Seyfarth Shaw LLP > Boston, > Firm Profile
Seyfarth Shaw LLP Offices
TWO SEAPORT LANE
SUITE 300
BOSTON, MA 02210-2028
MASSACHUSETTS
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Seyfarth Shaw LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings
United States > Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: consumer products (including tobacco) Tier 4
With lawyers spread across its national footprint of offices, Seyfarth Shaw LLP receives a regular pipeline of high-quality work for a range of consumer-facing clients both in relation to product liability matters, as well as consumer fraud-related class actions. A number of the lawyers have a core grounding in advertising law, including Boston-based partner Joseph Orzano whose client base includes food and cosmetic companies, who seek his advice from a risk management perspective on labeling as well as in litigation invoking the protection statutes of multiple jurisdictions. Chicago-based Kristine Argentine chair’s the national consumer class action group, with a considerable volume of her work emanating from alleged infractions of the TCPA. Washington DC-based Thomas Locke co-heads the product liability team alongside Orzano and has earned a reputation over the years for his skill in achieving favorable early settlements for clients.Practice head(s):
Kristine Argentine; Thomas Locke; Joseph Orzano
Other key lawyers:
William Prickett; Esther McDonald; Giovanna Ferrari; Aaron Belzer; Renee Appel
Testimonials
‘They display great professionalism and attention to detail.’
‘They are sensitive to costs and advise accordingly then leave the decision to the informed client. They do not disappoint.’
Key clients
JM Brands LLC
First Advantage Background Services Corp.
Pharmacare
Callaway Golf Company
American Armed Forces Mutual Aid Association
Personal Care Products Council
The Middleby Corporation
Work highlights
- Representing JM Brands LLC in a class action lawsuit alleging that the company engaged in false advertising through its use of the phrase “Natural Hair Care,” while its products contain some synthetic ingredients, including those used to preserve the product.
- Representing Personal Care Products Council, in 2,000 Federal Product Liability Lawsuits.
- Representing Pharmacare against a nationwide consumer class action alleging that Pharamacare’s Sambucol products violate the Federal Food, Drug & Cosmetics Act, as well as California, Missouri, and Massachusetts consumer statutes.
United States > Dispute resolution > Securities litigation: defense Tier 4
Seyfarth Shaw LLP has ‘a strong team up and down the line – no gaps’, according to clients, who note that the firm has ‘impressive breadth of knowledge and experience’. William Prickett in Boston and New York partners Gregory Markel and Vincent Sama are co-chairs of the securities and fiduciary duty litigation practice. Markel, who is ‘among the most respected, learned and admired lawyers in the field of securities litigation’, acted for officers and directors of a tech company in Silicon Valleys in two 10b5 cases alleging misrepresentations and omissions concerning the prospects for the company. The case ultimately settled after five years of litigation. Sama is acting for inpatient and outpatient substance use treatment services provider AAC Holdings in a securities class action and a related litigation-trustee matter arising out of the company’s bankruptcy. Co-chair of the firm’s national whistleblower team Christopher Robertson is ‘incredibly calm through difficult and tumultuous times’.Practice head(s):
William Prickett; Gregory Markel; Vincent Sama
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘A great litigation team.’
‘Greg Markel has been a trusted advisor for years and is very knowledgeable about all areas of litigation, especially securities litigation and special committees.’
‘Strong team up and down the line – no gaps.’
‘Christopher Robertson was incredibly calm through a difficult tumultuous time and led us to victory.’
‘Top ten all around. Impressive breadth of knowledge and experience.’
‘Gregory Markel is among the most respected, learned and admired lawyers in the field of securities litigation. Top Ten without a doubt. His annual CLEs at the City Bar are required for any attorney who hopes to succeed in this area. You miss them at your peril. Greg has been involved in some of the most important cases you ever heard of and even many you never have. He is a fierce advocate for his clients. He is also, perhaps most importantly, a gentleman.’
Key clients
Rising Tide I and Rising Tide II and Abdo v. Individual Officers and Directors
AAC Holdings, Inc.
Special Committee of ArborWorks
Prudential Financial, Inc. and Eric Schwimmer
Assurance, Inc. (“Assurance”), which was purchased by Prudential, Inc. in 2019
Special Committee of Board of Large United States Bank
Expert Witness report for foreign litigation
Large foreign based international bank and its subsidiary United States bank
Akash Magoon
Work highlights
- Represented individual directors and officers in two similar but separate securities actions filed alleging violations of Rule 10 b-5 and state law. Plaintiffs claim that nine individual defendants affiliated with a bankrupt e-commerce and t-commerce company, made misrepresentations and omissions concerning the prospects for the company.
- Representing AAC Holdings, Inc., a Tennessee based company that provides inpatient and outpatient substance use treatment services for individuals with drug addiction, alcohol addiction, and co-occurring mental/behavioral health, in a securities class action and a related litigation-trustee matter arising out of the company’s bankruptcy. The matters are currently in the discovery phrase.
- Performed a broad scale investigation into a cyber-security attack, multiple instances of wire fraud and allegations of self-dealing by members of senior management on behalf of the special committee of the company.
United States > Intellectual property > Trade secrets (litigation and non-contentious matters)
The trade secrets offering at Seyfarth Shaw LLP, noted as providing a ‘high-quality service’, is experienced in the handling of complex matters domestically and internationally, representing a broad array of high-profile clients on high-stakes trade secrets matters, wherein it advises on identification, qualification and classification of trade secrets as well as litigating complex cases. A noteworthy example is the team’s representation of Karma Automotive LLC in the multi-faceted case involving alleged misappropriation by Lordstown Motors Corp. Chicago-based specialist in cutting-edge tech, electric vehicle and remote storage matters, Michael Wexler co-leads the cohort alongside Los Angeles-based Robert Milligan , who has a particular focus on data theft and protection disputes, and Boston-based Katherine Perrelli , who is a skilled litigator and leader on some of the team’s most notable matters. The ‘absolutely amazing’ Boston-based Dawn Mertineit consistently acts on key matters, particularly involving tech and electronics, whilst Houston’s Jesse Coleman frequently advises on risk management as well as litigation. LA’s Joshua Salinas is a key name to note, while Gary Friedman joined the New York office from Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP in February 2024.Practice head(s):
Michael Wexler; Robert Milligan; Katherine Perrelli
Other key lawyers:
Dawn Mertineit; Jesse Coleman; Daniel Hart; Joshua Salinas; James Yu; Gary Friedman
Testimonials
‘High-quality of service, very responsive and very quick turn around. Also very friendly.’
‘Dawn Mertineit is absolutely amazing; super friendly, sharp and clear, she provides a high-quality of work and service.’
‘The Seyfarth team effectively communicated the issues of our case as well as multiple options for resolution in a clear and concise way which allowed our company to make informed and timely decisions. The Seyfarth team was very efficient with their communications and recommendations which allowed us to make decisions and to prioritize appropriately.’
‘Dawn Mertineit and James Yu were easy to work with. They were respectful of time and communicated in an effective and efficient manner. They possessed the necessary business acumen to not only provide meaningful guidance but also to appreciate and value our time.’
Key clients
Stryker Corporation
Karma Automotive
Capstone Logistics, Inc.
SeneGence International, Inc.
Whittier Trust Company
Panda Restaurant Group
LG
Lonza Houston, Inc.
OnPrem/Qvest
US Foods
Work highlights
- Represented Karma Automotive in a major trade secret matters in the United States involving electric vehicle technology against a competitor and former employees related to various claims including the misappropriation of trade secrets.
- Represented Capstone Logistics, Inc. in a trade secret and non-compete dispute involving several former executives who misappropriated valuable logistics software.
- Represented Stryker Corporation in trade secret and non-compete matters to protect its intellectual capital and workforce throughout the US in matters valued in the millions of dollars.
United States > Labor and employment > Immigration
Seyfarth Shaw LLP fields a fully integrated immigration team handling all business immigration matters at the intersection of employment law. Senior partners Russell Swapp and James King jointly manage the team out of Boston and Atlanta, respectively and are key contacts for high-volume, complex immigration legal issues for some of the largest companies in the US. As former director of US Citizenship and Immigration Services, and former Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Rights Division, Washington DC-based Leon Rodriguez is well-positioned to advise clients in immigration regulatory and policy development, and is a sought-after counsel to clients on strategic business decisions concerning immigration and global mobility. Gabriel Mozes is an experienced business immigration advisor with specialized expertise in PERM program counselling, H-1B third-party placement and right to control issues, as well as high-volume TN cross-border work. For foreign nationals’ immigration matters Sharon Cook is the key contact in Atlanta. With Dawn Lurie, also in DC, recommended for her extensive expertise in immigration compliance and EB-5 investment strategy, Michelle Gergerian assists in global mobility matters out of the Boston office. Jacob Cherry joined the New York office from Ogletree Deakins in April 2022. Angelo Paparelli left the firm in September 2023.Practice head(s):
Russell Swapp; James King
Other key lawyers:
Leon Rodriguez; Gabriel Mozes; Sharon Cook; Michelle Gergerian; Dawn Lurie; Jacob Cherry; Jason Burritt
Testimonials
‘Team is always thinking holistically about the immigration program and willing to revisit/amend any immigration processes to make things easier for both our firm and our employees. They also have an immigration platform they are consistently upgrading.’
‘Gabriel Mozes is the Partner on our account and is very involved in day-to-day matters. He is just as involved in mundane tasks like prepping H-1Bs or assisting with PERM certifications in addition to any complex immigration issues. Our foreign national employees trust and enjoy working with him which makes for a much smoother experience when dealing with deeply personal matters like immigration.’
‘The team works well together and are able to provide the holistic advice we need in a timely fashion, which helps lead to positive outcomes. They bring insight into how the US government handles these matters, which has proven invaluable. They proactively provide webinars and blog posts on the latest immigration law news that are helpful.’
‘Leon Rodriguez, Dawn Lurie, and Jason Burritt. Leon has provided help on compliance matters and litigation, Dawn has provided help on I-9s, Jason has provided general business immigration advice. They present potential solutions that take our business needs into account and proactively reach out when new immigration news may impact us.’
United States > Labor and employment > Workplace and employment counseling
Seyfarth Shaw LLP has a particular focus on federal legislative and regulatory policy issues with attorneys regularly called upon by members of Congress on a wide variety of issues. The team uses its significant government experience on behalf of trade associations to defend US and global businesses from aggressive regulatory agency activity. Practice head David Baffa operates out of Chicago and has assisted clients with business restructuring and workforce reductions. New York-based William Perkins advises clients on all forms of discrimination and harassment claims, reduction-in-force, contract negotiations and executive employment contracts. Larry Lorber is based in Washington DC and is at the forefront of regulatory enforcement actions while Lisa Damon is a go-to resource for the C-suite on employment issues in Boston. Tracy Billows is located in Chicago and provides expertise on HR policies, processes and matters relating to leave and accommodation. Gary Friedman joined the firm in New York from Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP in February 2024.Practice head(s):
David Baffa
Other key lawyers:
William Perkins; Larry Lorber; Lisa Damon; Tracy Billows; Josh Seidman; Gary Friedman
Testimonials
‘Lots of knowledge and experience at this firm. Very well connected so they are on top of any developments and trends in this practice area.’
‘Larry Lorber is outstanding. Very knowledgeable and experienced. He is an excellent counselor who has great judgment and very practical instincts.’
‘Our internal HR compliance team has worked with a few groups within Seyfarth and we are consistently happy with the level of service and care we are given, the expertise offered, and the resources that Seyfarth shares with clients. We particularly appreciate the news alerts and the topical webinars. They are critical resources we rely on heavily in the execution of our duties. Awesome job, Seyfarth!’
‘Josh Seidman is a standout. We’ve worked with him on many of our complex leave policies across multiple jurisdictions and he has been consistently responsive and thorough in his reviews/edits. Josh always provides commentary in a way that makes it easy for us to understand the issues, make policy decisions/determinations and clarify our intent. Josh is able to assist across all those jurisdictions and he is always patient, professional and friendly.’
Key clients
BNP Paribas
New York Life Insurance Company
Thomson Reuters
Lyft
Halliburton
7-Eleven
United States > Labor and employment > Labor-management relations
Seyfarth Shaw LLP offers a deep bench of experienced lawyers, handling a full-range of labor-management relations mandates. Praised as ‘top notch’, the team focuses on all matters relating to organized labor: complex labor arbitrations, negotiations pertaining to collective bargaining, unfair labor practice charges, representation before the National Labor Relations Board and union organizing campaigns. Glenn Smith chairs the practice group and is based in New York, with support from vice-chair and Seattle-based Molly Gabel. Washington DC’s Bryan O’Keefe focuses on traditional labor law matters, including NLRB unfair practice charges and administrative law judge trials. In Boston, ‘extraordinary’ lawyer Arthur Telegen advises major clients on complex collective bargaining agreements, alongside general labor-management relations issues. Chicago-based Karla Sanchez maintains her impressive practice in the space, predominantly engaging on unfair labor practice proceedings and representations before the NLRB. Former co-chair Kyllan Kershaw left in October 2022, whilst Bradford Livingston retired in July 2022.Practice head(s):
Glenn Smith; Molly Gabel
Other key lawyers:
Bryan O’Keefe; Arthur Telegen; Karla Sanchez; Brian Stolzenbach; Joe Damato; Stuart Newman; Jeff Berman
Testimonials
‘Seyfarth is a top-notch firm in this practice area and a great value in light of their reasonable billing rates.’
‘Jeff Berman is one of the country’s top experts in the field and can be counted on for thorough and practical advice.’
‘Arthur Telegen is extraordinary. He has deep expertise and is a very strong advocate and great strategist. Would look to him on the most complex and high-stakes matters.’
United States > Real estate > Real estate
Seyfarth Shaw LLP routinely represents REITs, leading developers, institutional landlords, and operators of hospitality, industrial and retail centres in all transactional, financing, development and leasing activities. Recommended lawyers in Boston include Catherine Burns , Andrew Pearlstein and Eric Greenberg, who stands out for his leasing portfolio work. New York’s key figures include real estate finance partner Daniel Evans and Cynthia Mitchell , who specializes in assisting healthcare clients in acquisition and disposition of the assets, and obtaining mortgage financing. Paul Mattingly chairs the practice from Atlanta.Practice head(s):
Paul Mattingly
Other key lawyers:
Daniel Evans; Cynthia Mitchell; Catherine Burns; Andrew Pearlstein; Eric Greenberg
Testimonials
‘Seyfarth serves as our primary real estate counsel. It adds value and brings innovation through the use of technology and alternative fee arrangements to the portfolio of work.’
‘Seyfarth’s Real Estate group is heavily relied upon for their professionalism, creativity, innovativeness and leadership. Seyfarth’s expertise, insight and judgment have been essential to our success, and proven to be highly capable of responding to shifting demands, often anticipating significant directional changes in advance. ‘
‘Experienced team and trust their legal expertise for real estate equity and finance transactions. Responsive, understands what we need, are business savvy and efficient to work with. High level of confidence in the team. ‘
‘Seyfarth is very client focused. They have a broad bench which makes them a one-stop-shop. Their bench is also deep, the quality of service and advice is well worth the cost.’
‘They understand our business and what clients need, and have the legal expertise, and understand the key issues most important to us. They are easy to work with and I have a high degree of confidence in them. They are proactive and bring issues to our attention that at times are not even on our radar. Good follow through.’
Key clients
LBA Realty
American Life, Inc.
UC Regents
7-Eleven
Battery Global Advisors
John Hancock Life Insurance Company
BentallGreenOak (U.S.) Limited Partnership
Invesco Real Estate
United Legwear Company LLC
NorthBridge Partners LLC
Hammes Partners
Work highlights
- Represented LBA Realty in a $922.16 million acquisition and financing of a six-property portfolio of ground leased warehouse buildings.
- Represented John Hancock Life Insurance Company in a $173.45 million sale of a luxury multifamily community in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
- Represented UC Regents in a $145 million multi-step transaction, which included a buyout of its existing joint venture partner and entry into a new joint venture for the redevelopment of an existing office park into a cutting edge life sciences campus in San Diego, California.
Seyfarth Shaw LLP > Firm Profile
Seyfarth Shaw LLP is a full-service international law firm, serving Fortune 1000, Global 500 and other companies worldwide through more than 900 attorneys and dedicated professional staff (including certified project managers, legal technologists, practice managers and other paraprofessionals). Seyfarth has been widely recognized for its leadership in designing innovative, client-focused solutions for the delivery of high quality legal services.
- Earned “Law Firm of the Year” in Litigation – ERISA in the US News – Best Lawyers® 2022 edition of ‘Best Law Firms’. As well as, 15 Tier 1 national rankings in the areas of commercial litigation, construction law, employee benefits (ERISA) law, employment law – management, franchise law, health care law, immigration law, labor law – management, litigation – antitrust, litigation – construction, litigation – ERISA, litigation – intellectual property, litigation – labor and employment, patent law and real estate law.
- Recognized by The Financial Times among the world’s most innovative law firms for the eleventh consecutive year in its annual FT Innovative Lawyers series.
- Named a 2022 “Trailblazer” for Legal Technology by the National Law Journal. The firm was recognized for its new advanced immigration management platform, Caribou.
- BTI Consulting named Seyfarth ‘Most Recommended Law Firms’ in 2021. Seyfarth Shaw was named one of 21 law firms recommended by general counsel. These recommendations directly reflect the longstanding dedication to exceptional client service and innovative solutions, which continue to set the firm apart.
- Earned a perfect score of 100 in the annual Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s Corporate Equality Index and was named a ‘Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality’ for the 14th consecutive year.
- Achieved Gold Standard Certification from the Women In Law Empowerment Forum (WILEF) for 2021. Seyfarth was among only 29 US law firms to earn this distinction in 2021.
- Largest US labor and employment practice in a full-service firm, with over 400 attorneys exclusively engaged in labor and employment law in the United States.
- Recognized by Law360 as ‘Practice Group of the Year’ in employment law for ten years.
- Specialist international employment law practice with experience covering more than 160 countries, including matters on which we have advised on up to 150 countries at one time, acting for some of the world’s largest multinational companies.
- One of the largest real estate practices in the United States with more than 150 attorneys.
- One of the largest employee benefits and executive compensation practices in the US, serving clients across 30+ industries.
- 165+ business litigators across a global platform, offering a full-service litigation practice.
- Proactive litigation strategies in the rapidly changing legal services landscape.
- Handled more than 200 corporate M&A transactions across a diverse range of industries over the past two years.
Main areas of practice
- ADA title III and public access
- Antitrust and competition
- Appellate
- Bankruptcy and restructuring
- Capital markets
- Class and collective actions
- Commercial contracts and outsourcing transactions
- Commercial finance
- Commercial litigation
- Construction
- Construction and development projects
- Construction claims and disputes
- Consumer financial services litigation
- Corporate counseling and governance
- eDiscovery and information governance
- Employee benefits
- Employment
- Employment litigation
- ESG, corporate citizenship and human rights
- Executive and equity compensation
- Financial products and technology
- Financial services
- Franchise and distribution
- Government contracts
- Government contracts litigation
- Government relations and policy
- Health care, life sciences and pharmaceuticals
- Hospitality and leisure
- Immigration
- Infrastructure and project finance
- International dispute resolution
- Institutional investors
- Intellectual property counseling and prosecution
- Intellectual property litigation
- International employment law
- Labor management relations
- Manufacturing
- Mergers and acquisitions
- Post-pandemic recovery and renewal
- Privacy and cybersecurity
- Product liability and complex tort
- Real estate
- Real estate finance
- Real estate litigation
- REITs and real estate capital markets
- Remote workforce
- Retail, wholesale and distribution
- Securities and fiduciary duty litigation
- Tax
- Tax controversies and litigation
- Technology, mobility and connectivity
- Trade secrets and non-competes
- Transportation and logistics
- Trials
- Trusts and estates
- Trusts and estates litigation
- White-collar defense and investigations
- Workplace arbitration and ADR
- Workplace safety and environmental
International experience: Seyfarth Shaw’s international service model is custom-built to deliver an integrated, cross-border legal and commercial solution. Seyfarth’s model relies exclusively upon cohesive partner-led teams of highly experienced international attorneys who focus solely on helping multinational clients deal with their international business issues, regardless of location. Central to the firm’s international department is Seyfarth’s award-winning, specialist international employment practice, which is acknowledged as one of the world’s leading practices in the area. Our team also offers multidisciplinary corporate, commercial, and real estate advice to multinational clients with needs across the globe.
Lawyer Profiles
Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
---|---|---|---|
Mr Richard Alfred | National Chair, Seyfarth Shaw LLP Wage & Hour Litigation Practice Group; Executive… | View Profile | |
Mr William Berkowitz | William Berkowitz is a partner in the Litigation Department of Seyfarth Shaw… | View Profile | |
Mr Brandon Bigelow | Brandon L. Bigelow is a partner in the Litigation Department of Seyfarth… | View Profile | |
Catherine Burns | Partner | View Profile | |
Mr Ariel Cudkowicz | Ariel Cudkowicz is a partner in Seyfarth Shaw’s Boston office, serving as… | View Profile | |
Ms Lisa Damon | Lisa Damon is the former national Chair of the firm’s Labor and… | View Profile | |
Robert Fisher | View Profile | ||
Ms Dyann DelVecchio Hilbern | Dyann DelVecchio Hilbern is a partner in Seyfarth Shaw LLP’s Boston office.… | View Profile | |
Mr Daniel Klein | Partner, Seyfarth Shaw LLP | View Profile | |
Ms Kristin McGurn | Partner, Seyfarth Shaw; Co-Chair of the firm’s interdisciplinary Health Law Group | View Profile | |
Mr Barry Miller | Partner, Seyfarth Shaw LLP | View Profile | |
Joseph Orzano | Partner Co-Chair, National Product Liability & Complex Tort Practice Group Co-lead, National… | View Profile | |
Mr Andrew Pearlstein | Partner | View Profile | |
Ms Katherine Perrelli | Ms. Perrelli is a partner in the Litigation Department of Seyfarth Shaw… | View Profile | |
Mr Christopher Robertson | Mr. Robertson is Co-Chair of the National Whistleblower Team and a member… | View Profile | |
Russell Swapp | Partner | View Profile | |
Mr Arthur Telegen | Arthur Telegen is a partner at Seyfarth Shaw in the firm’s Labor Management… | View Profile |
Staff Figures
Partners : 426 Other lawyers : 505 Professional staff : 1,280- United States > Dispute resolution > Product liability, mass tort and class action - defense: consumer products (including tobacco)
- United States > Dispute resolution > Securities litigation: defense
Firm Rankings
- United States > Intellectual property > Trade secrets (litigation and non-contentious matters)
- United States > Labor and employment > Immigration
- United States > Labor and employment > Workplace and employment counseling
- United States > Labor and employment > Labor-management relations
- United States > Real estate > Real estate