RELEASE:  IMMEDIATE
CONTACT: Peter Bennett, PHONE: 207-773-4775
DATE: August 8, 2002

PETER BENNETT TO SPEAK AT AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION 125TH ANNUAL MEETING IN WASHINGTON, D.C. ON VIOLENCE IN THE WORKPLACE: HOW TO PREDICT AND PREVENT IT WHILE PROTECTING EMPLOYEE RIGHTS.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - PETER BENNETT, a Portland, Maine attorney will be speaking at the American Bar Association Annual Meeting held in Washington, D.C. on August 10-13, 2002. Bennett will be presenting a paper entitled "How Far is Too Far? Employee Misconduct and the Americans with Disabilities Act." This issue is one of the more important ones upon which the Courts disagree. Many courts hold that disability-triggered misconduct is protected by the Americans With Disabilities Act and requires a reasonable accommodation. On the other hand, a number of courts hold to the contrary. Bennett was lead attorney for Lepage Bakeries, Inc. in Reed v. Lepage Bakeries, Inc. the most current and leading case on this issue and which was decided by the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.

Bennett is President of The Bennett Law Firm, a Portland, Maine firm which specializes in representing management throughout the Northeast on matters of labor and employment law. Bennett graduated from Harvard University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree and received his law degree and Master's in Business Administration from Boston University where he serves on the Law School's Executive Committee and Alumni Association as President. He is also on the Board of the American Bar Association's Tort and Insurance Practice Section and a Vice President and Director of the International Society of Primerus Law Firms.