Attorneys » Michael G. Donovan, Partner

Michael G. DonovanMr. Donovan counsels institutional clients in all areas of employment law, including compliance with anti-discrimination laws, wage and hour laws, and leaves of absence laws, as well as the drafting of employment, separation and severance agreements and the performance of internal investigations.  In addition, Michael has extensive experience handling all types of employment-related disputes, including claims of discrimination, harassment, breach of contract, constructive discharge and wrongful termination.  Michael is an experienced employment litigator who has represented clients, both at the trial and appellate levels, in state and federal courts in Massachusetts, and throughout the United States.  Michael appears before administrative agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination.  Michael has lectured and published in the employment law field.

As an outgrowth of his general employment law practice, Michael has developed a highly specialized national practice representing institutions and key personnel in all aspects of the employee recruiting and departure arena. Michael has litigated numerous injunction and damages actions in these employee transition disputes, including issues regarding post-employment restrictive covenants (non-competition, non-solicitation, non-recruiting, and non-disclosure), misappropriation of trade secrets or confidential information, breach of fiduciary duties and unlawful competition.  In addition, Michael provides counseling services in this arena, such as assisting clients in designing and implementing  hiring programs to attract top talent while minimizing the associated risks, and retention programs to protect client assets (customer relationships, personnel, confidential information) when faced with the departure of key employees.

In addition to his employment practice, Michael represents clients in securities and commercial litigation matters.  Michael has extensive experience litigating contractual matters, minority shareholder actions, commercial disputes, and unfair and deceptive trade practices actions.  Michael also represents broker-dealers, insurance companies, investment companies and individual financial advisors in connection with all types of sales practices disputes in arbitration and in court.

Before joining Manchel & Brennan, P.C., Michael practiced in the litigation and employment law groups at Bingham McCutchen, LLP; Peckham, Lobel, Casey, Prince & Tye, LLP, and Mirick, O’Connell, DeMallie & Lougee.

Before commencing his legal career, Michael owned and operated several franchises of a national CPA review course.

Education

J.D., Boston College Law School, 1993, Oralist Jessup International Moot Court
B.A., Trinity College, 1987

Bar Admissions

Massachusetts

Court Admissions

U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts; U.S. Court of Appeals, First Circuit

Honors & Distinctions

Selected for inclusion in Massachusetts Super Lawyers by Boston Magazine and New England Super Lawyers Magazine