Bio
Nicholas J. Hemond is a Practice Leader in DarrowEverett’s Litigation, Land Use, and Government Affairs Practice Groups. He concentrates his practice in the areas of litigation and government affairs where he regularly represents clients in civil, criminal defense, and family court matters. Nick has extensive experience in representing clients at administrative appeals, in administrative investigations and in commercial licensing matters. He is experienced in all levels of appellate litigation, including matters before the Rhode Island Supreme Court. He possesses a comprehensive background in legislative matters, government relations and municipal law matters, working with local leaders daily to ensure his clients’ interests are strongly and effectively communicated, understood, and advanced. He is a zealous litigator who regularly handles complex personal injury, criminal defense and divorce/child custody matters in courts throughout Rhode Island and Massachusetts. He also serves as a court appointed guardian and special master.
Nick serves as the Assistant City Solicitor for the City of Central Falls, prosecuting hundreds of the city’s misdemeanor criminal cases in district court each year and serves as legal counsel to the City’s Zoning Board of Review. He regularly aids clients in navigating the complicated development and regulatory process before local zoning and planning boards throughout Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Additionally, Nick represents numerous restaurants and other hospitality industry businesses in obtaining and maintaining food, liquor and entertainment licenses granted by state and municipal licensing authorities.
Nick is very experienced in family law and domestic relations cases. He has handled many high-stakes and hotly-contested divorces. He is known for his aggressive representation of his clients and ensures that his clients’ rights, including those related to their assets and their children, are closely protected and advanced. Nick is one of a small group of family court practitioners who are regularly appointed by the court as Guardians Ad Litem for children involved in domestic disputes and Commissioners to handle the division of assets as an officer of the court.
Prior Experience
Nick has served as an advisor and consultant for members of the Providence City Council and General Assembly. Nick also led the research and communications departments for the Democratic nominee for Governor of Rhode Island in 2010. In 2011, the Mayor of the City of Providence appointed Nick to the Providence School Board, serving as an elected chairperson of the Board’s Committee on Policy. He has previously served as the President and served as President of the Board for five years. He also served on the Executive Board of the Rhode Island Association of School Committees and a national purchasing board associated with large school systems. In 2013, Nick served as legal counsel for the transition team for the newly elected Mayor of Central Falls and worked to lay the foundation for a transition out of receivership and back to local governance.
Accolades
- Super Lawyers — 2025 (Criminal Defense & Family Law)
- Super Lawyers Rising Stars — 2017-2022
Practice Areas
Bar Admissions
- Rhode Island
- Massachusetts
- U.S. District Court, Rhode Island
Education
- Roger Williams University School of Law, J.D. – Honors Program
- Providence College, B.A., Political Science, cum laude
Involvement
- Aurora Civic Association (Providence, RI) – Board Member
- City of Central Falls – Assistant City Solicitor
- Gallogly Inn of Court Association of Family Court Attorneys – Member
- Rhode Island Judiciary Commission on Judiciary Tenure and Discipline – General Assembly Appointee
- Rhode Island Bar Association – Member
- Massachusetts Bar Association – Member
- Rhode Island Association of School Committees – Former Board Member
- City of Providence, School Board – Former Chairman
Representative Matters
- Represented our client in securing a first-of-its-kind 20-year tax stabilization agreement from the Cumberland Town Council, paving the way for the $74 million redevelopment of the historic Ann & Hope Mill. The project will create 241 apartments—20% designated as affordable housing—making it one of the largest residential developments in the town’s history. This follows our work to secure historic district commission and preliminary plan approval for the development.
- Successfully secured the dismissal of two felony charges in Rhode Island Superior Court for a client facing allegations of taking property under false pretenses and alleged financial exploitation of an elder. Through witness statements and supporting affidavits, demonstrated the claims were unfounded, leading the Attorney General’s office to dismiss the case outright.
- In Rhode Island Supreme Court, successfully defended a municipality from a plaintiff attacking the town’s approval of a development plan and subsequent federal court settlement. The Supreme Court upheld the town’s position that the plaintiff lacked standing to challenge the agreement and found the plaintiff’s effort to be an improper collateral attack on the federal court order.
- Successfully defended an appeal of a Rhode Island zoning board decision in superior court, where the court affirmed the board’s denial of a use variance application because the record demonstrated that the denial did not deprive the applicant of all beneficial use of its property.