Attorney Michael Chinitz, Founder
Mike is a highly respected executive advisor and advocate, problem solver and litigator known for achieving practical, effective solutions to employment disputes and counseling executives through their transitions between jobs. He is a trusted counselor regarding legal issues and disputes that can arise in the employer-employee relationship, and has resolved, both with and without litigation, a broad range of claims. Mike also frequently represents partners and co-owners of businesses in internal business disputes, and is intimately knowledgeable of the dynamic of closely-held entities and the conflicts that often arise among founders of these entities. Mike is the frequent recipient of executive and other referrals from the largest Firms in Boston and beyond.
Mike is well respected as an effective litigation and arbitration strategist with full command of the facts, the applicable laws and regulations, and the business objectives of his clients. Whether he is pursuing remedies in court or achieving prompt, cost-effective resolutions through negotiation, Mike has a reputation for working collaboratively and efficiently with all parties to a dispute while fiercely advocating on his client’s behalf. Mike also takes a holistic approach to his clients’ problems and needs, and works with a broad range of professionals to resolve his clients’ problems, including specialized practitioners, financial and tax advisors, outplacement counselors, psychologists, and others.
Mike is a 15-year Massachusetts Super Lawyer in the field of employment law and litigation, and has had a Martindale-Hubbel AV-Preeminent rating for most of his 33 year career.
Before forming Chinitz Law LLC in 2019, Mike worked at Nutter, McClennen & Fish and was a partner for 17 years at Rose, Chinitz & Rose, a litigation boutique in Boston.
- Negotiated the sale of LLC member units for a discharged founder of a digital marketing firm.
- Successfully represented a minority shareholder in a corporate “squeeze out” achieving the sale of his shares back to the company.
- Successfully defending numerous companies in wage and hour litigation.
- Advise executives on the modification of non competition, non solicitation, and other restrictive covenants.
- Routinely Advise transitioning executives of life sciences, pharmaceutical, technology and other companies regarding their obligations to former employers and negotiated their employment packages at their new firms.
- Successfully obtained enhancements of numerous separation packages across a broad range of industries.
- Advise financial industry professionals in their transitions between firms, including resolving problematic Form U5 issues.
- Representing executives in wrongful termination claims, predicated upon multiple theories of liability including age, gender, disability, race, pregnancy, and FMLA leave.
- 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 and litigation.
- Have successfully represented both closely-held corporations and their officers against claims of freeze out/squeeze out and excessive compensation claims, through trial and appeal.
- Advised multiple employers on employment law compliance issues including Covid-19 regulatory compliance, wage and hour, disability accommodations, sexual harassment, hiring, firing and discipline.
- Represented physicians in wrongful termination cases.
- Successfully represented executives in compensation disputes, including commission, bonus, and equity-based claims.
- Obtained numerous preliminary injunctions to enforce FINRA Registered Representative customer non-solicitation obligations
- Obtained and defeated preliminary injunctions in non-competition and non-solicitation cases across various industries.
EDUCATION
- JD, summa cum laude, Boston University School of Law 1988, Law Review Editor, Recipient of the Lillian Berger Prize for Outstanding Academic Achievement
- BA, University of Massachusetts/Amherst, 1985, Phi Beta Kappa
BAR ADMISSIONS
- Massachusetts and New Hampshire
Mike is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of UMASS/Amherst and a Summa Cum Laude graduate of Boston University School of Law, where he was on Law Review. Mike is a perennial Massachusetts Super Lawyer and holds a Martindale Hubbell AV- Preeminent rating. He is admitted to the Bars of Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Mike practiced at Nutter, McClennen & Fish, and Rose, Chinitz & Rose, before founding Chinitz Law LLC in 2019.
Mike is a member of The Boston University School of Law Executive Committee and a Class Liaison.
Mike lives in Newton, Massachusetts, is married to Karen Chinitz, a realtor and has three daughters. Mike enjoys downhill skiing, road cycling, and cooking. He is a 15- year Pan Mass Challenge “heavy hitter” fundraiser and also sits on the planning committee for the Brain Tumor Society’s annual charity bike-a-thon. Mike is a member of Temple Emanuel of Newton, where he has served as counsel.
