Bolla, Lawrence C.

Michael B. Bogdanow follows two professional passions in life: law and art. By day, he maintains a diverse practice at Meehan, Boyle, Black & Bogdanow, and in his spare time he creates paintings and sculptures in his Lexington home studio. While the two enterprises might seem contradictory - the rationality of law vs. the creativity of art - to Bogdanow, they occupy a common ground.

"Certainly art draws from the creative, nonverbal, aesthetic and spiritual part of the brain," notes Bogdanow. "And law is more analytical, more verbal, more social and more direct. But there still is overlap. As an attorney I often find myself tapping into my skills as an artist. I try to view each case individually and to be as creative as possible in addressing the client's needs."

Bogdanow's breadth of interests also manifests itself in the breadth of his practice. He enjoys tackling many different types of cases, including personal injury litigation on both the plaintiff and defense sides, as well as appellate litigation and insurance coverage matters. Over the years, he has become familiar with subjects ranging from medical devices and prescription drugs to amusement park rides and flammable fabrics.  He also is a prodigious writer. In 1993, he authored a legal treatise, "Massachusetts Tort Damages," that is widely used as a reference by personal injury practitioners and judges. In 1999 he wrote the second edition of the treatise, which was published by Lexis Law Publishing. He has also contributed to many other books, and has published numerous articles on tort and insurance law.

A native of Houston, Bogdanow has practiced law in Boston since his graduation from Harvard Law School in 1984. He first worked at one of Boston's larger litigation firms where he met his future Meehan, Boyle, Black & Bogdanow colleagues. Bogdanow joined the expanding firm in 1985, and is now its Managing Officer.

Like others at the firm, Bogdanow manages to make time to participate in bar activities. He is a member of the Joint Bar Committee on Judicial Appointments. He is a former Co-Chair of the Boston Bar Association Litigation Section, and formerly served as the Co-Chair of its Tort Committee. He has served as President of the Massachusetts chapter of the Federal Bar Association and has been a member of a variety of committees of the Massachusetts Bar Association and the Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys.