John Butts is a partner in the firm’s Litigation/Controversy and Securities Departments. He is a member of the Business Trial Group and the Securities Litigation and Enforcement Practice Group. He joined the firm in 2000.
Practice
Mr. Butts has a diverse litigation practice with an emphasis on securities and financial services litigation, business disputes and class actions. He has defended corporate and individual clients in a wide range of matters with significant financial implications including cases that include allegations of fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, violation of ERISA, unfair and deceptive trade practices and violation of the RICO Act. Mr. Butts has tried cases to juries and arbitrators, and has argued before the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. He has extensive experience in electronic discovery.
Prior to attending law school, Mr. Butts served as a surface warfare officer in the United States Navy.
Current Matters and Recent Highlights
- Obtained dismissal, and successfully defended a subsequent appeal, of a putative nationwide class action asserting claims under the Massachusetts consumer protection statute and common law based on an allegation that consumers were injured by overpaying for a product that was later recalled from the market due to safety concerns;
- Defended a number of multinational companies and individual defendants in putative class actions alleging breaches of ERISA fiduciary duties, including several cases which alleged that employer stock held in an employee stock ownership plan was an imprudent investment because of artificial inflation caused by undisclosed information;
- Obtained dismissal of a putative nationwide class action against a major insurance carrier that asserted claims under, among other things, RICO and the Massachusetts consumer protection statute relating to the sale of equity indexed annuities to senior citizens;
- Defended a number of public companies and their officers and directors in securities class actions brought under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 and the Securities Act of 1933;
- Obtained dismissal of a putative nationwide class action against a leading insurance carrier in a complex multi-district litigation which asserted, among others, RICO, ERISA, antitrust and common law claims relating to the payment of contingent commissions to insurance brokers;
- Obtained a favorable settlement in a commercial dispute relating to a long term supply contract that involved breach of contract, tort, and unfair and deceptive trade practice claims; and
- Obtained favorable settlements for multiple companies in litigation involving claims for misappropriation of trade secrets and unfair and deceptive trade practices.
