meet our team

leah barrault

Founding partner

Born and raised in a working-class family in New Hampshire, Leah is a full-blooded New Englander.

Leah received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of New Hampshire. It was during that time she made a commitment to a career path involving public service. She went on to work at and eventually direct programs servicing survivors of violence, incarcerated youth, and children suffering from traumatic brain injuries.

Leah has always loved helping people and in the interest of deepening her public service commitment, and broadening the scope of those she could help, she attended Northeastern University School of Law. She graduated with her Juris Doctor degree in 2004.

Through multiple co-ops and internships, it was at NEUSL that she gained a passion for both private and public sector labor-focused work. Leah saw the connection between working-class employees participating in workplace governance, achieving fair wages and benefits, and improving the lives of employees’ families and the larger communities in which they live and work.

After graduating from law school, Leah joined the ranks of a well-known Boston-based labor firm that represents private and public sector employees. For nearly two decades, she won numerous landmark decisions on behalf of her clients. In 2021, Leah decided that it was time for her to branch out and she established her own firm to continue to fight for the rights of public safety unions, organized labor, and individual employees as the founding partner of Barrault and Associates, LLC.

Leah is General Counsel to the Professional Firefighters of Massachusetts and The Professional Firefighters of Vermont and is Special Counsel to The State Police Association of Massachusetts Troopers. In addition, she represents over one hundred fire and police locals in the states of Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire. Leah also is the Parliamentarian for the Professional Firefighters of Massachusetts and recently served as a key member of International Association of Firefighters President Edward A. Kelly’s Transition Team.

  • Kathleen was born and raised in the Jamacia Plain and West Roxbury neighborhoods of Boston. She credits her family for instilling upon her the value of public service. While working as a paralegal at a local state agency, Kathleen earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology and paralegal studies from Suffolk University. Soon after graduation, she accepted what she thought would be a temporary position at one of the Commonwealth’s public retirement boards. The decision to accept that position and attend Suffolk University Law School, during the evenings, determined the trajectory of her career.

    Kathleen’s legal practice is exclusively focused on Massachusetts’ public sector retirement law. She served as the General Counsel and Executive Director at the largest city public employee retirement system and quickly realized the need to share her expertise. Kathleen’s commitment to serve those that serve has a broad impact. She leads one of the counties retirement boards, serves as a Board Trustee for a local retirement system, is the President of the Massachusetts Association of Contributory Retirement System, and is the founder of KKB Law Group.

    Not surprisingly, Kathleen’s career path intersected with Leah Barrault’s. Their organic collaboration stemmed from shared values and their work representing public employees. Kathleen partnered, as Of Counsel, with Barrault and Associates to offer her expertise in public retirement law to organized labor and public safety employees.

  • Nourhene was born and raised in Tunisia, North Africa. She attended Faculté des Sciences Juridiques, Politiques et Sociales de Tunis where she studied Civil and Common Law. During her studies, Nourhene took interest in alternative dispute resolution, focusing on international commercial arbitration and mediation. Following her graduation, she moved to Paris where she specialized in international law with a focus on cross-border multinational arbitration.

    It was during this time that Nourhene began to look for new challenges, finding her way to a full ride scholarship at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law where she obtained her Legum Magister, or Master of Laws, an advanced postgraduate degree for those who have already completed law school.

    After graduation, Nourhene has worked in a large, well known firm specializing in employment and labor law. Throughout her career, she has worked on many projects pertaining to corporate law, arbitration, and employment rights as well as immigration. Moving to Massachusetts in 2022, Nourhene brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the team at Barrault and Associates.

    She is currently admitted to Massachusetts and New York Bar. She is also a member of the Women’s Bar Association and is currently working on their Legislative Committee. Most recently, Nourhene was sworn into the United States Court for the District of Massachusetts.

  • Ally was born and raised in the Greater Boston Area and still resides here. After attending the University of Massachusetts for her undergraduate, Ally then attended the University of Connecticut School of Law where she earned her Juris Doctor. Ally comes to the team at Barrault and Associates with a diverse work history, which includes time as a Labor Organizer in San Diego for the SEIU Local 221.

    In addition to her work with unions, Ally also spent time working on multiple facets of governmental policy in the Office of Corporation Counsel in West Haven Connecticut. While in law school she studied alternative dispute resolution and also spent countless hours as a researcher specializing in public safety-focused case law.

    Following her graduation, Ally chose to work with Barrault & Associates because she was interested in protecting the rights of organized labor and public safety employees. Ally is currently admitted to the Massachusetts and Vermont Bar. Additionally, she is a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association as well as the Women’s Bar Association. In Spring of 2023, Ally was sworn into the United States Court for the District of Massachusetts.

  • Laurel was born and raised in the South Shore of Massachusetts. After attending Bridgewater State University for her undergraduate degree, Laurel started working at a worker’s compensation firm and developed a passion for helping and fighting for worker’s rights.

    Laurel earned her Juris Doctor at UMass School of Law, graduating Cum Laude in 2021. Throughout law school she worked at small general practice firms learning expertise in multiple areas of law, such as employment law, estate planning, probate, and small business management.

    Laurel continued this general practice path after obtaining her law license before shifting her focus back to helping and fighting for every day working people, which led her to joining our firm. Additionally, Laurel is a member of the Boston Bar Association and Bar Association of Norfolk County. Laurel is admitted to practice law in Massachusetts.

  • Hailey, originally from Orange County California, is a newcomer to Boston as of Summer 2022. She attended University of Texas - Austin for her undergraduate degree and earned her Juris Doctor at American University in our Nation's Capital.

    Hailey began her career volunteering in multiple legal aid clinics during law school, focusing on workers’ rights, public benefits and immigration. It was during this time she found her passion in labor law, fighting for the rights of migrant farmers.

    Hailey immediately enrolled in labor employment class and shifted her focus on what would become her career today. Hailey graduated with a new-found devotion to advocate and protect the rights of the working class and organized labor which ultimately led her to join the team at Barrault and Associates.

  • Colleen Howard was born and raised in the suburbs of Boston. She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology and was a varsity athlete at Duke University.

    Since then, Colleen has built her own design and apparel business, called Camden Hydes, as well as leading social media and marketing efforts across a variety of industries for Boston area businesses and non-profit organizations. Colleen has worked extensively to network and help other women-owned small businesses, which is something she and Founding Partner, Leah Barrault, have in common.

    Colleen grew up looking up to her father, a police officer, who emphasized the importance helping others and dedicated his life to helping others on duty and off. Her desire to help others, particularly civil servants, combined with her extensive experience working in design, social media and marketing brought her to Barrault + Associates where she now leads the creative efforts.