Payal Salsburg

Admissions

  • Massachusetts
  • New York
  • Florida
  • United States Court of Appeals, First Circuit
  • United States District Court, Massachusetts
  • United States District Court, Florida, Northern District
  • United States District Court, Florida, Middle District
  • United States District Court, Florida, Southern District

Awards & Recognition

  • Massachusetts Super Lawyers, Top 50 Women List, Business Litigation & White Collar Crime, 2023
  • Massachusetts Super Lawyers, Top 100 List, Business Litigation & White Collar Crime, 2023
  • Pioneering Women of Color, honoree, Women’s Bar Association of Massachusetts (WBA), 2023
  • Mother Xavier Award, Saint Elizabeth University, 2023
  • Best Lawyers, commercial litigation and criminal defense white collar crime, 2023
  • Community Service Award, Asian American Lawyers Association of Massachusetts (AALAM), 2022
  • Top Lawyers, Boston Magazine 2021-2023
  • Top Women of Law, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, 2020
  • Mentor of the Year, South Asian Bar Association of Greater Boston (SABA GB), 2020
  • President’s Volunteer Service Award (PSVA) from Boston Cares, 2019-2022
  • Massachusetts Super Lawyers, Business Litigation, 2019-2022
  • Massachusetts Super Lawyers Rising Star, 2017, 2018

Education

  • Nova Southeastern University, Juris Doctorate, magna cum laude
  • University of Colorado at Boulder, Masters of Computer Science
  • Saint Elizabeth University, Bachelors of Computer Science & Mathematics, summa cum laude

Payal Salsburg

Partner

Payal Salsburg focuses her practice in the areas of business litigation, corporate advice and counsel, and white-collar criminal defense. She represents corporations, small businesses, and individuals in contract and business disputes, False Claims Act matters, State Ethics Commission inquiries, and government and internal investigations. Payal also advises closely-held businesses on corporate and employment matters.

Prior to joining Laredo & Smith, Payal was a litigator at a large international law firm, in its Florida and Boston offices. Her work at the firm focused on litigation at the federal and state levels involving breaches of contract, corporate dissolution, fraudulent transfer claims, commercial foreclosures, and patent infringement. She also handled FINRA arbitrations on behalf of broker-dealers.

Payal’s pro bono experience includes several successful CORI-sealing petitions, petitions for asylum, an appeal from an inmate on Florida’s death row, litigation and appeal to assist a not-for-profit foundation, and invoking Hague Convention protection to return a child wrongfully removed to the United States by a parent. She was also a bar advocate for criminal matters at the Boston Municipal Court (Central).

Payal is a regular speaker and moderator for seminars and panels organized by various Bar associations and industry groups.

In her free time, Payal regularly volunteers at Saint Francis House Day Shelter and Ricesticks and Tea Asian Food Pantry. She has been recognized for her volunteerism by the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation, receiving the President’s Volunteer Service Award several years in a row.

Representative Experience

  • Favorably resolved threatened litigation between government agency and corporate provider of facilities management.
  • Negotiated favorable resolution of federal and state government investigations for regulated corporate clients, including matters involving the False Claims Act.
  • Favorably resolved preliminary inquiries and investigations by the State Ethics Commission, including complete dismissals and private education letters.
  • Implemented policies and procedures in corporate employment practices.
  • Assisted in mediating a favorable settlement for clients in a business dispute involving the dissolution of a corporate entity.
  • Served as hearing officer and committee chair for attorney disciplinary proceedings.
  • Won dismissals and negotiated favorable outcomes for indigent clients facing significant charges in District Court criminal proceedings.
  • Dismissed and prevailed on a summary judgment against claims for breach of contract, securities fraud, and misrepresentation seeking between $7 million and $100 million in damages asserted against a Fortune 100 company.

Speaking Engagements

  • The Ethical Attorney – Mental Health and the Legal Profession, Panelist, Boston Bar Association (March 2024)
  • Perilous or Persuasive?: Decision Points and Approaches for Making Your Case to the Government, Panelist, Federal Bar Association 2024 Qui Tam Conference (February 2024)
  • Understanding Identities and Addressing Racism and Bias, Panelist, SJC Standing Committee on Lawyer Well-Being Attorney Mentoring Program (January 2024)
  • The Sandwich Generation: Balancing Family & Workplace Demands, Moderator, Boston Bar Association (January 2024)
  • Appellate Bench-Bar Conference, Facilitator, Flaschner Institute (December 2023)
  • Private Interest Legal Practice, Greater Boston Asian Pacific American Law Students Association Conference, Panelist, Boston University (November 2023)
  • Q&A with Massachusetts Newest Appellate Judges, Moderator, MCLE Appellate Practice Conference (October 2023)
  • Dealing With Conflict, Field Placement Seminar, Guest speaker, University of Massachusetts Law School (October 2023)
  • Mental Health and Well-Being in Law School and the Legal Profession, Speaker, Harvard Law School (September 2023)
  • Paths To The Judiciary, Moderator, Boston Bar Association (July 2023)
  • Top 10 Skills Every Litigator Must Have, Panelist, MCLE (June 2023)
  • Conflicts in Representing a Business, Panelist, NBI SEMS (June 2023)
  • James A. Brink Annual Dinner, Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers, Featured Speaker (September 2023)
  • The importance of mental health, well being, and being centered through law school and the legal profession: a personal account. Guest Speaker, Boston University Law School Orientation (August 2023)
  • Parallel Civil Litigation and Criminal Enforcement in IP, Antitrust and No-poach, panelist, Boston Bar Association (June 2023)
  • Overcoming Obstacles as a Diverse Attorney, panelist, Asian American Lawyers Association of Massachusetts (June 2023)
  • Is the Massachusetts Anti-SLAPP Statute Working as Intended?, panelist, Massachusetts Bar Association (May 2023)
  • Attorney-Client Privilege, In re Grand Jury, and Dual-Purpose Communications, panelist, Boston Bar Association (May 2023)
  • Pro Bono & Community Service as a Pathway to Well-being & Job Satisfaction, panelist, Well Being Week In Law (May 2023)
  • Maintaining an Ethical Practice Who is the Client? Avoiding Conflicts of Interest When Representing Couples Setting Reasonable Attorney Fees Guarding Confidentiality, panelist, NBI SEMS (April 2023)
  • Preserving Privilege, Confidentiality, and the Work-Product Doctrine: Essential Guidelines, panelist, NBI SEMS (March 2023)
  • Advising Small and Closely Held Businesses: Top Challenges, panelist, NBI SEMS (March 2023)
  • Finding Your Voice in the Courtroom and Boardroom, moderator, Women’s Bar Association (February 2023)
  • Fresh Perspective: Getting to Know the Newest Members of the Appeals Court and First Circuit, moderator, MCLE (December 2022)
  • Non-Big Law Careers, panelist, Asian American Lawyers Association of Massachusetts (September 2022)
  • Women’s Day of Conversation, facilitator, Women’s Bar Association (May 2022)
  • Building and Maintaining Your Legal Network While Working Remote/Hybrid, Boston Bar Association (April 2022)
  • Common Pitfalls of a Senior Associate: Ethics and Conflicts Refresher, Boston Bar Association (February 2022)
  • Chapter 93A Claims – Mastery of Critical Issues, Boston Bar Association (January 2022)
  • When the Love is Gone: Small Business Divorce & Shareholder Disputes, National Business Institute (June 2021)
  • Business Litigation Year in Review, Boston Bar Association (June 2021)
  • Virtual Courtroom: Perspective of the Juror, Women’s Bar Association (June 2021)
  • Restrictions are Loosening: What Will Your Depositions, Arbitrations and Trials Look Like, Boston Bar Association (June 2021)
  • Planning for the Transfer of Ownership and Operating Control of a Privately-Held Business From One Generation to the Next, Boston Bar Association (April 2021)
  • Nonprofit Board Membership 101, Board Connection, United Way (April 2021)
  • Related Aspects of Prepping Trials in the Remote World, White Collar Crime Conference, Boston Bar Association (February 2021)
  • Do’s and Don’ts of Depositions, Boston Bar Association (February 2021)
  • Ethical Dilemmas and Considerations in Representing Impaired Clients, Boston Bar Association (January 2021)
  • Best Practices for Conducting a Zoom Trial, Women’s Bar Association (December 2020)
  • Zoom Litigation: What’s Working and What’s Not, Moderator, Boston Bar Association (September 2020)
  • Access to Justice, Pro Bono, Public Service and LAR, Practicing with Professionalism Panelist, Boston Bar Association, Massachusetts Bar Association, Lynn Bar Association (September 2020)
  • Mentorship Committee Office Hours, South Asian Bar Association of Greater Boston (September 2020)
  • Semester Kick-Off: Diverse Career Pathways, Boston College Law (September 2020)
  • Q1-Q2 2020 Enforcement Trends and What They Mean For Your Company, Health Care Compliance Association (July 2020)
  • Job Hunting & e-Networking During a Pandemic, South Asian Bar Association of Greater Boston (July 2020)
  • Force Majeure: What it Means for Your Company During the COVID-19 Crisis, Asian American Lawyers Association of Massachusetts (May 2020)
  • How to Increase Your Visibility as a New Lawyer, Boston Bar Association (May 2020)
  • Civil Litigation Series: Drafting Complaints and Answers, Boston Bar Association (February 2019)
  • Representing Closely Held Businesses Post-Baker v. WilmerHale: A Delicate Dance, Moderator, Boston Bar Association (January 2019)
  • SLAPP Happy Redux: The Anti-SLAPP Statute One Year After Blanchard, Moderator, Boston Bar Association (June 2018)
  • How to Excel as a Second Chair, Presenter, Boston Bar Association (June 2018)
  • A Young Lawyer’s Guide to Litigating Closely-Held Business Disputes, Co-Presenter, American Bar Association (May 2018)
  • Practicing with Professionalism, Panelist, Boston Bar Association (2016, 2017 and 2018)
  • Speed Networking with Labor & Employment Attorneys, Panelist, Boston Bar Association (January 2018)
  • Student Trial Advocacy Program, American Association for Justice, Volunteer Judge (March 2017)

Publications

  • Jurisdictional issue jeopardizes eight-figure verdict, contributor, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (June 2023)
  • In family business dispute, appraisal right deemed waived, contributor, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (April 2023)
  • Snap Judgments: Local lawyers offer issues to watch for in 2023, contributor, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (December 2022)
  • Massachusetts Evidence: A Courtroom Reference; Ch. 9 Documentary Evidence, co-author, MCLE (2022)
  • Fighting stigma: speaking up, author, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (September 2022)
  • Judge denies dissolution of corporation in Hyannis ferry family feud, contributor, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (March 2022)
  • The Diminished Utility of Anti-SLAPP Motions, co-author, Massachusetts Bar Association (November 2018)
  • Massachusetts Appeals Court Declines To Extend Prohibition Against Contingent Fee Agreements With Expert Witnesses, co-author, Massachusetts Bar Association (September 2018)

Community and Professional Involvement

  • Asian American Lawyers Association of Massachusetts
  • Boston CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), Board of Directors, Vice President
  • Board of Bar Overseers, Hearing Officer
  • Boston Bar Association:
    • Council Member
    • Business and Commercial Litigation Section, Former Co-Chair
    • Women’s Leadership and Advancement Forum Advisory Committee
    • BBA/BBF Joint Planning Committee
    • Ethics Committee, Former Member
  • Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers, Board of Directors
  • Massachusetts Bar Association
  • South Asian Bar Association of Greater Boston, Past President
  • Supreme Judicial Court’s Standing Committee on Lawyer Well-Being, Elected to 3-year term
  • Women’s Bar Association of Massachusetts, former Treasurer of the Board of Directors
  • Women’s Bar Foundation, Trustee
  • Women’s White Collar Defense Association, Awards Committee Vice Chair