“Alec Zadek's life was devoted to us for over a year. I don't know what we would have done without him.”

Patty Martel
Jennifer Martel's mother

A Vulnerable Child Secures a Home

In August 2013, Patricia and Brian Martel lost their daughter, Jennifer, to domestic violence. Jennifer, who was only 27 years old, was murdered by her boyfriend, Jared Remy.

The tragedy of Jennifer's death was compounded by the impact on the Martels' four-year-old granddaughter, "Lisa." With her father being held in custody for her mother's homicide, the four year old was placed in the care of the Massachusetts Department of Children & Families until the question of her guardianship could be resolved.

Mintz Levin agreed to represent the Martels pro bono in their efforts to continue to play a role in Lisa's life.

The representation was a fairly complicated one, involving several courts, including Probate and Family Court, Juvenile Court, and the Massachusetts Appeals Court. In addition, the attorneys were constrained by time. "We faced an extremely expedited schedule," Pro Bono Chair Sue Finegan says.

Luckily Sue was assisted by a capable team, including attorneys Alec Zadek, Kim Parr, and Rebecca Zeidel. The team also included Nancy Sterling — vice president of strategic communications at ML Strategies — as well as former project analyst Kyle Crawford and former Mintz Levin legal assistant Ken Nee. Working hand in hand with co-counsel Naomi Mann from the Boston University School of Law Litigation Program, her law student Amelia Leas-Alback, and co-counsel Paula Mangum, they completed discovery in four weeks.

Ultimately the parties reached an agreement that they believed would be in the best interest of the child and provide her with a stable home.

Following the resolution of the case, Jared pled guilty to first-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison. The Martels, who uprooted their lives in Virginia following Jennifer's murder — moving to Massachusetts to be closer to Lisa — devote themselves to fundraising efforts for organizations such as Taunton, Massachusetts–based New Hope, a nonprofit working to end domestic and sexual violence.

"The litigation was challenging, but it was a privilege to represent the Martels," Alec says. Many of the attorneys on the team stay in touch with the Martels and continue to represent victims of domestic violence and their families.