Boston Herald Interviews Philip Gordon
A struggle for power at Market Basket will likely lead to more lawsuits, says Philip Gordon of Gordon Law Group LLP. The company CEO Arthur T. Demoulas and several other high up professional employees were fired on Monday by the board – which is controlled by rival cousin Arthur S. Demoulas. Several other employees resigned in protest.
Philip Gordon was interviewed by the Boston Herald for legal perspective following the high-level firings at the Massachusetts-based grocery chain, Market Basket.
The board of directors controlled by Arthur S. Demoulas voted to terminate his cousin, CEO Arthur T. Demoulas, along with several senior professional employees. The leadership shake-up immediately prompted internal unrest, including multiple resignations made in protest and public expressions of worker solidarity.
Family Business Conflict Meets Employment Law Risk
Philip Gordon observed that corporate upheavals rooted in family control battles frequently carry downstream legal consequences especially when personnel decisions become entangled with workplace power struggles, retaliatory behavior, or forced exits.
He also noted that the Demoulas family has a long history of internal legal disputes, emphasizing that this incident is not an isolated tension point. When executive firings lead to mass resignations or protest-motivated departures, additional legal pathways can open, including:
- Constructive discharge claims
- Retaliation for protected protest activity
- Breach of implied employment agreements
- Violation of Massachusetts employment retaliation laws
- Interference with worker rights under state or federal labor statutes
Massachusetts employment retaliation laws protect employees at all levels, including service staff, corporate professionals, and senior executives, when adverse action is influenced by complaints, protest activity, or rights-based advocacy.
In volatile internal conflicts, employers must ensure that termination decisions are grounded in legitimate, non-retaliatory business reasons to withstand legal scrutiny.
Philip noted that this is far from the first family argument in the Demoulas family, whose company is based in Massachusetts and whose litigation is longstanding.
To read the article, click here. Gordon Law Group team of professionals has experience representing all employees, from service workers to CEOs.
If you would like to learn more about the case or employment laws in Massachusetts, contact us today.
