Taylor-Kolis, Donna

Attorney Neil Tassel primarily focuses his practice at Denner Pellegrino, LLP, Counselors At Law on criminal defense and related civil litigation in State and Federal Courts.

A graduate of Vanderbilt University (BA, 1987) and Tulane Law School (JD, Cum Laude, 1990), he became a federal judicial law clerk for two years following graduation in the Western District of Louisiana, and in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

In 1992, he joined the Criminal Bureau of the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office. He briefed and argued many appeals in Court of Appeals, Supreme Judicial Court , and United States Court of Appeals. In 1993 he received an assignment in the Safe Neighborhood Initiative (SNI) which placed him within the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office. There he handled thousands of cases in the District Court, including firearms, drugs, operating under the influence and domestic violence. In 1997, he moved within the District Attorney's Office to Superior Court and there investigated thousands of violent crimes, firearms and trafficking level cases. As the Chief Prosecutor for the Dorchester SNI, he prosecuted over 300 cases from indictment to disposition, and developed close ties within the Boston Police Department, The State Police, and federal law enforcement including the ATF, DEA, FBI and immigration.

A significant portion of Mr. Tassel's work load in Superior Court was repeat offender drug distribution and armed career criminal/repeat offender firearm cases. One of the first prosecutors to use the state's armed career criminal statute; he became familiar with all the issues that can arise from its application. He assisted in the organization and execution of many undercover investigations and search warrants for drugs and other evidence.

Mr. Tassel has diverse interests in private life that include scuba diving (he is a PADI diving instructor), computers, and motorcycles.

Since entering private practice, Mr. Tassel has used his experience and knowledge of the criminal justice system to assist many individuals who are facing problems. His understanding of the complex repeat offender firearms and drug laws can be of immense value in those cases. He can be reached 24 hours a day through the firm's phone numbers above.