Michael L. Tumposky

Michael Tumposky is a talented litigator who has tried numerous criminal and civil cases to verdict in both state and federal courts. He has also represented clients before the Massachusetts Appeals Court, the Supreme Judicial Court, the First Circuit Court of Appeals, the New Hampshire federal court, the DC federal court, and the Supreme Court of the United States. In 2014, he was appointed to the Criminal Justice Act (CJA) Panel. As a member of that Panel, Michael is one of a very limited number of attorneys in the Boston area certified to accept appointed federal criminal cases in the United States District Court. Additionally, in 2018, he was chosen for the CPCS homicide panel, where he serves as one of the few, select attorneys screened by the public defender’s office to represent individuals charged by the Commonwealth with murder.

Over the course of his many years in practice, he has defended a wide variety of criminal cases, ranging from simple misdemeanors such as drug possession, drunk driving, and assault and battery, to more complex felonies such as murder, terrorism, racketeering, sex trafficking, armed robbery, kidnapping, identity theft, money laundering, drug and gun trafficking, child pornography possession and distribution, child enticement, sexual assault, wire fraud, mail fraud, welfare fraud, and tax fraud. He also maintains an active appellate practice, handling matters such as rape, arson, sexual assault and murder in state court, to RICO cases, terrorism, and drug trafficking in federal court.

Michael’s strengths in both courtroom advocacy and legal research and writing, as well as his in-depth knowledge of the rules of evidence and procedure, allow him to offer a full array of services to his clients. Typically, he will first challenge a case on legal grounds, by moving to dismiss or to suppress physical evidence and any statements made to the police. He will then offer a vigorous defense at trial or reach a favorable outcome which, where possible, preserves a client’s record and avoids jail time altogether. Finally, in the event that the trial outcome is unfavorable, he will fight to obtain a reversal of the conviction, either through a motion for new trial or through a direct appeal. He has successfully argued for reversal of a sexual assault conviction before the Supreme Judicial Court and has overturned a first-degree murder conviction and a terrorism charge. He has additionally obtained new trials for clients convicted of arson, assault, drug dealing, and gun possession and more.

He also represents clients in civil cases in both state and federal courts, at the trial and appellate level. He has tried cases to verdict in areas ranging from police misconduct and First Amendment violations, to employment discrimination and common law torts. He has also obtained favorable monetary settlements from municipal and state agencies, as well as private corporations and insurance companies.

Michael was admitted to the Massachusetts bar more than twenty years ago and recently joined the New Hampshire bar. He is a graduate of Northeastern University School of Law and got his B.A from Rutgers College. Prior to opening Tumposky & Associates, P.C. in 2024, Michael co-founded Hedges & Tumposky, where he worked for over fifteen years. In law school, he interned for Judge Stahl of the First Circuit Court of Appeals and defended tenants from eviction while working for the WilmerHale Legal Services Center.

He is also conversant in Spanish. In fact, he has successfully represented clients who do not speak English as a first language, as well as those who speak no English at all.

Michael has lectured extensively in topics including substantive law, evidence, and trial practice and theory. He is currently on the adjunct faculty at Northeastern University School of Law, where he teaches Evidence and Trial Practice. He is also a graduate of the National Criminal Defense College, which is a two-week, intensive training program focused on advanced trial practice theories and techniques. He has been interviewed on issues in criminal law and criminal justice by the Boston Globe, Mass Lawyers Weekly, and the Boston Herald, and has appeared on both ABC and Fox as a commentator.

His new textbook, Evidence in Focus: A Practitioner’s Approach, was released in September of 2024 and is available from Aspen Publishing or at Amazon.com. He has also written various book chapters for MCLE on how to defend a criminal case.

Michael currently serves on the CJA Board, which supervises the panel of attorneys who accept court-appointed, federal cases. He also recently joined the board of the Massachusetts Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, where he co-chairs the Training Committee. Michael has previously served on the board of the ACLU of Massachusetts as well as VenturingOut, a non-profit organization that trained soon-to-be-released prisoners in entrepreneurship so they can successfully and productively re-enter society. He also served on the board of the Orchard School, a private school in New Hampshire which provides alternative, nature-based, early education. A graduate of Latin School, Michael was born and raised in Boston, where he lives with his wife and three children.