Practice Focus

John M. Stephan is counsel and co-chair of the Government & Election Law Group at Hemenway & Barnes. John is a highly accomplished attorney with extensive state government experience in providing effective legal counsel to elected and appointed officials and litigating complex issues on behalf of state officers and agencies in state and federal courts.

Prior to joining Hemenway & Barnes, John served as General Counsel of the Executive Office for Administration and Finance where he managed major legislative initiatives, oversaw the review and approval of all proposed state regulations, and advised the Secretary of Administration and Finance on legal and ethical issues involving the executive office and its constituent agencies.

John also served as Deputy Legal Counsel to the Governor of Massachusetts, where he advised the Governor on all manner of complex and high-profile legal matters involving constitutional, legislative and regulatory issues.

John began his public service career with the Attorney General’s Office where he represented state agencies and officers in trial and appellate matters before state and federal courts and litigated enforcement actions under the consumer protection and false claims acts.

John began his legal career 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 and thereafter as a litigation associate at a major Boston law firm.

Representative Experience

• Represents for-profit and non-profit entities and individuals in federal and state courts and administrative agencies.
• Represents state agencies, local governments, and those challenging laws, regulations, and government action.
• Advocates on behalf of government agencies, businesses and nonprofits before the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts and the Massachusetts Appeals Court.
• Counsels government officials, candidates for office, and political advocacy and social welfare organizations on ethics, election law, and campaign finance issues at the federal, state and local levels.
• Lead attorney in Caesars v. Crosby, a high-profile, multi-year challenge to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission’s determination that a casino operator was not suitable to participate in an application for a casino license.