Robert Munnelly

Robert J. Munnelly, Jr.

phone: 617-589-3822
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PRACTICE & FOCUS AREA

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Rob is a regulatory and business lawyer with extensive experience dealing with legal issues faced by clients in highly regulated industries. He represents competitive energy and communications companies nationally and routinely represents clients in a wide range of regulatory issues. Rob has covered every aspect of New England regulations for electricity, communications, natural gas and water clients, from obtaining utility commission and local licenses to ensuring ongoing compliance with state, local and federal laws. His experience in these closely regulated industries led Rob to his pioneering efforts representing existing businesses and those seeking to do business in the emerging Massachusetts cannabis market. Rob has also broadened his long experience with advising businesses about a variety of matters into helping business clients with raising capital funds and advising on a wide variety of business contracts.

In addition to his expertise in working with clients in state commission and general business environments, Rob has maintained a longstanding practice focused on data security and information privacy. His work in this area involves assisting clients with developing written information security and privacy programs, supporting compliance training, developing and enhancing terms of use, privacy policies and other security-related policies, updating policies and programs to comply with evolving international and domestic requirements, and responding to potential security breaches.

In his previous roles as Assistant Attorney General in the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office and as Director of Legal and Regulatory Affairs for the New England Cable and Telecommunications Association, Rob learned that responsiveness is key to providing high-quality legal service.

RESULTS

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  • Served as lead counsel for several national retail electric suppliers in new and ongoing industry-wide dockets to reform and update electric supplier rules in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island utility commissions.
  • Served as counsel to developer in conducting party negotiations and Massachusetts commission arbitration to accelerate by a year-plus the electric utility’s efforts to interconnect the client’s large solar project to the New England electric grid.
  • Secured regulatory approvals and provided regulatory advice for cable broadband, fiber-based carriers and traditional competitive local exchange carriers in all New England states.
  • Advised numerous clients in preparing and revising written information security plans, responding to information breaches, and crafting or revising related policy provisions that fully comply with stringent new Massachusetts, Connecticut, federal and international data protection requirements.
  • Served as co-counsel and advisor for Series A fundraising round for technology-focused software startup and contract drafter and reviewer for health care and data technology startups.
  • As cannabis practice group co-chair, prepared adult-use initial and renewal license applications and provided regulatory advice on strategy and compliance issues at regulatory commission and municipal levels under evolving Massachusetts and Connecticut adult-use and medical regulatory schemes.
  • Advised numerous clients seeking investments in, purchases of and sales of licensed entities, securing regulatory approvals for changes in ownership and control, and responding to potential non-compliance issues raised by cannabis regulators.

REPORTED CASES

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CREDENTIALS

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Distinctions:

  • Peer Review AV® Preeminent™ rated by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest bestowed rating
  • Massachusetts Super Lawyers, 2006

Admitted:

  • Massachusetts
  • Connecticut
  • United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts
  • United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit

Co-Chair:

  • Federal Communications Bar Association – New England Chapter (2013-present; member since 2002)
  • Northeast Energy and Commerce Association: Corporate Secretary (2020-present); Board of Directors (2016-present); Co-Chair Retail Markets Committee (2014-present)

Member:

  • International Lawyers Network

MORE THAN A LAWYER

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When Rob isn’t helping clients stay compliant or digging them out of a security breach, he serves in leadership roles for the Northeast Energy and Commerce Association and the Federal Communications Bar Association. He is also actively involved in various charitable activities, especially those focused on people with special needs. In his free time, Rob enjoys keeping up on political developments, reading books, maintaining his restored 300-year old historic home in Marblehead, spending free summer days at the nearby beach, and pursuing his ongoing addiction to crosswords, Wordle, and other puzzle games of all sorts.

News & Insights
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Adult-Use Cannabis Licensing (MA), authored Practical Guidance Practice Note for LexisNexis

Avoiding startup costs: Diddy’s foray in Central Mass. cannabis, quoted in the Worcester Business Journal

New Cannabis Industry Reforms, panelist for Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly webinar

Massachusetts Sees Challenges and Opportunities With Delivery, authored article for Marijuana Venture

Future of Residential Electric Competition, moderated webinar for NECA

Cannabis in Massachusetts: Legal Overview, authored article for Marijuana Venture

Launching Your Practice During the Pandemic, panelist for MCLE program

Community Choice Aggregation Spotlight, moderated panel for NECA's Young Professionals Committee

Business Email Compromise: New Vulnerabilities and Best Practices During the Pandemic and Beyond, panelist at webinar hosted by Davis Malm, DiCicco Gulman & Co. and TD Bank

Massachusetts Travels the Long and Winding Road to Social Equity in Cannabis, authored article for legal edition of Marijuana Venture

Massachusetts: Current Issues in the Legal Cannabis Industry, authored article for Marijuana Venture

Navigating the Legal, Regulatory, and Compliance Maze, panelist at NCIA CannaVest East Conference

Whither the Traditional Telephone Network?, panel moderator at the Federal Communications Bar Association New England Chapter Current Issues Conference

Landmark Win for Growers Who Wouldn’t Take “No” For An Answer, featured on The Cannabis Reporter Radio Show

5 Ways to Bolster Cyber Safety and Minimize Risk, authored article in Corporate Compliance Insights

Cyber Security Plans on a Budget, Chair of MCLE seminar

Navigating the US Regulatory, Compliance & Tax Landscape, panelist at NCIA CannaVest Northeast Conference

South Shore Breakfast Forum: Cannabis, presenter at MSCPA South Shore Breakfast Forum

Hanging Your Shingle: Starting and Operating a Solo or Small Firm Practice, contributing author of "Data Security" chapter

Key Action Items for Protecting Data, authored article in SmallBizDaily

The Maturing Retail Market, panel moderator at 24th Annual New England Energy Conference & Exposition

Breach Planning and Regulatory Requirements (21:53)  , presenter at Data Security Planning program

Creating Written Information Security Plans (WISPs) (25:37), presenter at Data Security Planning program

State Regulatory & Legislative Update, panelist at NECTA Convention and Exhibition

FFIEC Cybersecurity Tool Poses Implementation Challenges, authored article in Credit Union Times

Top Ten Signs That You Need A Data Security Consultation, authored article in My Tech Decisions

Protecting Data 2016, presenter at MCLE program

10 Signs You Need to Update Your Data Security, authored article in AMA Quarterly

Massachusetts Administrative Law and Practice, contributing editor to LexisNexis Practice Guide

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