Choate, Hall & Stewart > Boston, United States > Firm Profile
Choate, Hall & Stewart Offices
TWO INTERNATIONAL PLACE
BOSTON, MA 02110
MASSACHUSETTS
United States
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Choate, Hall & Stewart > The Legal 500 Rankings
Industry focus > Education Tier 1
Choate, Hall & Stewart’s Boston-based team showcases particular strength in advising research universities and medical centers on compliance risks associated with international research collaborations, economic and academic espionage. Co-practice head and compliance expert Christine Savage is highly esteemed for her foreign influence expertise. With a separate complex trial and appellate litigation team, co-chaired by joint practice head Joan Lukey and including Justin Wolosz, the group boasts particular strength in consumer class action as well as complex high-stakes litigation and is adept to represent colleges, universities and academic medical centers in internal investigations and government investigations, including investigations pertaining to alleged sexual misconduct, Title IX and fraud. Lyndsey Kruzer and Alison Reif, chair of the firm’s labor and employment group, advise on all aspects of employee relations. Senior associate Mark McPherson has a dedicated foreign influence practice and handles educational matters involving healthcare fraud, securities fraud, and the False Claims Act.Practice head(s):
Christine Savage; Joan Lukey; Alison Reif
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
Harvard University
Consortium on Financing Higher Education (COFHE)
Tufts University
Dartmouth College
Work highlights
- Representing the President and Fellows of Harvard College along with their former Executive Vice President in a lawsuit brought by Prof. Charles Lieber seeking advancement and indemnification for his legal fees and expenses related to criminal charges involving his undisclosed financial relationships with a Chinese university.
- Settled a civil lawsuit filed against Tufts University School of Medicine raising questions about whether curricula or educational program design constitutes proprietary intellectual property and the boundaries of collaborations between for-profit education ventures and traditional academic institutions.
M&A/corporate and commercial > M&A: middle-market (sub-$500m) Tier 1
Based in Boston, Choate, Hall & Stewart offers representation to a host of acquirers, targets and investment banks in the context of public and private M&A in the US and around the world. With particular strength in the private equity segment, the team is particularly well versed in corporate transactions involving tech and life sciences players, and often serves as US counsel to companies located in Canada, Israel, the UK and Ireland. John Pitfield is a reference for private and growth equity clients, most notably those with operations in the healthcare, life sciences and TMT sectors. He jointly leads the business and technology group with Brian Goldstein, who brings extensive experience advising venture capital investors and high-growth companies in the healthcare and IT industries. Corporate and securities attorney Tobin Sullivan advises life sciences and technology clients, ranging from start-ups to global public companies, on an array of transactional mandates.Practice head(s):
John Pitfield; Brian Goldstein
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
Auction Technology Group
Candescent Partners
Creation Technologies International Inc.
ENT Partners
Forrester Research, Inc.
Haemonetics Corporation
Kadant Inc.
LeMaitre Vascular
US Dermatology Partners (Oliver Street Dermatology)
Vera Whole Health
Insurance > Advice to insurers Tier 2
Choate, Hall & Stewart‘s Boston-based team specializes in advising insurers and reinsurers on multi-jurisdictional disputes, including coverage issues, reinsurance arbitrations and subsequent appeals. The firm advises major insurers on their exposure in a number of notable areas, including widespread opioid exposures, COVID-19 reinsurance and retrocession matters, sexual abuse litigation, large-scale disasters such as wildfires and mass shootings. The practice is headed by David Attisani, who offers extensive experience representing insurers and reinsurers engaged in coverage and life rate increase disputes, Robert Kole, who supports clients involved in mass shooting, product liability and sports injury litigation, and J.P. Jaillet, who also handles coverage disputes and reinsurance arbitrations. Kevin Finnerty represents insurers and reinsurers in coverage disputes.Practice head(s):
David Attisani; Robert Kole; J.P. Jaillet
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Very results-oriented with good understanding of business and commercial relationship issues as well as technical legal expertise and advocacy.’
‘David Attisani: extraordinary legal work. Incredibly talented litigator. Best in class representation of clients; brilliant legal preparation and writing. Precise, insightful and razor-sharp intellect. Superior oral presentations and pristine reputation in the legal community.’
Key clients
Liberty Mutual Insurance Company
Swiss Reinsurance America Corporation
Sompo
The Andover Companies
GuideOne Insurance Company
Work highlights
- Advised Liberty Mutual in connection with all of their opioid exposures nationwide.
- Advised Sompo in New York, London and Bermuda on COVID-19 reinsurance claims.
Intellectual property > Patents: prosecution (including re-examination and post-grant proceedings) Tier 4
Choate, Hall & Stewart‘s Boston-based team is led by Charles Lyon, Brian Reese and Kristen Buteau, who offer expertise in patent-related life sciences work; alongside Charles Lyon, Brenda Herschbach Jarrell chairs the firm’s life sciences group, advising a broad array of companies, from clinical candidates to well-established organizations and institutions on biotech, pharmaceutical, and specialty chemical matters in particular. Atop its solid prosecution work, the team has a strong reputation for its post-grant and re-examination practice, with partner Stephanie Schonewald having handled a significant number of such matters at the PTAB.Practice head(s):
Charles Lyon; Brian Reese; Kristen Buteau
Other key lawyers:
Work highlights
Intellectual property > Trade secrets (litigation and non-contentious matters) Tier 4
M&A/corporate and commercial > Venture capital and emerging companies Tier 4
Choate, Hall & Stewart has a strong focus on the investor side of the market, representing several leading venture capital and growth equity funds. The team regularly assists investors on every stage of the venture process, from seed and series A financings, later stage equity financings and onwards to IPO or sale. Clients also benefit from the firm’s broader expertise in related areas such as patent portfolio strategy, licensing and collaboration. The firm’s advice to Surveyor Capital, as co-investor on a $300 million series C investment into the biotech company Acelyrin, was a recent highlight. Partner Brian Goldstein leads the largely Boston-based team and has especially good credentials on the life sciences and healthcare side. Tobin Sullivan also has a strong track record.Practice head(s):
Brian Goldstein
Key clients
5AM Ventures
Andreessen Horowitz
Bain Capital Life Sciences
Broadview Ventures
Cultivate Next
Eventide Asset Management
Surveyor Capital (Citadel)
Transformation Capital Partners
Vertical Venture Partners
Xontogeny, LLC
Work highlights
Dispute resolution > Leading trial lawyers Tier 5
Joan Lukey – Choate, Hall & StewartWork highlights
M&A/corporate and commercial > Private equity buyouts: large deals ($500m+) Tier 5
Choate, Hall & Stewart has a strong track-record in mid-market mandates, offering robust cross-border capabilities across a broad range of industries including TMT, manufacturing and financial services. T.J. Murphy leads the Boston-based team, regularly advising clients in growth equity investments, recapitalizations, and M&A, both domestically and internationally. Lee Feldman and Sarah Camougis are also key contacts, while Brian Lenihan has particular expertise in financial technology and IT solutions within the healthcare and financial services industries. Daniel Riley has a solid reputation in the market, advising numerous global mid-market investment funds including Great Hill, BV Investment, and Long Ridge Equity Partners.Practice head(s):
Sarah Camougis; Lee Feldman; T.J. Murphy
Other key lawyers:
Brian Lenihan; Daniel Riley
Key clients
BV Investment Partners
Century Equity Partners
Great Hill Partners
Cove Hill Partners
Long Ridge Equity Partners
Riverside Partners
Silversmith Capital Partners
Spectrum Equity
Summit Partners
Cobepa
Work highlights
Real estate Tier 5
Choate, Hall & Stewart‘s practice is based in Boston and is particularly known for its transactional and leasing work in the life science sector. The practice is also instructed on joint ventures, negotiation of management agreements, urban and condominium development, land use and zoning and foreclosure matters. It also advises on construction contracts, architects contracts, and related matters, particularly on behalf of owners. Paul Laudano is the lead partner.Practice head(s):
Paul Laudano
Key clients
NorthBridge Partners
Chevron Partners
Alexandria Real Estate
Jones Lang LaSalle
Grander Capital Partners
Simon Property Group
Oxford Properties Group
JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A.
Suffolk Construction
Bain Capital
Work highlights
- Advising JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. on a retail expansion project involving over 100 new bank branch locations, new ATMs, and related real estate matters. This includes due diligence, real estate acquisitions, leasing, condominiums, and all related work.
- Represented Alexandria Real Estate Investors in the acquisition of Charles Park in Cambridge, MA, including work related to acquisition and permitting/redevelopment diligence.
Tax > US taxes: non-contentious Tier 5
Choate, Hall & Stewart‘s Boston-based tax practice specializes in complex middle-market transactions, with a focus on advising leading private equity funds, venture capital funds, and their portfolio companies. M&A involving both strategic and financial buyers, international tax planning, and investment fund formations are all core workflows for the group. Practice head Louis Marett is a key point of contact for the firm’s extensive private equity fund clientele, while Judith Fiorini‘s expertise further spans matters involving partnerships, foreign tax credits, and cryptocurrencies. Olivier Léger advises private equity fund sponsors at all stages of their operations, with a dual focus on fund formations and portfolio company acquisitions and divestitures.Practice head(s):
Louis Marett
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Excellent combination of technical expertise and creativity. The team makes every effort to solve issues in an efficient and timely manner. They communicate effectively and provide quality insight into the risks associated with different courses of action.’
‘Olivier Leger articulates technical tax issues in a way that all parties can understand, outlining the risks associated with different alternatives.’
Key clients
Riverside Partners
Serent Capital
TrueBridge Capital Partners
Ecobee, Inc.
Cove Hill Partners
Mathnasium Holdings LLC
Creation Technologies International Inc.
Spectrum Equity
Great Hill Partners
Sverica Capital
Finance > Restructuring (including bankruptcy): corporate Tier 6
Operating out of Boston, Choate, Hall & Stewart’s finance and restructuring practice represents companies and creditors in relation to all aspects of corporate restructurings, workouts, distressed asset and debt acquisitions, and insolvency proceedings. The practice is particularly strong representing lenders in the retail, sports, real estate, healthcare, and technology sectors, and insurers in litigated bankruptcy proceedings. Jennifer Fenn, Sean Monahan, and John Ventola jointly lead the department, while, with considerable experience advising in relation to debtor-in-possession lending and senior, second lien, and mezzanine debt in complex restructurings, Douglas Gooding plays an important role in the team.
Practice head(s):
Jennifer Conway Fenn; Sean Monahan; John Ventola
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce
Liberty Mutual Insurance Company
Citizens Bank, N.A.
Bank of America, N.A.
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
Eclipse Business Capital, LLC
Second Avenue Capital Partners
Gordon Brothers Group
SLR Credit Solutions f/k/a Crystal Financial
Finance > Commercial lending
Lawyer Profiles
Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
---|---|---|---|
David Attisani | David Attisani, a partner in Choate’s top-ranked Insurance & Reinsurance Group (#1… | View Profile | |
Adam Bookbinder | Adam Bookbinder, co-chair of Choate’s Government Enforcement & Compliance Group, is an… | View Profile | |
Kevin Finnerty | Kevin Finnerty represents global insurers and reinsurers in significant coverage disputes, and… | View Profile | |
Brian Goldstein | Brian Goldstein, co-chair of Choate’s Business & Technology Practice Group, has more… | View Profile | |
J.P. Jaillet | J.P. Jaillet, chair of Choate’s Insurance & Reinsurance Group, provides clients with… | View Profile | |
Brenda Herschbach Jarrell | Dr. Brenda Herschbach Jarrell, chair of Choate’s Life Sciences Group, is described… | View Profile | |
Robert Kole | Rob Kole helps domestic and foreign insurers and reinsurers to achieve successful… | View Profile | |
Olivier Léger | Olivier Léger advises PE fund sponsors on U.S. tax matters at all… | View Profile | |
Joan Lukey | For more than thirty years, Joan Lukey has tried complex business litigation… | View Profile | |
Charles Lyon | Dr. Charles Lyon, co-chair of Choate’s Intellectual Property Practice Group, provides strategic… | View Profile | |
Louis Marett | Louis Marett, chair of Choate’s Tax Practice Group, helps private equity funds… | View Profile | |
Sean Monahan | Sean Monahan, co-chair of Choate’s Finance & Restructuring Group, brings depth of… | View Profile | |
John Pitfield | John Pitfield, co-chair of Choate’s Business & Technology Group, helps private equity… | View Profile | |
Alison Reif | Alison Reif provides practical and efficient business-oriented counseling and advice on managing… | View Profile | |
Christine Savage | Christine Savage, co-chair of Choate’s Healthcare Group and a member of the… | View Profile | |
Anita Spieth | Anita Spieth, co-chair of Choate’s IP Litigation Group, has more than 10… | View Profile | |
Tobin Sullivan | Tobin Sullivan is a versatile corporate and securities attorney who counsels growth… | View Profile | |
John Ventola | John Ventola, co-chair of Choate’s Finance and Restructuring Group, has more than… | View Profile |
- Industry focus > Education
- M&A/corporate and commercial > M&A: middle-market (sub-$500m)
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Insurance > Advice to insurers
Firm Rankings
- Intellectual property > Patents: prosecution (including re-examination and post-grant proceedings)
- Intellectual property > Trade secrets (litigation and non-contentious matters)
- M&A/corporate and commercial > Venture capital and emerging companies