Daily News

Skoler, Abbott & Presser Welcomes New Attorney, Two Paralegals

SPRINGFIELD — Skoler, Abbott & Presser, P.C. recently welcomed attorney Jeremy Forgue and two paralegals, Jonathan Applefield and Tracy Belanger, to its team.

“It’s an exciting time of growth for us, and we are fortunate to find such exceptional talent to add to our team,” said attorney John Gannon, a partner at the firm. “Our recent hires bring a depth of experience to our firm and our clients. Employment and labor laws are ever-changing, and the pace has increased over the past year. Jeremy, Jonathan, and Tracy will allow us to keep our clients abreast and compliant with the latest regulations and look after their best interests.”

Forgue received his law degree from Western New England University School of Law, where he was drawn to business and employment law and was the managing editor of the university’s Law Review. Prior to joining Skoler Abbott, he was a law clerk for the Massachusetts Housing Court. He enjoys preparing employers for new and changing laws to prevent compliance issues, such as reviewing existing policies for vulnerabilities and assisting in open-forum discussions.

As a paralegal, Applefield provides broad administrative support to the attorneys and their clients. Before joining the firm, he worked for 16 years as a legal assistant in Manhattan, a job he held while earning graduate and postgraduate degrees in art history at Columbia University. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Bowdoin College in Maine.

Belanger, also a paralegal, earned her associate degree in administration of justice and a certificate of achievement with an emphasis on the law and public policy at Pasadena City College in California, where she was a member of the Alpha Gamma Sigma honor society. She then pursued her bachelor’s degree in criminology, law and society from the School of Social Ecology at the University of California Irvine, followed by completion of an ABA-accredited paralegal studies program and an externship at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court.