Jeffrey N. Catalano

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Biography

Jeffrey Catalano represents victims of catastrophic injuries in medical negligence, construction accident, auto accident, food poisoning, and other personal injury cases.  Mr. Catalano has obtained numerous multi-million-dollar results in cases statewide and nationally.  He obtained an award of $10 million for a severely disabled child, the highest medical malpractice arbitration award in Massachusetts history.  He also had the largest medical malpractice verdict in Massachusetts in 2017 arising out of the death of a mother following the birth of her child.

He is consistently included in the Best Lawyers in America directory for medical malpractice, personal injury, and product liability litigation, and is repeatedly selected as a Top Rated and Best Lawyer by the Boston Globe, Wall Street Journal, and Super Lawyers.

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Jeff is past President of the Massachusetts Bar Association. He advocates for civil rights and access to justice for the poor as a member of the Board of Directors for Lawyers for Civil Rights and the Access to Justice Commission in Massachusetts.

He lectures on a variety of topics related to trial strategy, medical legal issues, and personal injury matters before numerous bar associations, law schools, and on local and national television.

Jeff is deeply committed to health care safety.  He regularly testifies before the Massachusetts Legislature regarding patient rights and health care issues.  He volunteers to work with physicians and hospitals as a member of the Massachusetts Alliance for Communication and Resolution Following Medical Injury (MACRMI), which seeks to improve transparency and compensation following medical errors. 

He is a graduate of Boston College Law School, where he received the Commencement Achievement Award.

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  • Background
    • Todd & Weld LLP, 1999 to present
    • Anderson, Adler, Cohen & Harvey LLP, 1994-1999
  • Professional Activities
    • President (2016-2017), Massachusetts Bar Association
    • Boston Bar Association
    • Executive Committee, American Association for Justice
    • Board of Governors, Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys
    • American Board of Trial Advocates
  • Publications / Lectures
    • Speaker, Unique Perspectives on Public Service, Massachusetts Bar Association's Leadership Academy (Dec. 11, 2017)
    • Panelist, Communication, Apology, and Resolution, Massachusetts Bar Assocation (Oct. 10, 2017)
    • Panelist, Disclosure and Transparency Following Medical Injuries, BETA Annual Member Symposium, BETA Healthcare Group (Sept. 5, 2017)
    • Speaker, When there is harm in medicine, can transparency replace deny and defend?, Louisiana State University School of Medicine, Ob/Gyn Grand Rounds, LA (Aug. 30, 2017)
    • Panelist, Fifth Annual MACRMI Forum, Massachusetts Medical Society (April 13, 2017)
    • Speaker/Lecturer, Annual Health Law Symposium, Massachusetts Bar Association (April 7, 2017)
    • Speaker, Juvenile and Child Welfare Symposium, Lowell, Mass. (April 7, 2017)
    • Speaker/Lecturer, Annual Health Law Symposium, Massachusetts Bar Association (April 7, 2017)
    • Speaker, Supreme Judicial Court Bench-Bar Leadership Conference, John Adams Courthouse (March 1, 2017)
    • Speaker, Annual Walk to the Hill for legal service funding; Equal Justice Coalition, Massachusetts Bar Association, State House (Jan. 26, 2017)
    • Guest. Nightside with Dan Rea, CBS Boston (Nov. 30, 2016)
    • Speaker, State of the Judiciary, Massachusetts Bar Association, John Adams Courthouse (Oct. 20, 2016)
    • Panelist, Early Dispute Resolution, 8th Annual New England ADR & The Law Conference, MCLE (Sept. 23, 2016)
    • Panelist, When There's Harm in the Hospital: Can Transparency Replace 'Deny and Defend?', National Health Policy Forum, Washington, D.C. (March 11, 2016)
    • Panelist, Negotiation and Mediation Tactics, Massachusetts Bar Association (Feb. 4, 2016)
    • Guest Lecturer, A Case Study: Advances in Patient Safety, Lucian Leape Institute Forum, National Patient Safety Foundation (Sept. 17, 2015)
    • Speaker, Practicing with Professionalism Course, Massachusetts Bar Association (Sept. 17, 2015)
    • Guest Lecturer, Lessons Stemming from $10 Million Arbitration Award, Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys, Medical Negligence Committee (June 25, 2015)
    • Guest, New England Cable News, Could Injured Sox Fan Sue? (June 8, 2015)
    • Panelist, Disclosure and Offer Following Medical Errors, Massachusetts Bar Association (Jan. 21, 2015)
    • Panelist, Mass Torts for the Masses, Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys (Sept. 17, 2014)
    • Guest, WCRN Radio Show, Legislation Impacting Medical Malpractice Cases (April 6, 2014)
    • Panelist and Moderator, How to Prepare and Try Your First Jury Case, Massachusetts Bar Association (2002-2014)
    • Guest Lecturer, The Practical, Political, and Legal Aspects of Mass Torts, Northeastern School of Law (October 2013)
    • Panelist, Handling Client Relationships, Massachusetts Bar Association (April 2013)
    • Panelist, The New Medical Malpractice Laws, Massachusetts Bar Association (March 2013)
    • Panelist, The New Medical Malpractice Laws, Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys (November 2012 and May 2013)
    • Panelist, A Panel on Medical Malpractice, Massachusetts Chapter of American College of Surgeons (December 2012)
    • Panelist, MBA 2012 Annual Health Law Conference (June 2012)
    • Guest Lecturer, Health Care Law, New England School of Law (February 2012)
    • Speaker, Ceremony for Admission to Massachusetts Bar, Faneuil Hall (2008-2011)
    • Guest Lecturer, Boston Medical Center, The Risks and Benefits of Apology and Disclosure in Medical Negligence Cases (November 2011)
    • Speaker, The First 48 Hours of a Personal Injury Case Boston Bar Association (May 2011)
    • Guest, Fox & Friends, The Impact of Medical Errors on Patients and Health Care Costs (November 2009)
    • Panelist, Medical Liability in the 21st Century, 15th Annual Medical-Legal Forum, Hampden County Bar Association (September 2009
    • Panelist, Mastering Direct and Cross-Examination, Massachusetts Bar Association (April 2009)
    • Panelist, Firm and Fair Trial Date Town Hall, Suffolk University Law School (March 2008)
    • Lecturer, Cross-Examination, SEAK National Expert Witness Conference (2007)
    • Speaker, Medical Malpractice, Video Leadership Seminar, ReedLogic (2007)
    • Speaker, Medical Malpractice and Health Care Quality, Health Care for All (2007)
    • Speaker, Assisted Reproductive Technology Law, Suffolk University Law School (2006-2010)
    • Speaker, Legal Briefs: Pursuing Medical Negligence Cases, HCAT Television (May 2006)
    • Panelist, Preparing to File a Lawsuit, Massachusetts Bar Association (2006)
    • Speaker, Networking 101, Massachusetts Bar Association Annual Conference (2004-2006)
    • Panelist and Moderator, Business and Marketing 101 for the Associate Seeking to Make Partner, Massachusetts Bar Association (2002-2003)
    • Panelist and Moderator, Innovative Voir Dire Techniques, Massachusetts Bar Association (2002)
    • Author, Op-Ed, "Can Sox be liable for injuries from foul balls, broken bats?", Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (July 13, 2015)
    • Co-Author, "Should Malpractice Settlements Be Secret?", JAMA Intern. Med. (May 11, 2015)
    • Co-Author, Op-Ed, "Amending the Lodging House Statute Could Save Lives", Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (Nov. 11, 2013)
    • Author, "The New Medical Negligence and Apology Laws: A Bold New Frontier for Patient Safety", Patient Safety Insight, American Society of Professionals in Patient Safety (March 8, 2013)
    • Author, "Winning a Medical Malpractice Plaintiff Verdict on the Merits", Massachusetts Lawyers Journal, Vol. 17, No. 11 (August 2010)
    • Author, "When Saying 'I'm Sorry' Helps to Heal", Medical Law Report, Vol. 4, No. 4
    • Co-editor, Guide to Judicial Practice in the Superior Court of Massachusetts, 3rd Ed. Massachusetts Bar Association (2008)
    • Legal Contributor, "Ask the Expert", Springfield Republican (March 2008)
    • Author, “Post Judgment Costs”, Journal of the Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys, (2006)
    • Author, "IVF: New Horizons in Informed Consent", Massachusetts Bar Association, Section Review, Vol. 7, No. 3 (2005)
    • Author, "Can Disclosure be Compelled of Attorney Work Product that has been Shared with a Testifying Expert", Massachusetts Bar Association, Section Review,, Vol. 2, No. 2 (2000)
  • Awards / Achievements
    • Outstanding Service Award, Middlesex County Bar Association, November 2017
    • President's Award from Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys, May 2017
    • Martindale-Hubble AV Peer Review Rated signifying the "highest level of professional excellence."
    • American Board of Trial Advocates. Membership is by invitation only to lawyers who are of "high personal character and honorable reputation" and have tried substantial cases.
    • Best Lawyers in America, U.S. News & World Report, 2015-2021
    • Top 100 Attorneys in Massachusetts, Boston Magazine, 2017.
    • Top 100 Massachusetts Super Lawyers, Personal Injury in Boston Magazine, 2017.
    • Best Lawyers in New England, Boston Globe and Wall Street Journal, 2013-2017.
    • Boston's Top Rated Lawyer in Medical Malpractice, Boston Globe and Wall Street Journal, 2014-2017.
    • New England Super Lawyer in Boston Magazine, 2009-2019.
    • Rising Star, Super Lawyers in Boston Magazine, 2005.
    • President's Award from Massachusetts Academy of Trial Attorneys, May 2013.
    • Hero from the Field Award for work for patient rights, health care, and safety, 2009.
    • Lawyer of the Month by Health Law Advocates, Pro Bono Legal Network for exceptional representation of clients in June 2008.
  • Civic & Charitable Involvement
    • Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation, Board of Directors member (2019-present)
    • Collaborative for Accountability and Improvement, Board of Directors member, (2019-present)
    • United Planet volunteer at orphange in Romania (July 2015)
    • Massachusetts Bar Association High School Mock Trial Program, Coach
    • Massachusetts Alliance for Communication and Resolution Following Medical Injury (MACRMI), Representative-Massachusetts Bar Association, 2013-Present
    • Health Law Advocates Inc., Board of Directors Member 2006-2016, Pro Bono Attorney, 2003-present, Co-chair of 2008 fundraising event
    • Institute for Healthcare Improvement, Faculty
    • Jesuit Volunteer Corps, Caseworker: Compass Alternative School, 1990-1991, Co-chair of 2008 fundraising event
    • Public Interest Law Project of Boston, Founder and President, 1996-2001
    • Massachusetts Advocates for Children, Pro Bono Attorney, 1995-1997
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