Mala is the managing partner at Rosenfeld & Rafik, P.C., a law firm in New England representing clients denied short- and long-term disability benefits by private insurance carriers. The firm also concentrates on obtaining health, life and long-term care insurance benefits for its clients. Mala's clients are typically individuals with debilitating chronic illnesses and disabilities for whom she has achieved several pivotal litigation victories in state and federal court. She is a member of the Boston Bar Association Council, a Vice-Chair of the Health and Disability Law General Committee within the Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section of the American Bar Association, and the Secretary/Newsletter Editor of the Insurance Law Section of the American Association for Justice. She is also a member of the Board of Directors of the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, Health Law Advocates, Massachusetts Advocates for Children, and Massachusetts Correctional Legal Services.
Mala is a graduate of Colby College and Northeastern University School of Law.
Areas of Practice:
Long & Short-Term Disability Benefits/Disability Insurance
ERISA/Employee Benefits Law
Health Care Access/Health Insurance
Life & Long-Term Care Insurance
Bar Admissions:
Massachusetts, 1997
U.S. District Court District of Massachusetts
U.S. Court of Appeals 1st Circuit
Education:
Northeastern University School of Law, Boston, Massachusetts
Colby College
Honors: Cum Laude
Representative Cases:
Weed v. Prudential Ins. Co. of Am., 2009 WL 2835207 (D.Mass. 2009)
Colby v. Assurant Employee Benefits, 635 F.Supp.2d 88 (D. Mass. 2009)
Colby v. Assurant Employee Benefits, 603 F.Supp.2d 223 (D.Mass. 2009)
Sansby v. Prudential Ins. Co. of America, 2009 WL 799468 (D.Mass. 2009)
Glista v. Unum Life Insurance Co. of America, 378 F.3d at 126 (1st Cir. 2004)
Ritter v. Massachusetts Casualty Insurance Company, 439 Mass. 214 (Mass. 2003)
Sanderson v. Continental Casualty Company, 2005 WL 2340741 (D.Del. 2005)
Sanderson v. Continental Casualty Company, 279 F.Supp.2d 466 (D.Del. 2003)
Skipper v. Claims Services International, 213 F.Supp.2d 4 (D.Mass. 2002)
Antonio ex. rel. Mother v. Boston Public Schools, 314 F.Supp.2d 95 (D.Mass. 2004)
Doe v. Raytheon Company, 2002 WL 168279 (D.Mass. 2002)
Classes/Seminars Taught:
Practical Tips for Handling Health Care Insurance Claims, American Association for Justice, 2010
Discovery in ERISA Cases Post MetLife v. Glenn: Is It Really Wide-Open?, American Conference Institute, 2010
Benefit Claims: Litigation, National Institute on ERISA Basics, American Bar Association, 2010
Subrogation and Reimbursement, National Institute on ERISA Basics, American Bar Association, 2010
Current Challenges In Disability Discrimination Cases And The Interrelationship Between Disability Benefits And Discrimination Claims, Boston Bar Association, Employment Law Section, 2010
Top 10 Current Issues in ERISA Litigation of Life, Health and Disability Insurance Claims, American Bar Association, Mid-Winter Meeting, 2010
Disability Claims in a Down Economy, ALI-ABA Live Video Webcast, 2009
What Employment Lawyers Need To Know About ERISA, Massachusetts Bar Association, 2009
Glenn v. Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, Circuit Round-up, American Association for Justice, 2009
ERISA Litigation, Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, 2008
Litigating Disability Insurance Claims Conference, American Conference Institute, 2003 - 2005
Litigating Disability Insurance Claims Conference, American Conference Institute, 2007 - 2009
Alternative Dispute Resolution, DRI Life, Health, Disability and ERISA Conference, 2007
ERISA Updates – The Year in Review, American Association for Justice, 2007
Health Care and Disability Litigation Group, Strategies for Winning at the Claims, CLE: Beacon for New Lawyers, Boston Bar Association, June 23, 2006, June 23, 2006
Elder Law Answers, Tips on Negotiating with an Insurer for Medical Coverage, Boston Bar Association, 2006
Elder and Disability Law Conference, Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, 2005
What Employment Lawyers Need To Know About ERISA, Boston Bar Association, September 1, 2005
ERISA Long Term Disability Claims, Brown Bag Lunch, Boston Bar Association, 2005
ERISA Primer, Health Law Advocates, 2005
Long Term Disability Seminar, Massachusetts Employment Lawyers Association, 2004
Level and for Developing the Possible Record, American Association for Justice, 2004
Litigating ERISA Disability Cases: Practical Considerations, American Board of Vocational Examiners, 2003
ERISA Health Insurance Claims, Health Law Advocates, 2003
The ERISA Internal Appeals Process, Boston Bar Association, 2002
Illusive Civil Rights Protection in Employment: Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act, MRA Annual Conference & Business Meeting, November 17, 2000
Understanding Legal Issues Impacting Caregiving, ALS Association of Massachusetts, November 2, 2000
Practical Considerations for Obtaining Long-Term Disability for People with RSI, Repetitive Strain Injury Action
Professional Associations and Memberships:
American Association for Justice, Health Care and Disability Litigation Group, Insurance Law Section
Secretary
American Association for Justice, Health Care and Disability Litigation Group
Member
American Bar Association
Member
American Bar Association
Health and Disability Insurance Law General Committee
American Bar Association, 2008 - 2010
Vice-Chair, Health and Disability Committee
Boston Bar Association, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Section, 2008 - Present
Council Member
Boston Bar Association, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Section, 2006 - 2008
Co-Chair
Boston Bar Association
Member
Massachusetts Bar Association
Member
Massachusetts Employment Lawyers Association
Member
American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts
Board of Directors
Health Law Advocates
Board of Directors
Massachusetts Advocates for Children
Board of Directors
Massachusetts Correctional Legal Services
Board of Directors
