John Stephan Joins Hemenway & Barnes Government & Election Law Practice

Hemenway & Barnes LLP, one of Boston’s leading legal and fiduciary firms, is pleased to announce that John M. Stephan has joined the firm as counsel and co-chair of the Government & Election Law practice. He will represent government entities, public officials, businesses, nonprofits, and private clients on government and administrative law matters, policy issues, litigation, and appellate advocacy.

“John is a highly respected, senior government lawyer and a strong addition to the firm and to clients seeking government and election law expertise,” said Jennifer Grace Miller, co-chair of the Government & Election Law practice group at Hemenway & Barnes.

John is an accomplished attorney with extensive state government experience in providing effective legal counsel to elected and appointed officials and litigating complex issues in state and federal courts.

Prior to joining Hemenway & Barnes, he served as General Counsel of the Executive Office for Administration and Finance and was previously Deputy Legal Counsel to the Governor and an assistant Massachusetts attorney general. John served as a judicial law clerk to the Hon. Boyce F. Martin, Jr., Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. He earned his JD from Boston College Law School and his BA from Haverford College.

“John is joining a team of skilled litigators with considerable understanding of the legal and public policy decision-making at the federal, state and local levels,” said Nancy Gardiner, Managing Partner. “Our clients will benefit from his knowledge of how government decisions and policies are made. We are thrilled to welcome him to this growing area of our firm.”

The Government & Election Law practice group at Hemenway & Barnes helps clients navigate the ever-changing terrain of law, public policy and government action. They represent businesses, nonprofits, elected officials, and private clients who are affected by a host of regulatory, land use, and civil appellate issues. They also represent state, municipal, and quasi-governmental entities as they craft, and later defend, their respective approaches to a variety of governance issues.

Hemenway & Barnes also provides unapparelled representation of nonprofits seeking to be involved in political issues, campaigns for office, ballot initiatives, and advocacy for particular public policies. They also represent candidates and elected officials on ethics, campaign finance, and election-related issues.

In addition to John, the Government & Election Law team includes: Jennifer Grace Miller, former chief legal counsel for the Massachusetts Senate; Stephen W. Kidder, former Commissioner of Revenue and General Counsel to the Secretary for Administration and Finance for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; Michael E. Porter, former Deputy General Counsel at the Massachusetts Department of Revenue; and Eleanor A. Evans, former General Counsel of Action for Boston Community Development, Inc. (ABCD), one of the largest nonprofit human services providers in New England.

About Hemenway & Barnes

Based in Boston, Hemenway & Barnes LLP has served as trusted counsel to the region’s high net worth families, businesses, and nonprofit organizations for 160 years. The firm provides clients with a unique combination of legal and financial expertise, with a focus on providing each client with services that are specifically tailored and results-oriented. The firm’s areas of expertise include estate planning, family office services, corporate and real estate work, litigation, and representation of nonprofits. For more information, visit www.hembar.com.