BAR ADMISSIONS :

  • Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (1981)
  • U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts (1981)
  • U.S. District Court, District of Rhode Island (1984)
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, First Circuit (1992)
  • Maine Supreme Court (1994)
  • New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division (2000)
  • U.S. District Court, District of Maine (2001)

Awards and Recognitions

  • Massachusetts Super Lawyers
  • Martindale AV PREEMINENT
  • Avvo Rating 9.7

Education and Experience :

  • Bowdoin College, A.B. cum laude with Honors in Government, 1977
  • Boston University School of Law, JD, Editor-in-Chief, BU Law Review, 1980
  • Law Clerk, US District Court Judge W. Arthur Garrity, Jr., 1980-1981
  • Ropes & Gray, 1981 – 1988
  • Dechert, 1988 – 1994
  • Partner, Jager Smith, 1994-1998
  • Partner, Lynch, Brewer, Hoffman & Fink LLP, 1998 – 2017
About the

Law Office of John P Dennis LLC

John is an experienced trial lawyer with an extensive background in complex and challenging litigation. He represents individuals and businesses throughout Massachusetts and nationally, and is rated a Massachusetts Super Lawyer, is AV® Preeminent™ rated by the Martindale-Hubbell legal directory, its highest rating for legal ability and professional ethics, and is rated 9.7 (Superb) by Avvo®, its highest rating for experience, industry recognition, and professional conduct.

John advises clients in a wide variety of complex litigation matters. He has represented individuals and businesses in:

  • merger and acquisition disputes,
  • purchase price adjustment and earn out disputes,
  • commercial real estate and development disputes,
  • ERISA claims,
  • fraud and deceptive business practices claims,
  • minority shareholder and partnership disputes,
  • environmental liabilities,
  • employment disputes,
  • creditors in business bankruptcies,
  • and non-profit board fiduciary duties and management issues.

John has won major victories at the trial and appellate level in state and federal courts for his clients.

John is committed to and involved with volunteer activities in his communities. He was Chairperson of the Town of Needham Personnel Board from 2004, until 2014 when he moved to Sharon MA. He is also a Mentor for children at The Home for Little Wanderers in Walpole, MA.

Additionally, he is committed to pro bono work, and has handled cases on behalf of the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights under Law of the Boston Bar Association.

John has also been very active in supporting his alma maters. He has served as Co- Chair of his BU Law class 25th and 30th reunions and as Planning Chair for his Bowdoin College class 25th, 30th, and 35th reunions. John was named the Bowdoin Alumni Club Volunteer of the Year in 2010, served on the Bowdoin Alumni Council from 2005 to 2009, and served as President of the Bowdoin Club of Boston 2003 to 2004.

John also completed the BAA Boston Marathon in 2004, 2005 and 2006, and has no plans to try it again.

John and his partner Susan Tovsky live in Sharon, MA and enjoy spending time with their two daughters, two sons, and newly adopted rescue dog, Roger.

Representative Cases and Clients

  • Genesys Research Institute, Inc. (“GRI”) Represented GRI as general counsel to a world leading non-profit biomedical research center located on  the campus of Steward St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Boston from its disaffiliation from Steward Healthcare in April 2013 through GRI’s eventual bankruptcy reorganization filing in July 2015 and thereafter.  Successfully defended GRI from multiple claims and government investigations triggered by former researchers and from claims asserted by Steward Healthcare.
  • Winchester Gables, Inc.  Obtained a $1.8 million judgment on appeal on behalf of Winchester Gables in an action against Host Marriott to recover a purchase price adjustment due to be paid upon Marriott’s resale of a senior living facility in Winchester, MA.
  • BankBoston, Trustee, et al.  Obtained a $13.5 million recovery for plaintiffs by settlement mid-trial in an action against Dawson Holdings, Plc for the deferred purchase price owed for the sale of Faxon, Inc., the world’s largest subscription service company.
  • Mellon Bank.  Represented Mellon in recovering its $11.5 million secured claim against Head Injury Recovery Associates and Chapter 11 debtor, John Brennick, including obtaining relief from stay, foreclosures on facilities in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware and collection and litigation of all accounts receivable,
  • Town of Hopkinton.  Represented the Town of Hopkinton as special counsel in the Weston Nurseries Chapter 11 bankruptcy with respect to the sale of 900 acres to developer Boulder Capital, in particular successfully preserving the Town’s right of first refusal under Mass. G. L. c. 61A.
  • Standard Register Company.  Represented Standard Register in a seven day trial against Bolton Emerson, Inc. obtaining $5.5 million judgment for damages for fraud and unfair and deceptive practices in connection with a contract to manufacture specialized business form machinery.
  • Connell Limited Partnership.  Represented Connell Limited Partnership as purchaser in the acquisition of the assets of Lane Punch Corporation in its Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceeding.