Mintz Levin Attorney Elissa Flynn-Poppey Selected as a 2010 Boston Business Journal "40 Under 40" Honoree
9/8/2010
Boston, MA – Elissa Flynn-Poppey of Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C., has been named to the Boston Business Journal's 2010 "40 Under 40" list. Ms. Flynn-Poppey, who practices in the firm's Litigation Section, is also Chair of the Government Law Practice. The 13th annual "40 Under 40" award recognizes outstanding emerging business leaders of the greater Boston area under the age of 40. This year's honorees will be recognized at an event on October 7.
Ms. Flynn-Poppey has also been selected as the recipient of a "40 Under 40" award by Stars, a South Shore early education and youth development program. She will receive the honor at the organization's 40th anniversary celebration on September 24th.
Ms. Flynn-Poppey has over twenty years of state and federal government experience. She represents government and private entities, as well as individuals, on matters regarding ethics, government ethics, corporate compliance, public contract procurement, conflict of interest laws, public records law, lobbying, campaign finance, open meeting law, and other government areas. Ms. Flynn-Poppey is senior counsel to clients on all aspects of government operations and frequently trains government entities on compliance. In addition, she advises large corporations and businesses on political law issues and assists with the development and maintenance of policies and systems to ensure compliance with ethics, lobbying, and other political laws.
Ms. Flynn-Poppey played a critical role on the team of attorneys from Mintz Levin who drafted the Massachusetts restraining order legislation that would offer protection to victims of sexual assault, criminal stalking and criminal harassment. Prior to the passage of the bill, which was signed into law by Governor Deval Patrick in February 2010, victims did not qualify for a protective order, as Massachusetts law afforded victims of abuse the right to a protective order only if the perpetrator had a family, household, or substantial dating relationship. Law enforcement and advocacy groups for survivors heralded the Act as a long overdue public safety measure for these victims.
As a result of her efforts on behalf of victims of domestic violence, Ms. Flynn-Poppey was presented with the Rappaport Center for Law and Public Service 2010 Public Service Award earlier this year.
"Elissa has emerged as a powerful leader and advocate on behalf of domestic violence victims, her clients, and the community at large," said Joseph Hameline, Chair of Mintz Levin's Litigation Section. "We congratulate her on these well deserved recognitions, which are a testament to her hard work and dedication."
In addition to her work on the restraining order legislation, Ms. Flynn-Poppey lead the development of an emergency disaster relief guide for use by governors, in conjunction with Mintz Levin's pro bono response to Hurricane Katrina. She also provides pro bono legal services for veterans trying to obtain government benefits, assists domestic violence victims to obtain necessary legal protections and visas to remain in the country, and helps domestic violence shelters to comply with laws and regulations.
For over ten years, Ms. Flynn-Poppey has served as a board member of Friends for Children, a Massachusetts based non-profit whose mission is to prevent and end child abuse. She is also a board member of the New England Legal Foundation Advisory Council and a board overseer for the MSPCA. Ms. Flynn-Poppey also serves as a Trustee of Bridgewater State College and as an editor of the Massachusetts Bar Association Law Review.
Prior to joining Mintz Levin, Ms. Flynn-Poppey was Deputy Legal Counsel to Governor Mitt Romney and Executive Director of the Judicial Nominating Commission for the Office of the Governor of Massachusetts. She received her B.A. from Bridgewater State College and her J.D. from Suffolk University.
