Erica M. Bruno

Associate Attorney Erica M. Bruno is a strong advocate thanks to her relentless pursuit of justice and compassionate, and understanding nature. As part of the criminal defense team, she is an inspiration to her clients, colleagues, and community for her tenacity and determination to succeed on behalf of her clients.

At the Law Offices of Joseph D. Bernard, Attorney Bruno represents OUI cases of the firm and manages client casework. In addition to representation in criminal matters, Attorney Bruno assists clients in obtaining their license from the Registry of Motor Vehicles and the Board of Appeal.

Attorney Bruno has successfully briefed and argued before the Massachusetts Appeals Court in Boston in the case of Commonwealth v. Brian Dennis, where the Court examined the issue of consent to a blood test requested by law enforcement. 96 Mass. App. Ct. 528 (2019). The Court ruled in favor of her argument holding that the blood test obtained by the government should have been excluded from evidence due to a lack of valid consent to the test. This was a landmark decision in which the Court set out new standards that must be met in order for evidence of a blood test to be admissible at trial in an OUI case.

Attorney Bruno also played a major supportive role in the consolidated litigation challenging the scientific reliability of breath testing, Commonwealth v. Ananias, et. al., 1248CR001075. This matter uncovered the intentional misconduct of the Office of Alcohol Testing which ultimately led the Commonwealth to reassess its entire infrastructure surrounding breathalyzers and their use in Massachusetts.

Prior to joining our firm, Attorney Bruno worked as an AmeriCorps volunteer attorney at Central West Justice Center, a subsidiary of Community Legal Aid. It was during this time she represented clients in unemployment and employment matters, helping them fight for the rights they deserve. She also worked as an intern at the United States District Court for Massachusetts in Springfield in Judge Mark Mastroianni's chambers, as well as with the Office of the Attorney General, the City of Westfield Law Department, and the University of Massachusetts Student Legal Services Office.

Outside the courtroom, Attorney Bruno has made contributions to the legal field as co-author of a chapter on successfully defending DUI offenses in the Massachusetts Basic Practice Manual for MCLE. She is also a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association Leadership Academy Class of 2019-2020.

Attorney Bruno earned her B.S. and graduated cum laude from the University of Massachusetts Amherst before she obtained her J.D. from Western New England University School of Law. She is currently admitted to the Bar in Massachusetts and Connecticut.