Mike draws upon his experience as a trial lawyer to help individuals and businesses of all sizes resolve disputes, inside and outside the courtroom. His practice focuses on professional liability, business litigation, and employment matters.
Mike regularly defends attorneys and other professionals in malpractice actions and disciplinary proceedings. He also advises lawyers and law firms on risk management issues. His business litigation practice includes contract disputes, shareholder and partnership conflicts, and insurance coverage matters. He also has considerable experience litigating employment discrimination and retaliation claims, unfair competition disputes, and wage/hour matters.
Mike works with clients in a range of industries including insurance, education, real estate, and professional services. He has particular experience representing clients in the alcoholic beverages industry in franchise litigation, regulatory investigations, licensing, and distribution matters. No matter the industry, Mike enjoys serving as a team member and advisor for his clients on a broad range of legal matters impacting their businesses.
An experienced courtroom advocate, Mike has successfully tried cases before judges and juries, and has argued appeals before the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. He also appears regularly before state administrative agencies including the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission and the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination.
Mike is an active member of the Boston Bar Association, the Massachusetts Bar Association, and the International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC). He is currently the Chair of the IADC’s Professional Liability Committee. He also serves as Conn Kavanaugh’s internal Risk Management Partner and General Counsel. He previously served as a hearing officer for the Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers. He speaks and writes regularly on legal topics, including recently on what lawsuit pleadings tell us about life in a rock band.
Outside of work, Mike is active in his community. He currently serves as the Chair of the City of Newton Zoning Board of Appeals and is a long-time member of the board. He is also a trustee of the Newton Cemetery & Arboretum. He enjoys spending time with his family, running, and playing guitar.
Representative Matters
Professional Liability
- Successfully defended attorneys and law firms in legal malpractice lawsuits involving real estate conveyancing, trust law, intellectual property, and other practice areas.
- Represented attorneys, physicians, and real estate professionals in disciplinary matters before state licensing boards, including full disciplinary hearings before the Board of Bar Overseers and appeals to a Single Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court.
- Briefed and argued a novel issue of Massachusetts trust law before the Supreme Judicial Court on behalf of an attorney who served as trustee of an irrevocable trust.
Business Litigation
• Filed suit and secured judgment on behalf of a foreign business owner in a U.S. District Court breach of contract action involving the sale of designer goods.
• Assisted in the defense of an insurer on multiple claims of bad faith claims handling and settlement practices, resulting in summary judgment as to all claims, affirmed by the U.S. Court of Appeals of the Fourth Circuit.
Alcoholic Beverages
• Regularly represent manufacturers, importers, and wholesale distributors of alcoholic beverages in disputes concerning franchise rights under Mass. Gen. Laws c. 138, § 25E before the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission and Massachusetts state courts.
• Advise clients in all three tiers of the alcoholic beverage industry – producers, wholesalers, and retailers – concerning licensing issues, enforcement proceedings, and distribution rights.
Employment Litigation
• Represented a Massachusetts public authority in a two-week Superior Court jury trial involving claims of retaliatory termination under the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and state statutes.
• Assisted in the defense of a Fortune-100 company in numerous employment discrimination and retaliation claims, including public hearings before the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination.
• Represented businesses, executives, and employees in a variety of industries to enforce employment agreements, including non-competition and non-solicitation provisions.
Other Litigation Matters
• Obtained a jury verdict in favor of a property owner in a state court trial involving alleged property defects and breach of the warranty of habitability.
• Defeated a claim for injunctive relief against the trustee of family trust, leading to dismissal of a lawsuit alleging breach of fiduciary duties.
• Obtained a Superior Court order overturning a local licensing commission’s denial of a lodging house license to a property developer.
• Secured an award of attorney fees and costs for a non-profit organization in U.S. District Court under the fee-shifting provision of the Fair Housing Act.
