Katherine Shea has served as general counsel to SEIU, Local 509 since 1996, working as in-house counsel until 2003 and thereafter as a partner in the Pyle Rome firm. She has handled many major cases on behalf of the Union, including lengthy litigation establishing and enforcing limits on social worker caseloads in the Department of Social Services.

Prior to beginning her career as a union attorney, she clerked for Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Justice, Neill R. Lynch. Before becoming an attorney, she worked as a clinical social worker and for many years, she was an activist in SEIU.

Education

• Northeastern University School of Law, J.D., 1987
• Smith College, MA, Social Work
• Radcliffe College, B.A., 1974
  

Recent Speeches and Conferences

• Regular lecturer at Union educational seminars

Professional Affiliations

• Member, Massachusetts Bar Association
• Member, AFL-CIO Lawyers’ Coordinating Committee

Bar and Court Admissions

• State Bar of Massachusetts, since 1988
• Admitted to practice before U.S. District Court of Massachusetts, U.S. Court of Appeals First Circuit.

Katherine D. Shea
Partner

617-367-7200 ext. 247
617-367-4820 (fax)
kshea@prle.com

Practice Areas

Serves as general counsel to SEIU, Local 509, a large local consisting of public and private employees in human services. Directs all legal strategy and work of the Union in arbitration, before administrative agencies and the courts; provides advice on all internal union governance matters

Staff Assistant

Lindsey Silver
lsilver@prle.com