Melissa Bayer Tearney From Choate, Hall & Stewart Named 2015 "White Collar Crime Trailblazer" by The National Law Journal

BOSTON, MA--(Marketwired - Jan 12, 2016) - Choate, Hall & Stewart LLP announced today that Melissa Bayer Tearney, a partner in the firm's Government Enforcement & Compliance Practice Group, has been named a "White Collar Crime Trailblazer" by The National Law Journal (NLJ). Tearney is one of 50 attorneys selected by the NLJ for its inaugural list of powerhouse lawyers who "continue to make their mark in white collar crime litigation" and have "shown a deep passion and perseverance in pursuit of their mission, having achieved remarkable successes along the way."

The NLJ noted that Tearney "has built a high profile white collar practice by being a trusted, steady, and strategic advisor to large corporations and individuals facing the highest stakes litigation" and "has a stellar reputation for handling significant matters for major clients facing charges of healthcare fraud and abuse; bank, mortgage lending and other financial institutions fraud; real estate fraud; hazardous waste and other environmental violations; foreign corrupt practices; customs violations; antitrust violations; and civil and criminal RICO."

With almost 25 years of experience, much of Tearney's practice is focused on representing corporate executives and companies against allegations that they have violated federal statutes, such as the False Claims Act or the Anti-Kickback Statute. According to the NLJ, "Many of Tearney's biggest wins are the confidential cases where she convinced the Justice Department not to bring charges. In cases where government actions are brought, success is often measured in Tearney's ability to limit settlements to reasonable amounts and to prevent prosecution of individual executives." She recently successfully concluded a complex, multi-year defense of an international pharmaceutical company in federal and state investigations involving sales and marketing practices. 

Tearney holds numerous leadership roles at Choate and in the community. She is a member of the firm's Executive Committee and has served as co-chair of the Hiring Committee and Summer Program. She is president of Greater Boston Legal Services and serves on its Board of Directors and Executive Committee. She is a member of Hebrew SeniorLife's Board of Directors and chair of the board's Governance and Conflicts Committees as well as a member of the Development and Audit and Compliance Committees. Tearney also serves on Camp Bauercrest's Board of Directors and Executive Committee and is a Trustee of Thayer Academy. 

Choate, Hall & Stewart LLP, one of the nation's leading law firms, is consistently recognized for excellence by Best Lawyers in America, Chambers USA, The Legal 500, World's Leading Lawyers, International Who's Who of Lawyers, and Expert Guides. With all of its lawyers under one roof, Choate focuses on a core group of areas where it represents clients across the United States and internationally and provides exceptional efficiency, service and value. Choate's areas of focus include high-stakes litigation, government enforcement and compliance, corporate/M&A, private equity, finance & restructuring, intellectual property, insurance/reinsurance, and wealth management.