CHOATE HALL & STEWART LLP

Macey Russell co-chairs the firm’s Diversity Committee and is a member of the firm’s Hiring Committee. 

In 2007, the Governor appointed Mr. Russell to the Judicial Nominating Commission which recommends judicial appointments at all levels throughout the Commonwealth.  In 2009, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly named Mr. Russell a “Diversity Hero.”  In 2009, Litigation Counsel of America named Mr. Russell to its Trial Lawyer Honorary Society composed of less than one-half of one percent of American lawyers.    

Since 1989, Mr. Russell has been a frequent advisor and contributor to Harvard University Law School’s Trial Advocacy Workshop.

Practice Focus

Financial Institution Litigation:  representation of financial institutions, banks and corporations in contract, and securities disputes, as well as lending and investment related litigation in state court, federal court and in arbitrations.

Major Commercial Litigation:  representation of corporations and businesses in contract and uniform commercial code disputes arising out of a variety of matters in arbitration and in state and federal courts throughout country, with a specific concentration in state and federal courts in Massachusetts, New York and Michigan.

Representative Engagements

• Representation of parent corporation in multiple lawsuits against claims brought by hedge fund investors for losses on the theory that parent is liable for the decision of its subsidiary corporation, as general partner, to engage an investment manager who stole partnership funds using a Ponzi scheme.
• Representation of a trust as a successor-in-interest to a potential responsible party in a DEP action who along with several other businesses allegedly contaminated public dump site over 60 years ago.
• Representation of companies and businesses in variety of commercial disputes arising out of sales of goods and provision of services.
• Representation of financial institution in multi-district class action law suit involving claims of improper fee notices to customers in violation of federal banking statutes.
• Representation of investment advisory firm in connection with claims brought by client against firm resulting from financial losses sustained by client in his stock portfolio. 
• Representation of financial institution in action brought by investors against investment fund and its managers for fraud; case also addressed claims by investors that financial institution participated “in the fraud” indirectly by endorsing fund managers and creating vehicle to invest retirement funds into alternative investment vehicles.
• Represented various financial institutions in lender liability litigation arising out of claims of wrongful foreclosure, wrongful repossession of pledged assets, failure to fund or continue to fund loan obligations, and in connection with credit related claims.
• Represented financial institution in lease financing litigation matters and in class action case involving claims of improper insurance rebate procedures and in floor plan financing litigation matters.
• Representation of technology corporation in connection with action following audit to recoup funds misappropriated by corporate officers who were prior owners hired post-acquisition to manage business.
• Represented Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation with respect to bankruptcy of Bank of New England Corporation and its subsidiary, Bank of New England Mortgage Company, regarding value of mortgage loan servicing rights and potential fraudulent conveyance of servicing rights by the subsidiary banks.
  Dr. Ben S. Branch, Trustee of Bank of New England Corporation v. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Receiver for Bank of New England, US District Court
• Represented the NAACP Boston Chapter as pro bono counsel in litigation of civil rights claims on behalf of minority school children relating to the constitutionality of the admissions policy to public examination schools.
  Sarah Wessman v. Boston School Committee, et al, D Mass

Publications and Presentations

Faculty:  Harvard University Law School Trial Advocacy Workshop (1989-1990, 1992-1994, 1996-1998, 2000-2007, 2009): taught all aspects of trial preparation including opening and closing arguments, examination and cross-examination of lay and expert witnesses and the use of demonstrative evidence at trial.

• “Developing Great Minority Lawyers for the Next Generation,” co-author, ACC Docket, July/August 2010. 
• “Wider pipeline is vital to progress,” author, The National Law Journal, October 19, 2009.
• “Alone at the Top: Are Enough Minorities Climbing the Large Law Firm Ladder,” guest speaker, Boston College Law School, Newton, MA, February 5, 2009.
• “Affinity Groups and Diversity Initiatives,” guest speaker, The 16th Annual Marketing Partner Forum, The Hildebrandt Institute, Dana Point, CA, January 28, 2009.
• “Challenges of Diversifying Law Firms and Organizational Change,” guest lecturer, Bentley College, Waltham, MA, December 8, 2008. 
• “Selling Litigation—Three Successful Rainmakers Share Their Secrets,” panelist, The Hildebrandt Institute, Virtual Seminar,  May 21, 2008.
• “Many Faces of Leadership II,” honorary chairperson, emcee and moderator of Business Panel, The Boston Leadership Development Foundation Conference, Commonwealth of Massachusetts State House, October 21, 2005.
• “First Annual Leadership Conference,” honorary chairperson, emcee and moderator of Corporate Panel, The Boston Jaycees Leadership Foundation, The Boston Globe, October 17, 2003.
• “The Big Law Firm: Whose Club is it Now?” panelist, The First Annual, First Circuit ABA Conference on Diversity and Law, Harvard University Law School, April 26, 2003.
• “What it Means to be a Black Lawyer Today,” guest lecturer, New England School of Law, Boston, MA, January 22, 2003.
• “Chapter 12, Part II Demonstrative Evidence,” co-author, Massachusetts Superior Court Civil Practice Manual (MCLE Inc. 1997 and supp. 2002, 2005, 2007).
• “Diversity in the Legal Profession,” guest lecturer, Suffolk University Law School (Professor Lisle Baker), Boston, Massachusetts, Fall 2001.
• “National Summit on Retention of Minority Lawyers in the Private Sector,” moderator and panelist, American Bar Association, Commission on Minorities, Boston, Massachusetts, April 27-28, 2000.
• “Empowerment Within the Legal Profession—A Diversity Perspective,” guest lecturer, The Hagen School of Business, Iona College, New Rochelle, New York, February 1, 2000.
• “The Need for Ethnic and Racial Diversity and How to Attain It at the BBA,” panelist, Boston Bar Association Leadership Retreat, Stockbridge, Massachusetts, October 22, 1999.
• “A look at Racial and Gender Diversity After Proposition 209 and Texaco,” moderator and panelist, American Bar Association Annual Meeting, San Francisco, California, August 2, 1997.
• “Waiting to Exhale: Coping with Frustration and Stress in the Legal Profession,” moderator and panelist, ABA Law Practice Management Diversity Task Force and Commission on Opportunities for Minorities in the Profession, Orlando, Florida, August 2, 1996.
  

Professional and Community Involvement

Mr. Russell is active in several legal organizations, including:

• Board of Directors, Center for Law and Education (May 2009 – present).
• Executive Committee, Boston Bar Association’s Diversity and Inclusion Section (January 2009 – present).
• Vice Chairman, Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Judicial Nominating Commission (2007 – present).
• Executive Committee, Boston Lawyers Group (2008 – present).
• Pro Bono, Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice at Harvard Law School – “School to Prison Pipeline Project” (2008 –present).
• Member, Boston Bar Foundation Grants Committee (2006 – present).
• Dean’s Advisory Committee, Suffolk University Law School (2005 – present).
• Founding Committee Member, Charting Your Own Course Foundation, Minority In House Counsel/Associate Career Conference (1999 – 2002) Washington, DC.
• Planning Committee Member, National Summit on the Retention of Minority Lawyers in the Private Sector, Commission on Opportunities for Minorities, American Bar Association (1999).
• Chairperson, Diversity Committee (1996 – 1999) and Council Member (1997 – 1999), Law Practice Management Section, American Bar Association (1996 to present).
• Executive Committee, Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association (1995  – 1997).
• Advisory Committee (1997 – 1998), Conference of Minority Partners, American Bar Association.
• Board of Editors, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (1995 – 1997).

Mr. Russell is also active in several non-profit organizations including:

• Board of Fellows, Trinity College, Hartford, CT (2009 – present).
• President, Director and Founder, The Boston Leadership Development Foundation Inc (2006 – present).
• Founder, President and Chairperson, The Reaching Back Foundation Inc, Boston, MA (1996 – present).
• Business Liaison Committee, Boston 2004, Inc., Democratic National Convention, Boston, MA.
• Past Chairperson, 21st Century Committee of the Boston Chapter NAACP, Boston, MA.
• Past Director, Newton Pop Warner Football and Cheerleading Program.
• Executive Vice President, The New England Colleges Fund, North Andover, MA.
• Past President, The Brockton Boys & Girls Club, Brockton, MA.
• Past President, The Black Alumni Association and Board of National Alumni Association, Trinity College, Hartford, CT.