Provincetown, MA

Brooks S. Thayer

Brooks was born in New York City, but has lived in Orleans all his life. He graduated as a government major from Dartmouth College, where he was active in student government. He was admitted to a select combined degree program at Vanderbilt University, earning both a law degree and a Masters in Business Administration. While at Vanderbilt Law School, he received the American Jurisprudence Award for Academic Excellence in the area of Wills and Trusts. After graduation from law school, Brooks practiced at the Boston law firm of Goldstein & Manello, P.C. In 1993, Brooks joined La Tanzi, Spaulding & Landreth, where he became a partner in 1997 and the Managing Partner in 2006. Brooks is a credentialed Certified Elder Law Attorney (C.E.L.A.) through the National Elder Law Foundation, and has served as President of the Estate Planning Council of Cape Cod and as a Board Member of the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. He is also active in the community, serving on boards of numerous local charitable organizations and as a call member of the Orleans Rescue Squad and Fire Department. Brooks concentrates his practice in the areas of estate planning, estate settlement/probate and elder law, and is a frequent speaker on estate planning, planned giving, Medicaid and nursing home issues. Brooks has been recognized, since 2004, as a preeminent Trusts and Estate Lawyer in Boston Magazine’s annual “Super Lawyer” Edition.

Duane P. Landreth

Duane was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. He graduated from Dartmouth College with distinction in his major, Economics. After serving in the United States Navy as a department head on a destroyer, Duane studied at Boston University School of Law, where he was a member of the Law Review. Upon graduation, Duane published an article in the Urban Law Journal about a study he undertook on the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974. Early in his career, Duane practiced as an associate with Thompson, Hine and Flory in Cleveland. In 1976, Duane joined Tom La Tanzi and Larry Spaulding, where he was named a partner in 1981. For 20 years, he maintained a general litigation practice, representing clients in diverse types of cases ranging from plaintiff’s personal injury, to divorce, to criminal to eminent domain and Land Court title, and general commercial disputes. Since 1995, Duane has concentrated his practice on municipal and non-municipal land use law, including local permitting, zoning and state and local environmental regulations. He also represents several corporate clients in a variety of business matters, including contract review and negotiation and employment matters. Duane is active in local government, having served as chairman of the Orleans Charter Commission (1985-86) and as Town Moderator, presiding at Orleans Town Meetings since first elected in 1993. He also served for many years as Counsel for the towns of Provincetown and Brewster.

Seth G. Roman

Seth focuses his practice on general civil and criminal litigation. He was admitted to the New Hampshire Bar in 1997, the Maine Bar in 1998, and the Massachusetts Bar in 1998. He is also admitted to practice in the United States District Court, District of Massachusetts, and the First Circuit Court of Appeals. He graduated magna cum laude from Boston College in 1994 and cum laude from Boston College Law School in 1997. Seth began his legal career as a law clerk for the New Hampshire Superior Court, providing assistance with civil, criminal, equity, and domestic relations matters. Following his clerkship, he was accepted to the Attorney General’s Honor Program, serving as an attorney for the United States Department of Justice assigned to the Northeast Regional Office of the Federal Bureau of Prisons in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 2000, Seth and his wife, Susan, an investment advisor who grew up in Falmouth, returned to Cape Cod to start their family. Seth was hired as a criminal prosecutor, working in the Cape & Islands District Attorney’s Office under Philip Rollins, and then Michael O’Keefe. Seth joined La Tanzi, Spaulding & Landreth in 2021, after having worked at the Hyannis firm of Carter DeYoung (formerly Wilkins and DeYoung) since 2004. His civil practice is multi faceted, and includes complex business litigation, construction cases, personal injury, landlord/tenant, administrative appeals, civil rights cases, trust and estate litigation, debt collection, real estate cases, and other general civil litigation matters. Drawing upon his experience as a prosecutor, Seth defends individuals accused of felonies and misdemeanors in Superior Court, District Court, and Juvenile Court. Seth also handles civil and criminal appeals.

Christopher J. Ward

Although Chris is originally from Granby, Massachusetts, he spent countless summers in Eastham and Hyannis during his youth. He attended Deerfield Academy, then the University of Vermont, graduating in 1995 with degrees in English and Political Science. Chris graduated from Western New England University School of Law in 2001 and the Georgetown University Law Center in 2002, where he received an LL.M. in Taxation. Chris began his legal career working at his father’s general practice in Belchertown, Massachusetts. In 2002, Chris joined the Hyannis law firm of Haddleton & Associates, P.C., where he concentrated in estate planning, estate settlement/probate, and taxation. In 2007, Chris joined La Tanzi, Spaulding & Landreth where he became a partner in the Trusts and Estates Department in 2009. Chris is licensed to practice law in both Massachusetts and Florida. Chris is a past President of the Barnstable County Bar Association, past President of the Estate Planning Council of Cape Cod and past President of the Cape Cod Young Professionals. He serves on the Trust Fund Advisory Board for the Town of Barnstable, the Advisory Board for The Community Development Partnership and is a Executive Member of the JFK Hyannis Museum and a Cape Cod Five Corporator. Chris is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) and is AV rated by Martindale Hubbell. He has been recognized annually as both a Rising Star and a Super Lawyer by Massachusetts Super Lawyers since 2011. He has also been recognized by U.S. News & World Report and was named a Best Lawyer by New England’s Best. In 2010, he received a 40 Under 40 Award from Cape & Plymouth Business magazine. He is a regular speaker and writer in the areas of estate planning and estate settlement/probate.

Thomas A. La Tanzi

Tom started the firm, which eventually grew into La Tanzi, Spaulding & Landreth, LLP. Initially, Tom practiced in the areas of criminal and general trial work, but after several years, he developed a real estate practice, which then became and continues as his only practice area. Born and raised south of Boston in Rockland and Braintree, Tom vacationed on Cape Cod with his family growing up. After graduating from Brown University in 1964 and Boston College Law School in 1967, Tom moved to Orleans. In 1969 Tom served as Town Counsel for the Town of Orleans. He also was the Moderator for the Town of Orleans. He is past president of the Orleans Rotary Club. He has served as Chairman of the Board of Cape Abilities, Inc. and is currently on the Board of Directors. Tom also served as Hearing Committee member for the Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers.

Lisa F. Sherman

Raised on Cape Cod since the age of 2, Lisa attended Dennis-Yarmouth High School and the University of New Hampshire before marrying and settling in Harwich in 1988. Lisa graduated from Suffolk University Law School with Honors in 1992, where she was selected by the faculty as the student commencement speaker and by the Massachusetts Women’s Bar Association as the top female graduate. From 1992 to 2000, Lisa worked at the Boston law firm of Sullivan & Worcester LLP, where she was a member of the Litigation Department, concentrating in probate and complex commercial litigation. In 2000, Lisa decided to stop commuting from Cape Cod to Boston and joined La Tanzi, Spaulding & Landreth, where she became a partner in the Trusts and Estates Department in 2003. Lisa’s practice concentrates on estate planning, estate settlement/probate and elder law. Lisa is also a regular presenter in the area of estate planning and long-term-care planning for both Nauset Adult Education and the Massachusetts Bar Association Elder Law Education Program. She is also a regular contributor to the Barnstable County Bar Association’s quarterly publication, The Barrister. Lisa is a member of several professional and civic associations, including The Massachusetts Family and Probate American Inn of Court, the National Association of Elder Law Attorneys and the Estate Planning Council of Cape Cod. Lisa also serves on the Board of Directors for the Cape Cod Foundation and is a Cape Cod Five Cents Savings Bank Corporator.

Kristen S. Rufo

Kristen was born and raised in Plymouth. She graduated from Plymouth Carver High School and the University of Massachusetts. In 1997, Kristen graduated from New York Law School with honors and distinction as the sole recipient of the Dr. Max Reich Award for Excellence in Civil Trial Advocacy. Kristen also served as the Managing Editor of the Journal of Human Rights and earned the New York Law School Journal of Human Rights Award for Outstanding Editorial Contribution. After law school, Kristen served as a Law Clerk to the Judges of the Connecticut Superior Court for one year before joining the Law Office of George H. Romania in Hamden, Connecticut where she concentrated her practice in family law and civil litigation. Kristen joined La Tanzi, Spaulding & Landreth in 2009, where she concentrates her practice in the area of family law. Kristen became a partner in the litigation department in 2014. She is admitted to practice law in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York.