John is a member, and former Co-Chair, of the Firm's Commercial Litigation Practice Group. He has handled numerous complex business disputes for companies, partnerships, and individuals involved in litigation, arbitration, and mediation concerning issues ranging from ongoing management and operational issues to contractual, licensing, and dissolution issues. John has substantial experience successfully representing clients involved in a variety of commercial litigation matters involving breach of contract, unfair trade practices, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, and misrepresentation claims.
In addition, John also has significant experience in securities disputes, including disputes involving allegations of securities fraud, accounting irregularities, failure to disclose material information, false disclosures, control person liability, breaches of fiduciary duty, and negligence. John has defended both entities and individuals, whether general partners, officers, directors, or brokers, against such allegations in the context of class actions, derivative actions, individual actions, as well as in arbitration proceedings before the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and its predecessor the National Association of Securities Dealers. John, and teams of other firm lawyers, have also conducted internal investigations in the mutual fund area for a Fortune 100 financial services company and for companies analyzing their stock option practices.
John also represents grantors, trustees, and beneficiaries in trust and probate disputes.
John has trial and appellate experience in both state and federal courts and before various arbitration bodies. John has represented domestic and foreign clients in courts across the country, including in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, Florida, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, California, Delaware, Maryland, Connecticut, and the District of Columbia. John also has represented clients from the United States, France, and Sweden in international arbitrations. John has been included in New England Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters publication, since 2010.
Notable Experience
· Successful defense of affiliates of Takeda Pharmaceutical Company in a class action arising out of Takeda's $8.8 billion acquisition of Millennium Pharmaceuticals, convincing the court to deny plaintiff's request for injunctive relief enjoining a tender offer and merger.
· Successful defense of affiliates of ABRY Partners in two class actions in different states challenging the $1.2 billion acquisition of RCN Corporation, enabling our client to complete its acquisition of RCN Corporation.
· Successful defense of affiliates of ASSA ABLOY Inc. in five class actions in different states arising out of a tender offer to acquire the outstanding stock of LaserCard Corporation.
· Successfully obtained the dismissal of all claims against a group of former directors of Amp'd Mobile, Inc. in an adversary proceeding brought in the United States Bankruptcy Court in Delaware in connection with the company's bankruptcy, including claims arising from the redemption of stock and other payments by the company at a time when the company's capital allegedly was impaired.
· Successful defense of a purported nationwide class action brought by lessees against a finance lessor and one of its dealers. The alleged class consisted of approximately 25,000 lessees who leased "virtual terminals" or the ability to process credit card transactions over the Internet in connection with the sale of their products.
· Successfully obtained the dismissal a class action brought under the Massachusetts Consumer Protection Statute against a national retailer by a purported class of consumers alleging unfair and deceptive trade practices.
· Successfully obtained the dismissal of a Rule 10b-5 fraud and control person liability securities class action based on alleged accounting irregularities on behalf of a microticket leasing company and various officers. Successfully defended the decision on appeal.
· The successful representation of a plaintiff limited partnership and its general partner in an action against a transfer agent who was refusing to register the transfer of in excess of $50 million worth of securities purchased in multiple tender offers.
· Successfully obtained the dismissal of a federal securities class action arising out of a rights offering involving a limited partnership.
· Successfully obtained the dismissal of all claims brought in the Delaware Chancery Court by a group of plaintiff investors against two clients in connection with the clients' decision to withdraw and ultimate withdrawal as the majority investors in entities designed to launch a takeover of a French conglomerate.
· Obtained the dismissal of various claims and partial summary judgment on other claims on a 11 count complaint alleging class, individual, and derivative claims for fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, negligent misrepresentation, breach of contract, and civil conspiracy involving a securities offering, the subsequent operations of the subject real estate development entity, and the eventual restructuring of $125 million in debt. Following the favorable rulings on summary judgment the case settled on terms favorable to the client.
· Obtained a settlement that ultimately proved affirmatively beneficial to the client in a consolidated action in the Delaware Chancery Court concerning alleged fraud and breach of fiduciary duty claims arising out of a rights offering.
· Obtained the dismissal of an NASD arbitration in which the plaintiffs alleged fraud, deceit, negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract, and negligent and/or fraudulent marketing against a brokerage firm and several individuals.
· The successful defense of a limited partnership and its managing general partner in an action for an accounting and breach of fiduciary duty concerning distributions made over a ten year period in a two-tiered real estate limited partnership structure involving eleven limited partnerships.
· The successful representation of a plaintiff general partner concerning the property management of one of the largest apartment complexes on the East Coast. Full attorney's fees and costs awarded in favor of the plaintiff. Affirmed on appeal.
· Successful defense of several doctors in a business dissolution case involving claims for breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, and violation of the Massachusetts Unfair Business Practices Act.
· Various representations of grantors, trustees, and beneficiaries in actions involving trusts with multi-million dollar values, including a multi-million dollar recovery for trust beneficiaries.
Recent Speaking Engagements and Publications
· "Expertly Navigating Federal Expert Disclosure Rules," co-author, Law360, April 29, 2011.
· "Legal Research in the Real World," panelist, The Moakley Law Library, Suffolk University Law School, March 2010, April 2011, and April 2012.
· "Relationship Challenges for General Counsel: Internal & External," speaker, Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge and the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) Greater New York Chapter, June 9, 2009.
· "Doing Deals and Litigating Them in a Downturn," speaker, Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge and the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) Greater New York Chapter, New York, September 23, 2008.
· "Litigating to Win Through Advanced Trial Advocacy," panelist, The National Business Institute, June 2008.
· "Comprehensive Cross-Examination," co-author, The National Business Institute, June 2008.
· "Supreme Court Requires Plaintiffs to Meet Stringent Pleading Standard: Under PSLRA's "Strong Inference" Requirement, Courts Must Consider Plausible Inferences Favoring Defendants," co-author,Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge Client Advisory, July 3, 2007.
· A House Divided: When the Board Investigates Senior Management - Key Issues to Consider in Internal Investigations, panelist, Boston, Massachusetts, May 8, 2007.
· "A Practical Guide to Federal Court Rules and Procedures in Massachusetts," The National Business Institute, February, 2004.
· "Removal of a Class Action to Federal Court," Boston Bar Association Continuing Legal Education: The Life Cycle of a Class Action, 35, May, 2002.
· "To Speak or Not to Speak - Communicating with Absent Class Members," Boston Bar Association Continuing Legal Education: The Life Cycle of a Class Action, May, 2002.
· "Compelling Discovery of Expert Reports," Suffolk University Law Review, 1990.
· "Incompetent Veteran's Estate Does Not Pass to the State," Suffolk University Law Review, 1990.
· "Imposing Sales and Use Taxes on Religious Materials Does Not Violate the Religion Clauses of the First Amendment," Suffolk University Law Review, 1990.
News & Publications
April 20, 2012, The Sweet Smell of Success
October 7, 2010, EAPD Attorneys Selected For Inclusion in Super Lawyers 2010
July 3, 2007, Client Advisory - Supreme Court Requires Plaintiff to Meet Stringent Pleading Standard: Under PSLRA's "Strong Inference" Requirement, Courts Must Consider Plausible Inferences Favoring Defendants
Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge
Events
June 9, 2009, New York, NY, Relationship Challenges for General Counsel: Internal and External
June 19, 2008, Boston, MA, Litigating to Win Through Advanced Trial Advocacy
May 8, 2007, A House Divided: When the Board Investigates Senior Management
Memberships
· Boston Bar Association
· Federal Bar Association
· Massachusetts Bar Association
· American Bar Association