Lenox Lawyer Acknowledged in the Massachusetts Super Lawyers List

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LENOX, Mass. Hamilton Brook Smith Reynolds announce that Giovanna Fessenden-Fairbank has been recognized as one of the Best Layers in America for her expertise in Patent Law and named to the Massachusetts Super Lawyers list. 
 
This marks the sixth year that Giovanna has earned both recognitions.
 
Based in Lenox, Giovanna plays a role in maintaining Intellectual Property law firm, Hamilton Brook Smith Reynold's presence in western Massachusetts, personally serving clients in the region. In addition to her role at the firm, she serves as a Board Member at the Berkshire Innovation Center, is an Executive Producer of TEDx Berkshires, and is Co-chair of Internet and Technology Subcommittee for the Boston Bar Association.
 
Giovanna has 20+ years of work experience in counseling clients on intellectual property (IP), engineering, startups, innovation, branding and strategy with a successful track-record in driving business IP asset growth and building global innovation focused patent, trademark and copyright portfolios.
 
Giovanna is a computer scientist, intellectual property attorney, and AI/blockchain specialist. Giovanna is passionate about innovation and entrepreneurship in Berkshire County.
 
"The Berkshires is an arts and technology innovation hub. I am fortunate to live the Berkshires and have a career that I am passionate about, which enables me to foster cutting-edge innovations," Fessenden-Fairbank said. "I am excited about the growth of technology focused businesses and innovation happening now in the Berkshires. As an IP attorney and a Board Member at the Berkshire Innovation Center, I have a unique opportunity to help steward innovation and entrepreneurship in our region and help ensure that the Berkshire tech industry thrives for future
generations."
 
She advises high-tech companies and startups on software patents, product development, licensing, open-source software compliance, trademark branding, post-grant patent challenges, litigation, and IP strategy.
 
Best Lawyers recognition is based on peer-reviewed listings and is the legal industry's oldest and most respected publication. The publication, compiled from more than 6.7 million detailed evaluations of lawyers by other lawyers, is distributed worldwide in almost 75 countries. 
 
Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas with a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Each year, only 5 percent of
attorneys in the state are selected to the Super Lawyers list.
 
Super Lawyers recognizes the top attorneys nationwide, across a variety of practice areas and firm sizes, using a patented process of independent research and peer input. The lawyers selected
include those with many years of experience, as well as the Rising Stars of the profession.
 
Super Lawyers is a resource designed to aid those needing an attorney and has grown over three decades with an unparalleled reach in print magazines and online.
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A Boutique Hotel is Bringing Guests a Luxury Stay in Lenox

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

LENOX, Mass. — A new Inn is bringing a boutique-style stay for visitors and locals to enjoy.

Owners, Sullivan Capital LLC, purchased the property, located on 135 Main Street, in 2024. After a year or renovations, Garden Gables Inn is open for business. 

"Garden Gables started off as one of the many Berkshire cottages, 1790 was the date on that, and it's always operated as an inn," said Hospitality Manager Yvonne Walton. "It's just a great gathering place and relaxation spot for people to come and get the feel of Lenox, and just slow down and enjoy the nature and the surrounding area...get culture and art and see some great concerts. I think it'll be a wonderful place, definitely does more of the upper-scale hospitality." 

Owners Niko Giallouis and Eric Sullivan bought the property from the former owner. Sullivan had his eye on Lenox since attending a wedding almost 10 years ago.

"I came to a wedding in Lenox, probably six or seven years ago. Personally, just kind of fell in love with the area, and I guess that's kind of how it got on my radar. So you know from that perspective, as we got into the hotel business out towards an area, it was a place I was kind of monitoring and waiting for the right property to show up."

After purchasing the two underwent a full renovation, a project that cost around $1.5 million. The building, first built in 1780, required some TLC. Sullivan's wife, Jessica, who owns Jessica Sullivan Design, designed the inn.

Sullivan said they installed a new roof, repainted everything, renovated the bathrooms, installed new floors, a new HVAC system, and new plumbing.

"We really touched everything from the outside...I mean, all the aesthetics and layouts changed a bit," he said. "As I said, put about a million and a half into it. All new furniture, fixtures, everything. The design's completely different. It wasn't a full gut, but it was a heavy, heavy renovation."

The two like to collaborate with local businesses, and they make a point to direct visitors to local restaurants, businesses, and attractions.

"If guests are asking for recommendations, our customer service team, our guest services team, will relay that kind of information. Even if we can call and make a reservation for somebody, happy to do it," he said. "We aren't doing breakfast, but what we do is we have partnerships with a lot of the breakfast places downtown. We actually purchase a gift certificates for each person each day, so that they can use that to go downtown."

Sullivan hopes that guests don't see their inn as just a place to sleep and dump their bags, but make it an experience for anyone who stays.

"We really focus on kind of the experience side of things, so again, we want to give you the best experience you can have here...and we want that not just to be the place you put your bag and go do things. It's important to think of everything," he said.

Sullivan said partnerships are important to their business and are a way to connect with locals.

"The local partnerships, I can't stress that enough, because no matter how much and how great the room is, people are still going to want to go do other things," he said. "So, I think it just benefits everybody if we're all working together and so forth, and supporting the community, being neighborly too, because we are surrounded by residential homes...But we really try to put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears, a lot of love into the building, all the details, really care about the senses," Sullivan said.

The Inn's check-in and reservations are completely online. When guests arrive, all they have to do is check in online and receive their code that they will use to enter their room. Sullivan hopes this helps create less stress for guests and gets them to their room as fast as possible, especially after a long trip.

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