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Practice Focus
Charles is an experienced trial attorney representing corporations, partnerships, trusts, estates and individuals in a variety of major civil cases involving business, real estate, land use, civil rights, probate, construction and employment disputes. He has successfully tried many cases in Massachusetts state and federal courts, arbitration proceedings and administrative hearings. He has also successfully briefed and argued cases before the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court and Appeals Court.
Charles has a significant business litigation practice, including complex disputes involving breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, business torts, unfair and deceptive trade practices, trade secrets, non-competition agreements, partnerships and closed corporations, corporate freeze-outs, and other commercial disputes. Charles also specializes in representing attorneys before the Board of Bar Overseers.
- Won jury verdict and G.L. c. 93A claim for over $1.5 million against registered representative/insurance agent in July, 2010.
- As reported nationally in The National Law Journal and locally in The Boston Herald, won a high-profile trial in February, 2010 challenging the accounting involved in a $5 million guardianship estate.
- Successfully settled ground breaking civil rights violation case in May, 2010 for $350,000 against the Town of Randolph and the Planning Board Chairman arising out of a developer's right to subdivide property, as reported in The Boston Globe and featured in Mass Lawyers Weekly.
- Represented a prominent New England liberal arts college in a will contest action pertaining to the multi-million dollar charitable subscription made to the school by an alumni, and which resulted in the distribution of 98% of the subscription to the college.
- Won jury verdict and G.L. c. 93A claim for over $1.5 million against registered representative/insurance agent in July, 2010.
- As reported nationally in The National Law Journal and locally in The Boston Herald, won a high-profile trial in February, 2010 challenging the accounting involved in a $5 million guardianship estate.
- Successfully settled ground breaking civil rights violation case in May, 2010 for $350,000 against the Town of Randolph and the Planning Board Chairman arising out of a developer's right to subdivide property, as reported in The Boston Globe and featured in Mass Lawyers Weekly.
- Represented a prominent New England liberal arts college in a will contest action pertaining to the multi-million dollar charitable subscription made to the school by an alumni, and which resulted in the distribution of 98% of the subscription to the college.
- Won the sixth highest trial award in Massachusetts in 2006 ($2.43 million), including a finding of a violation of G.L. c. 93A, in a professional malpractice case.
- Successfully obtained summary judgment on behalf of the purchaser and redeveloper of the NECCO Building in Kendall Square, Cambridge against a $40 million claim that a de facto partnership arose from the manner in which parties interacted, and which judgment was upheld on appeal (DSF Investors LLC v. The Lyme Timber Company, Inc. et al., 67 Mass. App. Ct. 110, 854 N.E.2d. 1267 (2006)).
- Obtained an Anti-SLAPP statute dismissal of a defamation lawsuit filed against a landowner/developer relating to an article published by The Boston Globe that described allegations of civil rights violations (Goodhue v. Mersal, 73 Mass. App. Ct. 1109; 897 N.E.2d. 1042 (2008)).
- Defeated multiple interlocutory appeals in the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court in a registered representative fraud case (McMenimen v. Passatempo, 452 Mass. 178 (2008) and McMenimen v. Passatempo, 458 Mass. 1007 (2010)).
- Represents a telecommunication company against claims that it is liable for the multi-million dollar debt of a third party via its purchase of that company’s assets.
- Represented national temporary staffing company in non-competition and other employment disputes.
- Successfully defended a corporate owner of several North Shore restaurants from a fraudulent scheme to acquire majority ownership, and which involved assertions of corporate mismanagement.
- Obtained defendants’ jury verdict for Boston attorneys and law firm against claims of legal malpractice.
- Represented Boston attorneys in litigation involving the break-up of their law firm, successfully obtained summary judgment on counter-claims, and subsequently negotiated favorable settlement.
Education
B.A., Boston College
J.D., Suffolk University Law School
Honors
From 2005 to 2007 Law and Politics Magazine named Charles a Massachusetts Rising Star in Business Litigation. From 2009 to 2011 he was named a New England Super Lawyer in the area of Business Litigation.
Memberships and Admissions
Charles is a member of the Boston and Massachusetts Bar Associations. He is admitted to practice in Massachusetts and the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. He has also been admitted pro hac vice in Michigan, New Hampshire and New York.
Community Involvement
Charles is a Trustee and Chairman of the Board for the Georgetown Affordable Housing Trust. He is a Commissioner for the Georgetown Conservation Commission and a member of the St. John’s Preparatory School Alumni Committee. Charles has also served as a mentor for Boston-area students including in the Citizen School Mock Trial Program, in the Citizen School 8th Grade Academy, and in the Boston Bar Association’s Law Day, Lawyers in the Classroom.
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Practice Areas
Business Litigation
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