Our friend and colleague, Bernie Jackvony, was honored this month by the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Action Network with the Volunteer Award for Excellence in Advocacy, recognizing his more than 40 years of dedicated service. 

A Marine, former Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island, and nationally recognized attorney, Bernie exemplifies a life of public service that inspires his colleagues, friends and community. Beyond his distinguished career in public service, he has devoted decades to advancing the mission to end cancer. Congratulations Bernie, we are proud to have you on our team! 

The Génere Family of Businesses, through Rhode Island owned Red’s Farm LLC, has acquired Warwick Poultry Co., Inc., a 75-year-old family-owned wholesale distributor of fresh and frozen poultry and meat products. The acquisition strategically integrates Warwick Poultry’s specialized product offerings and restaurant and retail distribution channels into Génere’s already diverse portfolio of wholesale food offerings. As with its prior acquisitions, Génere is committed to preserving Warwick Poultry’s long-standing reputation for customer service while strengthening local food distribution and product offerings. Together, the companies represent more than 125 employees, four warehouses, and over 30 trucks serving New England. Partner Benjamin L. Rackliffe who led the buy-side legal team, along with entire PLDO family, extend congratulations and well wishes to Génere, its ownership and core operations team on this strategic expansion.  

For businesses exploring acquisitions, growth opportunities, or succession planning, our team is ready to provide trusted counsel to help you achieve your goals. 

Rhode Island’s Cannabis Control Commission has officially launched the long-anticipated application period for new adult-use cannabis retail licenses. This marks a major milestone in the state’s continued rollout of the legal cannabis market — and a significant opportunity for both established operators and new entrants.

Applicants seeking one of the six reserved social equity licenses must first complete the certification process by September 29, 2025 and obtain certification in order to apply for a social equity retail license. 

For existing clients and prospective applicants, now is the time to prepare. Social equity applicants should prioritize certification as soon as possible, while all applicants should begin assembling the documentation and local approvals required for a complete submission.

If you have questions about eligibility, zoning, site control, or the application process, our firm is here to help guide you through every step. Please contact PLDO partner Benjamin L. Rackliffe to learn more.

Partner Brian J. Lamoureux, spoke with Rhode Island Lawyers Weekly about cybersecurity risks facing the U.S. District Court’s online docket system.  

“In the wake of recent cyberattacks, Lamoureux said attorneys should think twice about filing under seal documents containing categories of information that are non-public — ‘insider’ information that should not be on the street.” 

“Until [recently], I wouldn’t have had any second thoughts about that,” he said. “I think a prudent practitioner [now] would: (a) be thinking about do they really need to file that under seal; and (b) if they do, whether they need to be making sure it’s redacted in a way that is still appropriate for the court to review; but if it gets disclosed as part of some sort of breach, you’ve at least taken some commercially reasonable steps to minimize the impact.”  

The content of this newsletter is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading or relying on the information provided does not create an attorney-client relationship between the reader and PLDO. For legal advice specific to your situation, please consult one of our qualified attorneys.