Michael J. Rossi

Michael J. Rossi is trial lawyer with a diverse civil litigation practice.   He focuses on the resolution of general liability, real estate and commercial disputes, including claims for property damage, breach of contract and unfair trade practices.  Mr. Rossi also represents individuals who have suffered serious injuries caused by the negligence of others, including motor vehicle negligence, defective products, construction accidents, and hazardous property conditions.   

Mr. Rossi has litigated and negotiated disputes for a wide range of clients, including property owners and developers, injured individuals and their families, condominium associations, contractors, insurers, corporations, and small businesses.  He has successfully tried jury and jury-waived cases to verdict in Massachusetts state courts and has represented both plaintiffs and defendants in alternative forms of dispute resolution, including mediation and binding arbitration.  Mr. Rossi also appears on behalf of clients before municipal boards, commissions and permit-granting authorities.  In addition to his trial practice, Mr. Rossi counsels clients on litigation avoidance and the negotiation of favorable pre-suit settlements.    

In 2011, Mr. Rossi was selected as a “Rising Star” in the field of civil litigation by New England Super Lawyers Magazine, an honor given to the top up-and-coming attorneys in the state. 

Representative matters include:

·         Lead counsel in successful defense of landowner in a lawsuit brought by a municipality alleging extensive violations of zoning ordinance.

·         Obtained jury verdict in favor of property owner in state court trial involving alleged property defects and breach of warranty of habitability. 

·         Represents multiple plaintiffs in pending medical device lawsuits involving transvaginal mesh implants.

·         Successfully defended disaster restoration company against claims for personal injury and property damage arising out of alleged mold contamination.  

·         Secured dismissal of lawsuit against trustee of family trust alleging breach of fiduciary duties, following successful opposition to motion for a preliminary injunction. 

·         With other attorneys at the firm, obtained injunction and fee award from the U.S. District Court on behalf of non-profit organization arising from discriminatory denial of special building permit.

·         Secured favorable arbitration award on behalf of condominium unit owners regarding contested use and ownership of parking spaces.

·         Obtained summary judgment in favor of London-based business owner in federal court breach of contract action.

Prior to joining Clark, Hunt, Ahern & Embry in 2008, Mr. Rossi was associated with a large Boston firm, where his practice focused on the defense of product liability, medical malpractice, motor vehicle negligence, and general liability claims.  In this capacity, Mr. Rossi briefed and argued several dispositive motions resulting in the dismissal of lawsuits against the firm’s clients.  He also participated in a three-week Superior Court jury trial involving traumatic brain injury claims.  

Mr. Rossi received his law degree (cum laude) from Suffolk University Law School in 2006, where he was a staff member and Note Editor of the Suffolk University Law Review.  During law school, he also served as a Certified Student Prosecutor with the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office, and as a member of Suffolk’s National Mock Trial Competition Team.  Prior to law school, Mr. Rossi worked for a political consulting and polling firm in Washington, D.C.  Mr. Rossi received a bachelor of arts degree from the Johns Hopkins University in 2001, and is currently the president of the Boston chapter of the Johns Hopkins University Alumni Association.  

Mr. Rossi is admitted to the Bar of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, the State of New Hampshire, and the U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire.  He is a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association and the Boston American Inn of Court.  He has published articles in legal journals and the popular press on a variety of legal topics.