Laura Mannion Law, LLC

Attorney Laura Mannion

Laura graduated cum laude in 2009 from New England Law | Boston, where she focused her studies and clinical experiences on criminal defense and litigation. After graduation Laura worked as an associate at the criminal defense law firm Shea & LaRocque in Cambridge. In 2011 Laura started her own law practice dedicated to helping clients seek post-conviction relief from criminal convictions and assistance with the classification process with the Sex Offender Registry Board. She is on the Committee for Public Counsel Services’ post-conviction, SORB classification, and SORB appeals panels where she represents indigent defendants and petitioners in their criminal and SORB proceedings. She also serves as a mentor to attorneys who are new to practicing before the SORB, and represents individuals who wish to seek reclassification of their level with the Sex Offender Registry Board.

Laura frequently presents to other attorneys at continuing legal education seminars on post-conviction and sex offender issues and has taught as an adjunct professor at New England Law | Boston. She sits on the Board of Directors for the Massachusetts Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (“MACDL”) and serves as co-chair of the Events and Awards Committee. In 2015 she was honored by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly as one of 25 “Up and Coming Lawyers” and has been named a “Rising Star” by Super Lawyers every year from 2015-2018.

Motion to Terminate SORB Registration

Based on the client's age, offense free time in the community, family support, and a report by a forensic psychologist, Laura submitted a motion to terminate her client's registration obligation where the client posed no cognizable risk of reoffense or degree of dangerousness. SORB agreed, and although the client had been subject to mandatory lifetime registration, they were relieved of that obligation. 

Motion to Terminate SORB Registration

Based on the client's age, offense free time in the community, family support, and a report by a forensic psychologist, Laura submitted a motion to terminate her client's registration obligation where the client posed no cognizable risk of reoffense or degree of dangerousness. SORB agreed, and although the client had been subject to mandatory lifetime registration, they were relieved of that obligation. 

Motion to Terminate SORB Registration

Based on the client's age, offense free time in the community, family support, and a report by a forensic psychologist, Laura submitted a motion to terminate her client's registration obligation where the client posed no cognizable risk of reoffense or degree of dangerousness. SORB agreed, and although the client had been subject to mandatory lifetime registration, they were relieved of that obligation. 

Sex Offender Registry Board Level 1 Initial Classification

Most of the time when Laura gets retained in a SORB matter her client has already received his or her initial classification, which the client has requested a hearing to contest. But sometimes clients reach out earlier, and Laura is able to step in at this important stage to assist the client in assembling the best evidence to submit to SORB to help the agency make its preliminary classification. Laura worked closely with this client and his family to put together strong evidence of her client's rehabilitation and reduced risk, and SORB came back with a recommended initial classification of Level 1. The client was not only happy to obtain the best result possible, but he was also able to keep the cost of representation down by avoiding an evidentiary hearing.

Sex Offender Registry Board Level 1 Reclassification

After registering for nearly 15 years, Laura's client's risk to reoffend had been significantly reduced by the client's stable lifestyle. Laura assembled and interpreted the relevant recidivism research and applied it to the facts of her client's case, and was able to persuade SORB to reduce the client to a Level 1.

Sex Offender Registry Board Classification

We obtained a Level 2 classification in a case with difficult facts where SORB gave our client a preliminary classification level of 3. The hearing examiner ultimately agreed with us that our client did not pose a high risk of reoffense or degree of dangerousness to the community, and our client's personal registration information will not be actively disseminated.

Sex Offender Registry Board Classification

SORB preliminarily classified our client as a Level 2 offender, which means his personal information would be available to the public, and his photo and address would be posted on the internet. After a hearing we were able to obtain a Level 1 classification. Our client's personal information will not be available to the public and he can maintain his privacy.

Sex Offender Registry Board Classification

The Sex Offender Registry Board preliminarily classified our client as a Level 2 offender even though his only sex offense conviction was for a very minor offense from several years ago. A level 2 classification would mean that our client's information would be available to the public, including on the internet. We argued that a Level 1 classification was more appropriate, and the hearing examiner agreed.

Sex Offender Registry Board Reclassification

Based on newly committed offenses, the Sex Offender Registry Board sought to increase our client's classification level from a 2 to a 3. We had an expert forensic psychiatrist evaluate our client and testify to the Board that he did not pose a high risk of reoffense or degree of dangerousness. Following the hearing, the hearing examiner found that upwards re-classification was not warranted and retained our client's level 2 classification.

Sex Offender Registry Board Classification

The Sex Offender Registry Board sought to classify our client as a Level 2 offender. After an administrative hearing where we submitted substantial evidence demonstrating that our client was at a low risk to reoffend, the hearing examiner agreed and classified him as a Level 1 offender.

Sex Offender Registry Board Classification Hearing
Following a hearing where we presented substantial evidence, including testimony from a forensic psychologist, that our client did not pose a high risk to recidivate or a high degree of danger to the community the hearing examiner reduced our client’s recommended classification level from a 3 to a 2.

Sex Offender Registry Board Classification Hearing

SORB informed our client of its intent to classify him as a Level 3 offender. Following a bifurcated classification hearing where we presented expert testimony that our client did not pose a high risk to reoffend or degree of dangerousness, the hearing examiner classified our client as a Level 2 offender.

Sex Offender Registry Board Reclassification

Our client had been faithfully registering as a Level 3 sex offender for many years when he decided he wished to petition the Board to reduce his classification level. Following a reclassification hearing where we introduced evidence from a forensic psychologist that our client’s risk to reoffend had been substantially reduced since his initial classification hearing, the hearing examiner reduced our client’s classification from a Level 3 to a Level 2.

Remand for new Sex Offender Registry Board Hearing

A superior court judge agreed with us that our client had been prejudiced when SORB held his classification hearing more than four years prior to his earliest possible release date. The case was remanded for a new classification hearing so that we could go back in and present evidence of the significant progress our client had made during the last four years.

Motion for Sex Offender Registry Board Classification Hearing

When our client mistakenly waived his right to a classification hearing, the Board granted our request to provide him with a new hearing so that he could present evidence of why his risk of recidivism and degree of dangerousness had drastically reduced over time.