Reynolds Rappaport & Kaplan

Reynolds, Rappaport, Kaplan and Hackney, LLC, founded in 1986 by James F. Reynolds, Jane D. Kaplan, and Ronald H. Rappaport, is the largest law firm on the island of Martha's Vineyard. Our firm has been built on a foundation of professionalism, commitment to excellence, and years of dedicated experience, earning us an outstanding reputation in the community. We specialize in Municipal Law, Real Estate Law, Estate and Trust Law, Corporate and Business Law, and Civil Litigation.

Our Services

Our real estate lawyers represent clients in all matters related to real property. These include residential and commercial sales, purchases, and financing; the drafting of leases and easements; research related to rights and titles; and property registration and other matters with the Massachusetts Land Court.

In Estate and Trust Law, our practice includes the preparation of simple and complex estate planning documents (including wills, trusts, and LLCs), the settlement of estates (including Massachusetts probate and state and federal estate tax filings) and the administration of a variety of trusts.

Our corporate law practice assists clients in a variety of ways, such as acquiring and selling businesses; creating business entities and managing subsequent corporate filings; handling financing of corporate assets; and drafting leases, contracts, and agreements.

We represent five of the six Island towns, plus the Martha's Vineyard Land Bank, in Municipal Law. On a daily basis, we answer questions on zoning, land use, board procedure, municipal finance, and in other areas when legal questions arise in the day-to-day business of government.

Our civil litigators represent individual, corporate, non-profit, and municipal clients in matters that require court action. We have represented clients in the Probate Court, District Court, Superior Court, Appeals Court, and the Supreme Judicial Court, as well as in the Federal District Court and the First Circuit Court of Appeals.

Our Team

Over the years, the firm has grown and maintained a team of attorneys and staff who are dedicated to the Island, its people, and each other. This provides a strong foundation from which to assist our clients. Our team includes:

Karen D. Burke, Michael A. Goldsmith, S. Fain Hackney, Kathryn R. Ham, Zeb Landsman, Isabelle Lew, Jennifer S. Rako, Ronald H. Rappaport, Sean Tinsley, and Cynthia G. Wansiewicz.

Notable Cases

While we cannot disclose specific details about our cases due to attorney-client privilege, our firm has been involved in numerous notable cases throughout the years that have had significant impacts on the island and its residents. These cases have ranged from complex real estate transactions to high-profile municipal disputes, demonstrating our firm's versatility and commitment to providing top-notch legal services to our clients.