As a founding principal of Sullivan Weinstein & McQuay, Bob envisioned a law firm that delivers the highest quality solutions at far less than the usual expense. That principle drives every aspect of work at Sullivan Weinstein & McQuay today.

Bob focuses on litigation and alternative dispute resolution. He also provides advice and counsel to clients so they can better manage legal risk. He determines the tool best suited for a solution, be it lawsuit, arbitration or mediation. He tries cases before state and federal courts and before arbitration and mediation panels. He is also an arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association and a certified mediator under Massachusetts law.

Practice Areas

Bob represents and counsels companies, health care providers, universities, and individuals in a broad range of business and employment matters.

• Business and Commercial Litigation
• Arbitration & Mediation
• Contract Disputes
• Shareholder Claims
• Trade Secrets and Non-Competition
• Employment Law
• College & University Law
• Health Care Issues

Representative Cases

BUSINESS, TECHNOLOGY AND COMMERCIAL LITIGATION

Technology Licensing : $30 million recovery for a local university in a suit to enforce a technology and royalty sharing agreement for audio technology in high-definition television.

Failed Hospital Merger : Successfully defended Holyoke Hospital at trial in a suit to enforce a health care system merger.

Purchase of Counterfeit Securities : Secured a multi-million dollar settlement for major health maintenance organization that had been sold forged certificates of deposit by a securities dealer.

Performance Bond : Recovered all proceeds from a $5,000,000 performance bond on behalf of ISO New England in a suit.

Lease Dispute : Defended Brigham & Women's Hospital and obtained favorable settlement in a matter involving rent payable under lease for 1350 space parking garage.

Fraud in a Closely Held Corporation : Secured a multi-million dollar settlement at trial for shareholder and former employee of closely held corporation on claims for security fraud and breach of fiduciary duty in connection with the company's IPO.

Securities -- Class Action : Defended Rockwell International in a class action in federal court over alleged false registration statement.

Real Estate Values -- Class Action : Defended major Boston bank in federal court against an allegation of understatement of real estate values. Matter was successfully dismissed.

Civil Rights -- Tortuous Interference : Successfully defended the Boston Symphony Orchestra against claims by actress Vanessa Redgrave in federal court in matter alleging violation of Massachusetts Civil Rights Act.

Product Liability : Favorable settlement for Boston Edison in suit regarding possible faulty design or faulty manufacture of nuclear power plant.

Breach of Contract : Defended Parametric Technology Corporation in numerous cases in Michigan, Texas, California, and Massachusetts, against purchasers of software product.

Business Interference : Successfully defended Brockton Hospital against physician group in claims that Medicare cases were improperly taken from another physician group.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT MATTERS

Age Discrimination : Verdict for a local university in claim by research scientist for age discrimination.

Sex Discrimination : Verdict for a local university in claim against Alumni Office for sex discrimination.

Race Discrimination : Verdict for a local university in claim by employee for race discrimination.

Race Discrimination : Court ruling for a local university in claim by scientist for race discrimination.

Sexual Harassment : Verdict for a local university in claim by employee/student for sexual harassment.

Tenure Denial : Dismissal for a local university in claim by professor denied tenure.

Work Conditions : Dismissal for a local university in claim by tenured professor over work conditions.

Sexual Harassment : Favorably settled claim against a local university by student/researcher for sexual harassment.

Wrongful eviction : Verdict for a local university in claim by student for wrongful eviction.

Tenure Denial : Favorably settled claim against a local university for failure to grant tenure.

College Zoning : Defended Northeastern University in land-use lawsuit brought by neighbors seeking to bar Northeastern's use of a stadium and asserting violations of zoning violations.

Student Discipline, Defense of Wrongful Expulsion : Successfully defended Harvard Business School before internal faculty panel against claim of wrongful expulsion.

Discrimination and Tenure : Defended Brandeis University at governmental agency regarding allegations of discrimination by tenured professor.

Governmental Investigations into Scientific Misconduct : Represented major research university in investigations by federal agencies and related Congressional hearings.

Wrongful Termination, First Amendment and Tenure : Successfully resolved lawsuit against a local university by faculty member who claimed that he was denied tenure because of political and academic views.

Sexual Harassment, Gender Discrimination, Scientific Misconduct : Successfully resolved lawsuit in which discrimination charges were joined with alleged reporting of scientific misconduct in research regulated by the National Institutes of Health

Removal of Physician : Defended Children's Hospital against a physician scientist at an internal administrative hearing before a panel of physicians.

Prior Experience

Before founding Sullivan Weinstein & McQuay, Bob was a partner for over ten years in the litigation department of Palmer & Dodge, where he was also the Chair of the College and University Practice Group. Earlier in his career, he was a partner at the Boston law firm of Herrick & Smith, where he also specialized in litigation, and served as general counsel to one of the region's largest universities.

Education

Yale B.A., 1957

Harvard Law School, LL.B., 1960

Boston University, LL.M., 1975

Professional Affiliations

Bob is a current member and former director of the National Association of College and University Attorneys. He has been a council member of the Boston Bar Association and served on the BBA's Task Force on Professional Challenges and Family Needs. He is a member of the American Bar Association, Massachusetts Bar Association, District of Columbia Bar Association, and the Boston Bar Association.

He is a member of the bars of Massachusetts, the District of Columbia, Michigan, the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts and several other federal courts including the U.S. Supreme Court.

Notable Clients

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Parametric Technology Corporation

Northeastern University

Children's Hospital

Partners (Brigham & Women's and Mass General)

Brandeis University

Tufts University

Boston Edison Company

Rockwell International

Boston Symphony Orchestra

Harvard Business School

Holyoke Hospital

Boston College

Brockton Hospital