Underscoring the firm’s 65-year commitment to being at the forefront of litigation firms in Massachusetts, SUGARMAN is extremely proud to announce that its Principals, Marianne LeBlanc and Ben Zimmermann, were both named Top 10 Lawyers in the 2025 Massachusetts edition of Super Lawyers. The Top 10 list is not exclusive to personal injury attorneys –Marianne and Ben were chosen by their legal peers to be among the Top 10 attorneys in Massachusetts across all practice areas.
The research team at Super Lawyers uses peer reviews and evaluations to name no more than 5% of the lawyers in Massachusetts to its list. The 10 attorneys receiving the most nominations are included on the Top 10 list. Marianne and Ben’s selection is not just an individual honor but is a recognition of a firm culture where trial excellence, integrity, and client-first advocacy remain central to what we do.
SUGARMAN invites you to learn more about Marianne and Ben and the exceptional results they have achieved for their clients over the years.
Marianne LeBlanc: A Trailblazer in Personal Injury and Malpractice Law
Marianne’s standing in the Massachusetts legal community is built on consistent excellence and sustained leadership. She has been recognized by Super Lawyers every year since the list’s inception in 2004, repeatedly included among the Top 100 Massachusetts Lawyers and the Top 50 Women Super Lawyers in Massachusetts and New England — and this year, she was selected to the Top 10.
Marianne joined SUGARMAN as an Associate immediately after receiving her J.D. from Boston College Law School in 1993 and became a Principal of the firm in 1999. She focuses on serious personal injury litigation in multiple areas of the firm’s practice, including medical malpractice, liquor liability, complex auto tort and premises liability actions, and advocating for victims of sexual and physical assault.
Some highlights from Marianne’s career include:
- Record-breaking verdicts in both Massachusetts Superior and District Courts, including one of the largest verdicts in a premises liability case in Massachusetts history. in addition to dozens of seven-figure arbitration awards and settlements on behalf of her clients.
- Recogniton as a Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers and as a leader in the plaintiffs’ trial bar nationally. Marianne is a Fellow of the ACTL, one of the highest honors a trial lawyer can receive, recognized as one of the Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers in the U.S. since 2020, and also has been repeatedly honored for excellence in her contributions to the American Association of Justice, including the prestigious Marie Lambert Award.
- Bar Association, Charitable & Civic Leadership — Marianne also strives to give back to the legal and local community. She is Massachusetts Governor for the American Association for Justice (AAJ), serves on the Supreme Judicial Court Standing Committee on Lawyer Well Being, and has served as Chair of the Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers, President of the Women’s Bar Association of Massachusetts and President of the Women’s Bar Foundation of Massachusetts, among other leadership positions. Marianne was elected to the Select Board in the Town of Westwood in 2022, after serving for several years as the Chairman of Westwood’s Finance and Warrant Commission.
- Frequent lecturer in law schools and the legal community Marianne is a frequent guest lecturer in Massachusetts law schools and also lectures nationally and locally for associations including the ABA, MBA, and MCLE. Marianne’s ascent into the Top 10 honors not just her trial record, but also her role as a leader, mentor, and committed advocate to her clients in Massachusetts’ courts.
Ben Zimmermann: Powerhouse in Complex Trial Litigation
Ben has been recognized by Super Lawyers every year since 2005 and has held a spot among the Top 100 Lawyers in Massachusetts consistently since 2013. In 2025, he claimed a place in the Top 10 Massachusetts Lawyers — a culmination of decades of high-stakes trial advocacy.
From the beginning, Ben’s path has been defined by cutting-edge trial work and landmark recoveries. After law school at Fordham University and initial experience in corporate litigation in New York, Ben joined SUGARMAN as an Associate in 2000 and became a principal in 2007. He has served as one of the firm’s Managing Partners since 2013. Over his career, he has become a go-to attorney for complex and catastrophic injury litigation in Massachusetts.
Key highlights from Ben’s career include:
- Breakthrough verdicts & record settlements, including:
- $20.6 million wrongful death verdict against Toys “R” Us for a defective pool slide that led to a nation-wide recall of the product;
- $30.5 million birth injury medical malpractice verdict – one of the largest medical malpractice verdicts in Massachusetts history; and
- $25.5M settlement in a trucking and defective highway case, among the largest reported single plaintiff trucking settlements.
- Dozens of seven-figure recoveries and verdicts in construction, automotive, medical negligence, and product defect cases.
- International and National Recognition — Ben is a Fellow of both the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and the American College of Trial Lawyers, peer-reviewed honors reserved for the most experienced and reputable trial lawyers.
- Firm Leadership & Public Service — As a managing partner, Ben is trusted with guiding and continuing SUGARMAN’s legacy and mission.
- Scholarly and Bar Contributions — Ben lectures frequently at continuing legal education seminars and law schools on trial strategy, has authored amicus briefs, and pursued appeals in both state and federal courts to advance precedent for injured victims.
Ben’s selection into the Top 10 is another achievement in a career already marked by remarkable litigation victories for his clients, and shaped by the firm’s culture of developing seasoned trial lawyers.