fair and insightful adjudications.

    Clients consistently praise Judge MacLeod for her extraordinary dedication, effectiveness, and persistence in resolving complex disputes. Her tireless efforts, exceptional mediation skills, and ability to handle challenging cases have earned her a reputation as one of the most effective arbitrators and mediators in the field. From unanimous selections by counsel to accolades for her tenacity and patience, Judge MacLeod is highly recommended by colleagues and clients alike.

    Representative Matters

    • Business Commercial
        • Mediated partnership dissolution matter involving allegations of deprivation of ownership interest
        • Mediated matter involving allegations of breach of fiduciary duty
        • Mediated dispute involving dissolution of partnership and the division of partnership assets involving joint ownership of a popular restaurant
        • Presided over unfair competition and trademark infringement claim brought by non-profit against unsuccessful applicant for employment
        • Presided over breach of contract dispute between commercial supplier and local restaurant chain
    • Construction
        • Mediated multi-day engineering and construction matter against  multiple parties involving claims of negligence alleged to have resulted in persistent water infiltration to structure
        • Mediated dispute involving claims for non-payment and counterclaims for incomplete work and/or deficient work
        • Mediated dispute involving allegations of breach of fiduciary duty related to statute regarding administration of condominium finances 
    • Consumer
        • Presided over and arbitrated cases involving claims of unfair and deceptive conduct under the Massachusetts Consumer Protection Act (Chapter 93A)
        • Presided over and resolved disputes related to home foreclosure actions, including claims of predatory lending practices
    • Employment Law
        • Mediated employment matter involving allegations of sexual harassment by a supervisor and retaliation by way of reduction of hours and ultimate termination 
        • Mediated employment matter involving allegations of common law and health care whistleblower violations and discrimination based on disability/association
        • Mediated multiple employment matters claiming discrimination related to disability, sexual orientation, age, race, gender and national origin
        • Mediated multiple employment matters involving wage & hour, harassment, sexual assault, breach of contract, whistleblower, wrongful termination, retaliation and interference and defamation
        • Mediated class actions involving Wage and Hour claims, including failure to pay commissions
        • Presided over class action brought by women employed as entertainers at a well-known restaurant/bar
    • Financial Institutions
        • Presided over several claims by and against financial institutions, mortgage brokers, appraisers and others relating to mortgage foreclosures
    • Personal Injury/Product Liability/Torts
        • Mediated multiple asbestos matters involving direct exposures through employment as well as claimed secondhand exposures
        • Mediated matters involving claims by former students against private educational institutions for sexual assault
        • Mediated matter involving claims of negligent supervision and negligent infliction of emotional distress brought by customer against supermarket chain when employee violated the Massachusetts Upskirting Law
        • Mediated premises liability matter involving claim that death from leukemia was due to benzene exposure during employment
        • Mediated multiple personal injury matters involving asbestos, dram shop, wrongful death, slip and fall, auto accidents and malpractice
        • Presided over and mediated personal injury claims involving premises liability against private homeowners, local museums, hospitals and universities and construction sites
        • Presided over various product liability matters involving serious bodily injuries at work sites including a meat processing plant and a medical facility
    • Professional Liability
        • Mediated medical professional liability involving allegations of malpractice against clinic citing marketing of its services to be unfair and deceptive and providers failed to diagnose and treat in a timely manner
        • Mediated various malpractice matters involving failure to properly diagnose and treat and wrongful death
        • Mediated matters involving claims of attorney and accountant malpractice
    • Real Property
        • Presided over numerous claims involving breach of purchase and sales contracts, trespass, boundary disputes, commercial and residential tenancies and interpretation of condominium documents


        Available to resolve disputes remotely through a number of videoconferencing options. Completed Virtual ADR training conducted by the JAMS Institute, the training arm of JAMS. 

    Honors, Memberships, and Professional Activities

    • Honors
      • Recipient, Massachusetts Bar Association’s Public Service Award, 2023
      • Selected for Circle of Excellence, Top Women of Law, 2023
      • Distinguished Judicial Service Award, Boston Symposium on Law and Psychology, 2016
      • Hellenic Bar Association Award for distinguished judicial service, 2004
      • Honored by the Massachusetts Association of Women Lawyers for Judicial Excellence, 2006
      • Honored by the North Shore Women Lawyers Association as “Judge of the Year,” 2002
      • Honorary Doctor of Laws, Regis College, 2005
      • Community Service Award, Massachusetts Bar Association, 1988
    • Memberships & Professional Activities
      • Life Member. Massachusetts Bar Association (MBA)
      • Member, Executive Management Board, MBA, 2018-2025
      • Member, House of Delegates, MBA, 2017-2025
      • Member, MBA Dispute Resolution Section Council, 2016- 2024; Vice-Chair, 2019-2021 
      • Member, MBA Lawyer Referral Service Committee, 2021-2025, Chair, 2024-2025
      • Member, Massachusetts Bar Foundation, 1988-2025; Oliver Wendell Holmes Life fellow; Member, MBF Board of Trustees, 2000-2004; Nominating Committee, 2020-2025
      • Member, Boston American Inn of Court, 2017-2025
      • Adjunct Lecturer in Law, Boston College Law School, 2012
      • Adjunct Professor, Suffolk University School of Law, 1986-2019
      • Adjunct Professor, New England Law/Boston, 1977-2002
      • Adjunct Professor, Northeastern University Law School, 1982-1986
      • Presented extensively as both chair and panelist on numerous programs for legal and professional organizations and law firms on a variety of continuing legal education topics including: mediation practice; employment; personal injury and real estate law; legal ethics and professionalism for lawyers and judges; and trial advocacy.

    Background and Education

    • Judge, Massachusetts Superior Court, 2002-2016
    • Regional Administrative Justice (RAJ), for Civil Business in Suffolk County, 2012-2015
    • Member, Superior Court Civil Committee and Law Clerk Committee
    • Chair, Superior Court Committee on Sexually Dangerous Persons and Prisoners
    • Judge, Massachusetts District Court, 1989-2002
    • First Assistant Bar Counsel, Chief of the Litigation Division, 1980-1989
    • Assistant Bar Counsel, 1976-1980
    • Assistant District Attorney Middlesex County, Chief of the Appeals Division, 1973-1976
    • J.D., Suffolk University Law School; Law Review
    • B.A., Regis College
    Counsel Comments
    • “Thank you for the tremendous effort you put into resolving the case yesterday. No other mediator would have put the time and effort (and achieved the same result) that you did yesterday.”
      - Founder/Managing Partner, Boston Litigation Firm
    • “Thank you for your time today. As expected, you have retained your title as the most effective mediator I have worked with in 20 years of practice. I'm already looking forward to working with you again!”
    • “The Judge was just fantastic and a pleasure to do business with. She was incredibly prepared, thoughtful and flexible. Top Five mediators I have ever worked with since I started practicing law.”
      - Co-Chair Employment Practice Group
    • “Your honor, it was a distinct pleasure to work with you. I don’t want to log cabinize the issue, but they either aren’t making any more like you or they aren’t putting them on the bench. Thank you!”
      - Boston Litigator
    • “Thanks very much to Judge MacLeod.  She was the unanimous first pick by counsel to serve as Master in this important matter, in light of its circumstances. Well done!”
      - Boston Partner
    • “I wanted to let you know that through the tireless and incredibly persistent efforts of Judge Bonnie MacLeod, we resolved this week the mediation that she conducted.  After spending substantial time through numerous telephone calls to the attorneys over the last 10-11 weeks, Judge MacLeod made a mediator’s proposal last Thursday that the parties accepted on Monday. While I have done mediations for many years, her extraordinary and tenacious efforts (and patience) with a difficult attorney on the other side was unique in my experience.”
      - Principal Counsel Boston
    • “Judge McLeod is by far the best mediator I have dealt with. I would recommend her unconditionally in the future.”
      - Massachusetts Trial Attorney
    • “Judge MacLeod stayed involved to help resolve the matter even months after the day of the mediation.”
    • “Judge McLeod did an incredible job of empathizing with my client and sharing her vast experience from the bench as it related to my case in a manner that ultimately got through to my client.”
    • “I have recommended JAMS and Judge Bonnie MacLeod to numerous colleagues. Judge MacLeod assisted the parties in resolving two arbitrations at mediation. I highly recommend her!”
    • “JAMS provided a fantastic mediator with Judge MacLeod.”
    • “Judge MacLeod closed a very difficult and complicated case and gave the plaintiff the feeling that she had control in the process.”
    • “Judge MacLeod put the parties at ease and readily established trust. She put herself 'out there' and was quite effective. She got us to 'yes' with a suggested settlement. I would definitely use her again.”
    • “Judge MacLeod was creative and kept pushing even when it seemed unlikely that the case would resolve. Her mediators proposal was key to getting the case settled.”
    • “Judge MacLeod was fully engaged with all parties and moved mountains between Plaintiff's demand and Defense starting posture.”
    • “Judge MacLeod took control from the start with pre-calls to both attorneys and with understanding that openings would have hindered the process, and shut openings down in advance.”
    • “Judge McLeod as Mediator was very engaging, persistent and committed.”
    • “Judge MacLeod did an excellent job. She was not fazed when the case did not settle on the mediation date, but followed up with the parties and used her skills to persuade them to settle.”
    • “Judge Bonnie McLeod was superlative.”
    • “Judge MacLeod was fantastic. I would definitely mediate with her again.”
      - Labor and Employment Partner
    • “I would use Judge MacLeod again without reservation. She is among the best mediators I have ever used.”
      – Boston Partner
    • “As the third referee in this matter, I served with the Honorable Bonnie MacLeod and was very appreciative of the knowledge, experience and professionalism she provided. I could not ask for more.”
    • “She is dogged and tough but sympathetic too and respectful of the positions of all parties. I have used JAMS mediators and other mediators in different jurisdictions and she is among the most skilled I have seen. You’re lucky to have her!” 
      – Employment Partner
    • “In my view Bonnie MacLeod is the model of what a mediator can and should do.” 
      – Senior Partner
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