Attorney Michael Chinitz, Founder
Mike is a highly respected executive advisor and problem solver known for achieving pragmatic solutions to employment disputes and guiding executives through job transitions. He is a trusted counselor on legal issues in the employer-employee relationship and has resolved a broad range of claims, both in and out of litigation. Mike frequently represents partners and co-owners in internal business disputes, with deep knowledge of the dynamics among shareholders, LLC members, and partners in closely-held entities.
Referred by large Boston law firms and firms nationwide, Mike collaborates efficiently with opposing counsel while fiercely advocating for his clients. He takes a holistic approach to legal problems, working with corporate and tax lawyers, accountants, valuation experts, and outplacement counselors.
Mike is a 19-year Massachusetts Super Lawyer in employment law, a Boston Magazine Top Lawyer, and has maintained a Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent rating for most of his 36-year career. Before founding Chinitz Law LLC in 2019, he worked at Nutter, McClennen & Fish for eight years and was a partner for 17 years at Rose, Chinitz & Rose, a litigation boutique in Boston.
- Negotiating the sale of Sub S and C-Corporation, LLC, and partnership equity on behalf of discharged founders and other parties in professional practices, tech and non-tech firms and other businesses
- Successfully representing minority shareholders in corporate “squeeze/freeze outs” achieving the sale of equity back to the company.
- Successfully defending numerous companies in wage and hour and misclassification litigation and alternative dispute resolution
- Advising executives on the modification of noncompetition, non- solicitation, employee “no-poach” agreements, and non- disclosure, confidentiality and other restrictive covenants.
- Routinely advising transitioning executives of life sciences, pharmaceutical, technology and other companies regarding their legal obligations to former employers and negotiating their employment agreements and severance packages.
- Successfully obtained substantial enhancements of numerous separation packages across a broad range of industries. These enhancements have included complex equity arrangements including carried interest, restricted stock and performance share arrangements, partnership, LLC, and phantom stock units, bonuses, salary, garden leave payments, accrued wages and other compensation.
- Advising financial industry professionals concerning their transitions between firms, including counseling regarding the Protocol for Broker Recruiting, raiding, restrictive covenant issues, fiduciary duty-related claims, and issues that arise under Form U5.
- Representing executives and middle managers in wrongful termination claims, predicated upon multiple theories of liability including age, gender, disability, race, pregnancy, FMLA and PFMLA leave, common law claims for breach of contract and tort, among others.
- Representing public and private company C-Suite executives in their transitions between positions, addressing cash and equity components of their compensation.
- Successfully representing executives and their new companies in non-competition and trade secret disputes.
- Successfully representing closely-held corporations, majority shareholders against claims of freeze out/squeeze out, excessive compensation claims, dividend-related disputes, and a wide array of other claims, including representation through trial, appeal, and mediation.
- Advising numerous employers on a broad array of employment law compliance issues, including wage, hour and misclassification issues, application of federal and state disability and leave laws, antidiscrimination and sexual harassment law, the hiring, firing and discipline process, and the drafting of various employment, severance and compensation agreements, employment policies and handbooks, review and evaluation forms, and other employment-based documents.
- Representing physicians and dentists in their voluntary and involuntary departures from hospitals and group practices, and working with other lawyers in the areas of health care law and physician discipline and licensing matters.
- Representing executives and companies in compensation disputes, including those involving wages, commissions, bonuses, and equity-based claims.
- Obtaining numerous preliminary injunctions and final orders to enforce FINRA Registered Representative customer non-solicitation obligations and defending investment professionals ( including brokers, analysts, fund managers and others) against such claims.
- Obtaining and defeating temporary restraining orders and preliminary injunctions in non-competition and non-solicitation cases across a wide array of industries.
EDUCATION
- Boston University School of Law; Law Review Editor; Recipient of the Lillian Berger Prize for Outstanding Academic Achievement and many Corporis Juris Secundum Book Awards for the highest grades in numerous courses.
- BA, University of Massachusetts/Amherst, Phi Beta Kappa
- Commonwealth of Massachusetts
- State of New Hampshire
- United States District Court for Massachusetts and First Circuit Court of Appeals
Mike is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of UMASS/Amherst and graduated Summa Cum Laude from Boston University School of Law, where he was on Law Review. He has been recognized as a Massachusetts Super Lawyer for 19 years (including 2023-24 for employment law) and as a Boston Magazine Top Lawyer for employment law, selected by peers and a panel of renowned lawyers (top 3% of the Massachusetts Bar). Mike holds a Martindale-Hubbell AV-Preeminent rating, the highest rating for skill and ethics at the bar. Before founding Chinitz Law LLC in 2019, Mike practiced at Nutter, McClennen & Fish, and Rose, Chinitz & Rose.
Mike serves on the Boston University School of Law’s Alumni Executive Committee and has been an Advisory Board Member for Boston University’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. He participates annually in the Alzheimer’s Association Ride to End ALZ.
An avid road cyclist, Mike and his family are passionate fundraisers for the Dana Farber Cancer Institute through the Pan Mass Challenge (“PMC”), raising about $300,000 to date. 2024 marks Mike’s 20th year as a PMC participant.
Mike grew up in Newton and now lives in West Newton, Massachusetts, with his wife Karen Chinitz (“KC”), a realtor with Engel & Volkers Wellesley, and their three daughters. He enjoys downhill skiing in the Rockies and New England, grilling, and cooking.
