Watch Joseph Bierwirth’s Argument Before the Supreme Judicial Court

On September 9, 2019, Joseph L. Bierwirth represented cancer researcher, Lynn Hlatky, before the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) in the matter of Hlatky v. Steward Health Care Systems LLC. At issue is a breach of contract case and whether the $22 million damages awarded by the jury, later reduced to $10 million by the trial judge, is an accurate measure of damages. Bierwirth argued to the SJC that the jury’s award of $22 million is the only remedy that would permit Hlatky to resume her research at the same level as prior to the breach of contract. Hlatky sued Steward after it withdrew its contracted institutional support for her grant-funded cancer program, resulting ultimately in the loss of decades of Hlatky's cancer research, along with the destruction of the esteemed multi-million dollar research program she had built.

Hlatky was represented by Joseph L. Bierwirth, Ryan P. McManus and M. Patrick Moore Jr. of Hemenway & Barnes before the Supreme Judicial Court.

1. Click here to watch Joseph Bierwirth’s argument at the SJC
2. In Search Archive enter Docket Number 12688