Erica Brody has recovered millions of dollars in compensation for her clients. As a former Suffolk County Child Protection Unit prosecutor and now as a civil litigator, with more than a decade of experience trying cases, Erica has devoted her career to demanding justice for survivors of sexual abuse and accountability for the people and institutions that fail them. She was recently named to Forbes’ Advisor’s List of Best Personal Injury Lawyers in Boston, and was recognized by the Federal Bar Association for her outstanding advocacy in securing a historic $7 million dollar settlement in a precedent-setting case against the Department of Children and Family Services and state social workers. Her clients consistently express appreciation for her results, her tireless advocacy, her empathy, patience, and compassion, and for her understanding of the societal barriers and personal costs that are often associated with coming forward to report abuse.

Erica’s practice also focuses ensuring that all people have the right to participate fully in a workplace free from harassment and discrimination. She routinely litigates sexual harassment, race, gender, and pregnancy discrimination, and Wage Act claims to ensure that her clients are given the same dignity and respect in the workplace as their colleagues. She is licensed to practice in both Massachusetts and New Hampshire, and she appears regularly in federal and state court, as well as before the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination.

Erica is frequently hired to conduct workplace investigations. Her prosecutorial background and experience in employment litigation allows her to navigate the often sensitive and intensive fact-finding inquiries required in ensuring that investigations are conducted promptly, equitably, and effectively.

Erica’s trial experience also prepared her to teach “know your rights” training to companies and municipalities – training that is required by the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination. She has attended MCAD-certified trainings and has educated management and employees alike. She understands how courts analyze the legal issues that arise in these cases and what they will look like before a jury, and uses this insight to advise workers and employers on how to prevent discrimination and harassment in the workplace, as well as how to conduct fair, thorough, and thoughtful investigations into reports of workplace misconduct.

Erica is a volunteer lawyer for the 209A Middlesex District Attorney’s Office Pro Bono Program, providing free legal representation to victims of domestic violence seeking restraining orders against accused offenders. She also serves on the Board of the Federal Bar Association civil rights section and regularly consults with news outlets on the topics of child abuse, domestic violence, and litigation.

At Boston College Law School, she studied abroad in London at King's College School of Law, where she worked for Cherie Blair in her human rights practice group at Matrix Chambers and at her women’s foundation. Following her graduation from law school, Erica spent a year clerking for the Massachusetts Superior Court Justices.

Awards

• Forbes, Best Personal Injury Lawyers 2023
• Federal Bar Association’s Robyn J. Spalter Outstanding Achievement Award
• Boston Magazine’s Top Lawyers 2021, 2022
• National Academy of Personal Injury Attorneys 2021 Top 10 Under 40, 2021
• National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40, 2021
• Superlawyer Rising Star, 2020, 2021

Publications

• “Tort Liability of Schools and School Employees,” Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education’s School Law Text (2015-present) (available on Westlaw).

Teaching/consulting

Erica regularly consults with news outlets on the topics of child abuse, domestic violence, and litigation. Erica has been hired by municipalities and corporations to train management and employees to help prevent discrimination and harassment in the workplace. She has also lectured at Northeastern University first complaint evidence in sexual assault cases.

News & Results

Recently, Erica secured an historic $7 million settlement against the Massachusetts Department of Children and Family Services and state social workers in a lawsuit alleging that her clients’ constitutional rights were violated while they were children in Massachusetts’ state foster care. Her work on behalf of survivors of sexual abuse and harassment has been featured in the local and national news:

• US News & World Reports, August 11, 2023 Former Foster Children Win $7M Settlement After Alleging State Turned Blind Eye to Abuse. Four former foster children who were allegedly abused by a Massachusetts couple will be paid $7 million under a settlement with the state
• Boston Globe, August 11, 2023, State reaches $7 million settlement with four victims of foster parents who oversaw Oxford ‘house of horrors’
• NBC News Boston, August 11, 2023, Kids abused at Oxford foster home win historic $7M Mass. DCF settlement. The settlement is the first of its kind involving the Massachusetts Department of Children and Families and social workers
• ABC News Boston, August 11, 2023, Former foster children reach $7 million settlement with DCF in Oxford, Mass. 'House of Horrors' case
• WBUR Boston, August 11, 2023 Former foster children reach $7 million settlement with DCF in Oxford, Mass. 'House of Horrors' case. Former foster children win $7 million settlement after alleging state turned blind eye to abuse
• Worcester Telegram and Gazette, August 11, 2023 Oxford 'House of Horrors' survivors reach $7 million settlement with Mass. child welfare agency
• MassLive, August 11, 2023, Oxford ‘house of horrors’ children reach $7 million settlement, attorneys say
• NBC News Boston, April 27, 2023: "DCF Destroyed Unsubstantiated Reports of Abuse, Erasing Potential Evidence for a Future Case: DCF tells the NBC10 Investigators that up until 2008 the department was required by law to expunge any unproven allegations of abuse and investigation.
• Boston Globe, March 22, 2023, “State board allowed woman accused of abusing foster children to keep nursing license for more than a decade: Nursing board received two complaints about Susan Blouin’s alleged ‘house of horrors’ but took no action.”
• Boston Globe, March 9, 2023: “Allegedly beaten and abused in an Oxford ‘house of horrors,’ former foster children file suit against state social workers, State received more than a dozen complaints, but left children in the home.”
• Boston Globe, January 7, 2023: “Massage therapist at Massage Envy in Medford sexually assaulted two women in three days, lawyers charge, Masseur Gilberto DaSilva facing trial for rape in May.”
• NBC Boston, January 25, 2023: “Missed Warning Signs: Massage Therapist Charged With Rape.”
• Boston25 News, September 22, 2022: “Judge ruled Ricardo Arroyo’s records from past allegations can be made public, with exceptions”
• Dailymail UK, January 27, 2022: “Social worker 'who was groomed, sexually harassed and pressured to perform oral sex on married Boston judge in his chambers' will be paid $425,000 by state trial court before her case goes before a jury in civil case”
• Boston Globe, January 27, 2022: “Trial court to pay $425,000 to social worker who says she was pressured into sex with judge, Ex-judge Thomas Estes still faces federal lawsuit over alleged misconduct."
• WCVB Channel Five, August 13, 2021: “Holyoke Soldiers’ Home employees take legal action against former leaders.”
• Law360, April 1, 2021: “Judge Must Face Clinician’s Discrimination Suit.”
• WCVB Channel Five, December 20, 2019: “Lawsuit filed over Oxford foster home abuse, State accused of ignoring 'red flags' of abuse for years”
• MassLive, December 27, 20219: “Former foster children of Massachusetts couple Susan and Raymond Blouin file lawsuit alleging years of sexual, physical abuse”
• Worcester Telegram, December 26, 2019: Former Oxford foster children file $40M lawsuit against couple, state over “house of horrors.”
• Masslive, December 27, 2019: “After nearly 20 years, secrets in Oxford foster home come to light.”
• Berkshire Eagle, January 25, 2018: “Job lost because of objections to judge's sexual advances.”
• Daily Hampshire Gazette, January 25, 2018: “Court clinician’s lawsuit alleges sexual misconduct in judge’s chambers.”
• Berkshire Eagle, November 18, 2018: “Parties in suit against former drug court judge win confidentiality”