Justice Law Collaborative, LLC Named a 2025 "Best Women-Led Law Firm"
America’s Largest All-Women-Founded and Led Plaintiffs’ Firm Recognized for the Second Consecutive Year
BOSTON, Mass. (September 29, 2025) – For the second consecutive year, Justice Law Collaborative, LLC (JLC), the largest all-women-founded and led plaintiffs’ firm in the country, has been recognized by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly as a Best Women-Led Law Firm (2025). Firms included in this list are owned, operated, led, or helmed by women who have made significant contributions in the legal industry, for their clients, staff, and community, and who help women thrive across Massachusetts’ legal profession.
Within the first six months of this year, Justice Law Collaborative experienced explosive growth and recognition. The firm completed a merger with Yaeger Law in January, closely followed by a second merger with KBM Law in June. The combined moves strategically resulted in the addition of two partners – Laura Yaeger and Karen Barth Menzies – and transformed Justice Law Collaborative into the largest, all-women-owned and led plaintiffs’ firm in America.
“This year has been filled with more than a handful of milestones that were originally outlined when my law partner Paula Bliss and I co-founded our practice,” shared Kim Dougherty, Justice Law Collaborative co-founder and partner. “We envisioned a growing practice owned and operated by women that mentored, empowered, and accelerated opportunities for women in law. Each step we’ve taken is purpose-driven and has been executed with thoughtful consideration. We champion collaboration over competition, and lean into the innate strength and ability found in all women, an approach that has returned measurable success.”
To be named to Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly’s Best Women-Led Law Firms list, a firm must be led by a female attorney in Massachusetts and demonstrate success in the local legal community through growth in revenue or employees, recognition as a best workplace because of employee support programs, show a high level of employee morale, demonstrates strong and consistent community engagement, and has a record of helping women across the legal industry to thrive. JLC was named to MLW’s inaugural list in 2024, and is proud to be included in the 2025 list. Earlier this year, the firm was also recognized as a 2025 Empowering Women recipient for its ongoing efforts to encourage, support, and uplift women across the legal profession. The firm has received this honor for two consecutive years.
Now operating bi-coastally with offices in both California and Massachusetts, Justice Law Collaborative is further cementing its efforts to hold various institutions and facilities operating beneath the “troubled teen industry” moniker legally accountable. Additionally, the firm is legally pressuring insurance companies about unexpected coverage losses, and questioning the validity of add-on tests for patients undergoing in vitro fertilization, duped by corporate policies and overwhelming greed.
In the four years since its founding, Justice Law Collaborative has expanded to a team of 22, gained national visibility for its legal victories against high-profile physical and sexual abusers, and brought swift and lasting changes across state and nationwide legislatures through ongoing reform activity. Firm partners have sounded the alarm around alleged consumer fraud and breach of warranty claims associated with reproductive rights, have escalated ongoing legal and advocacy efforts to dismantle the “troubled teen industry” and human trafficking rings, and have played a pivotal role in advocating for the passage of both Federal and state legislation, providing added legal protection for all.
In July, JLC partner Laura Yaeger was elected to the American Association for Justice (AAJ) leadership as parliamentarian. For more than two decades, Yaeger has volunteered with the AAJ in various roles to champion the right to a trial by jury against powerful interests, and to safeguard the rights of consumers through policy work and court cases.
In addition, JLC co-founder Kim Dougherty was named a 2025 Lelia J. Robinson Award recipient by the Women’s Bar Association of Massachusetts. Named after the first woman admitted to practice law in Massachusetts, this highly coveted honor recognizes women who are pioneers in the legal profession and those who have achieved professional excellence. Dougherty joins other distinguished recipients, including Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey and 38th Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court, Kimberly Budd, among others.
“Throughout the last six months, we have experienced outcomes we can directly correlate to a consistent focus on professional development, advocacy, community involvement, and client service, as well as our engaged management style,” shared JLC co-founder and partner Paula Bliss. “From day one, we set out to create a firm where exceptional advocacy is matched by a commitment to uplift others–our clients, our colleagues, and the next generation of leaders. Receiving this award celebrates the incredible team that has worked hard to realize our vision, proving that together, we can raise industry standards and become a model for leading with purpose.”
About Justice Law Collaborative
Justice Law Collaborative (JLC) embodies the highest level of professional, trauma-informed legal expertise in social justice and advocacy. Owned and led entirely by women, the firm has represented athletes abused by Olympic coach Larry Nassar, teenagers tormented by hostile, uncertified schools parading as therapy-based programs for troubled teens, and has represented consumers and patients harmed by corporate greed and negligence, specifically the pharmaceutical, reproductive medicine, and tobacco industries. JLC attorneys have extensive experience in pharmaceutical and medical device litigation, wrongful death, medical malpractice, reproductive rights, sexual assault and abuse, and personal injury cases. Additionally, the firm is dedicated to legislative reform, spearheading efforts to modify statutes of limitations and enact new laws to protect the innocent and to provide proper financial and judicial remedies to victims. Justice Law Collaborative was ranked a 2025 Best Law Firm by Best Lawyers®, and firm partners have been named to Massachusetts Super Lawyer® and Best Lawyers® lists for multiple, consecutive years. After a duo of mergers in January (Yaeger Law) and June (KBM Law) of 2025, Justice Law Collaborative became the largest, all-women-owned and led plaintiffs’ firm in the country, with attorneys admitted to practice in California, Colorado, Florida, Massachusetts, and Texas. The firm maintains offices in both California and Massachusetts. More information about the firm and its far-reaching results can be found at: www.justicelawcollaborative.com.
To read about all the ranked women-led law practices across Massachusetts, follow this link.
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Media inquiries: Wendy Agudelo (wendy@imageprofessors.com)
SEPTEMBER 29, 2025
