Michael E. Traynor, Esq., City Solicitor
Please be advised that the City of Worcester Law Department will be temporarily moving to 51 Sever Street,
The mission of the Law Department is to provided legal advice and representation to the City Manager, City Council and the officers, employees, boards and commissions of the City of Worcester.
Specifically, the Law Department provides legal advice and representation to the City Manager, City Council and the officers and agencies for which the City Manager is responsible for under the city charter. The city solicitor is the chief legal officer of the city and is responsible for the Deputy and Assistant City Solicitors in the department. The functions of the department are performed and managed under four sections:
Public Notice: Law Department Moving to a Temporary Location - Learn More
The liability of the city is set and limited by state law. Generally, the city is liable only for specific acts of negligence in responding to dangerous conditions, not for the dangerous conditions themselves. For example, the city is liable if it does not repair a pothole within a reasonable time after discovering it - the city is not responsible for keeping the streets free of potholes. The law also imposes strict requirements for filing claims. Claims involving streets (potholes, etc) must be filed with 30 days of the incident. If you believe you meet the legal criteria for a claim against the city, you should file a claim against the city.
We encourage you to submit your application ONLINE through our new portal linked below! Please complete all required fields, electronically sign and upload the appropriate documents.
Alternatively, you may continue to use the Claim Form by printing out the Claim Form, filling it out, signing it and returning it to the City Clerk's Office.
Law Department
51 Sever Street
Worcester, MA 01609
Phone: 508-799-1161
Fax: 508-799-1163
Email Us
Office Hours:
Monday - Friday
8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
