Melissa Sampson McMorrow

Nutter created the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE), which is now the federally recognized regional accreditor of post-secondary institutions for the six New England states. NECHE assumed the business functions of the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education, previously managed by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.

NECHE’s scope includes the accreditation and pre-accreditation of institutions of higher education in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont that award bachelor’s, master’s, and/or doctoral degrees and associate degree-granting institutions in those states that include degrees in liberal arts or general studies among their offerings, including the accreditation of programs offered via distance education within these institutions.

Nutter served as legal advisor in the merger of LifeLinks, Inc., a human services agency headquartered in Chelmsford, MA, and CLASS, a human services agency based in Lawrence, MA.

Nutter served as legal advisor to Career Resources Corporation, a human services agency headquartered in Haverhill, MA, in connection with its merger with Fidelity House Human Services, a human services agency based in Lawrence, MA.

Nutter advised Brighton Marine on all aspects of the development of The Residences at Brighton Marine, a $46 million project that created 102 units of affordable housing in Boston with a preference for veterans. Nutter provided counsel on all aspects of the project, including the original strategic planning, the permitting, the formation of the joint venture with WinnCompanies, the ground lease to the joint venture, and the financing.

Nutter advised MNB Bancorp, the parent company of The Milford National Bank and Trust Company, a national bank, both of Milford, Massachusetts, in its acquisition by Independent Bank Corp. (NASDAQ Global Select Market: INDB). Independent is the parent company of Rockland Trust Company. The total value of the transaction was approximately $54 million.

Nutter represented a top-rated health plan in the acquisition of a Medicaid provider of health insurance in a transaction valued at $130 million and included earn-outs.

Nutter acted as special counsel to the Board of Governors of a major nonprofit hospital system in connection with the sale of the system to a for-profit entity. We were independent counsel to the Board with respect to fiduciary duties and processes in evaluating and approving the proposed transaction. Nutter also provided advice with regard to officers and directors liability insurance.

Nutter represented a nonprofit corporation in its consolidation with another not-for-profit corporation in a similar but complementary line of business. We provided advice on the structure of the transaction, from the tax exempt, regulatory, and corporate perspectives. We documented and negotiated the transaction, and provided advice to the board of directors on governance considerations.

Nutter represented a nonprofit corporation in a restructuring of its unusual and complicated corporate structure involving not-for-profit and for-profit corporations. We provided tax, corporate, regulatory, and governance advice to our client to enable it successfully to complete the restructuring.

Nutter represented Cedar’s Mediterranean Foods Inc. in the formation of Cedar's With Heart Inc., its nonprofit initiative whose mission is to end food insecurity and support local youth enrichment programs in Massachusetts schools and communities.

Nutter served as legal counsel to Eastern Bank Corporation, the mutual holding company of Eastern Bank, in its conversion to a fully public stock holding company known as Eastern Bankshares, Inc. (NASDAQ Global Select Market: EBC).

Nutter served as legal counsel to Eastern Bankshares, Inc. (Nasdaq Global Select Market: EBC), the stock holding company for Eastern Bank, in connection with its acquisition of Century Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq: CNBKA), the stock holding company for Century Bank and Trust Company, in a transaction valued at approximately $642 million.

Nutter is serving as legal counsel to Eastern Bankshares, Inc. (NASDAQ Global Select Market: EBC), the stock holding company for Eastern Bank, in connection with its definitive merger agreement with Cambridge Bancorp (NASDAQ: CATC), the parent company of Cambridge Trust Company, pursuant to which Cambridge will merge with and into Eastern in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $528 million. Simultaneously, Nutter is also representing Eastern Insurance Group, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Eastern, in its definitive agreement to sell its insurance operations to Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (NYSE: AJG) for approximately $510 million in cash.

Nutter is serving as legal counsel to Fidelity Bank in connection with its agreement with Cape Cod 5 to merge their respective mutual holding companies under one multi-bank holding company, Mutual Bancorp, subject to regulatory approval.

Nutter advised G.A. Fleet Associates and Fleet Pump (together, Fleet) in connection with its acquisition by Vessco Water (Vessco), a portfolio company of Gryphon Investors and one of the largest full-service water treatment equipment distributors in the nation. 

Nutter represented the NWHL in connection with its preparation of the NWHL 2021 Season in Lake Placid, including securing a broadcast agreement with NBC Sports Network and a venue agreement for the event with the Herb Brooks Arena. Nutter also represented the NWHL in connection with its reorganization to an unincorporated association and new governance model, resulting in the original six NWHL member clubs being subject to the terms of the NWHL Constitution and Bylaws with each of the member clubs being represented on the NWHL Board of Governors.  

Nutter served as legal counsel to Tufts Health Plan in connection with its combination with Harvard Pilgrim Health Care. The newly combined nonprofit organization will become one of the region’s largest health services organizations, providing high-quality health coverage in every segment of the market.