Joshua S. Grossman

Practices Practices Back Banking & Credit Business Divorce & Family Law Employment Intellectual Property Litigation Real Estate & Environmental Regulatory & Administrative Law People People Back Attorneys In Memoriam Retired Attorneys Back Careers & Culture Community Involvement International Awards Resources Resources Back News & Insights You searched for Shareholder Joshua S. Grossman phone: 617-589-3890email: [email protected] Download vCard Print Bio Share this Bio education J. D., Boston College Law School B. A., Philosophy (with honors), Colgate University Practice Areas Business Business Litigation Cannabis Law Closely Held Businesses Corporate Governance Counseling Litigation Appellate Advocacy Business Litigation Intellectual Property Litigation Probate & Fiduciary Litigation Real Estate, Land Use & Environmental Litigation Securities Litigation & Arbitration Services Tax Disputes Real Estate & Environmental Condominiums, Cooperatives & Homeowners Associations Regulatory & Administrative Law Cannabis Law PRACTICE & FOCUS AREA Hide Josh is a trial lawyer, representing individuals and companies in a diverse range of commercial disputes and complex litigation. He advises businesses, directors and officers concerning corporate governance, risk management and litigation strategy. Josh frequently handles cases involving closely-held businesses and its stakeholders, such as shareholder derivative lawsuits, claims of fiduciary breach or professional liability, contract disputes, business breakups, cybersecurity, data breaches and misuse of intellectual property, and corporate opportunities. Josh has significant experience with insurance coverage, as well as real estate litigation, including construction, land use, easements, condominiums and brownfield remediation tax credits. He advises businesses on a range of matters in the highly regulated cannabis industry, and represents physicians and architects in proceedings brought by professional licensing boards. RESULTS View Frequently represent companies, management, and boards of directors in defense of minority shareholder claims. Defense of multiple special permit appeals for businesses forming licensed cannabis ventures. Ongoing representation of group of homeowners in multiparty land use litigation involving easements over a private way. Frequently requested to serve as local counsel in complex and multi-state litigation matters in state and federal courts. Defended a former shareholder in a corporate freeze-out matter. Represented a life sciences business in a claim against a former executive in violation of computer hacking laws and misappropriation of company data and trade secrets. Represented Massachusetts-based petroleum company seeking Brownfields Tax Credit to recover significant portion of the costs of an environmental remediation of its land. Following Department of Revenues denial of the tax credit, handled appeal to Massachusetts Superior Court, resulting in approval of multi-million dollar tax credit to client. Counsel in a precedent-setting products liability trial against Lorillard Tobacco Co., one of the largest cigarette manufacturers in the world, winning a $152 million verdict for a woman who died after becoming addicted to smoking because the company regularly distributed free cigarettes to her and other schoolchildren in Roxbury, Massachusetts. Read more. Representation of a trust beneficiary in an action against trustees for self-dealing and breach of trust. Represent a publicly traded company in a complex commercial property insurance coverage action resulting from catastrophic losses from four hurricanes. Defended a physician before the Board of Medicine involving claims of overprescribing medication to patients and sexual misconduct with a patient. Challenged the validity of a deathbed marriage in a contested Probate Court matter, resulting in the marriage being voided. Represented homeowners in a complex insurance coverage claim resulting in the insurance company paying for damage claims it initially rejected. Represent shareholders in litigation over the enforceability of stock transfer restrictions. Represented minority shareholders in successful shareholder derivative action to unwind a self-dealing transaction by corporate management. Defense of developer in copyright infringement action involving architectural drawings for condominium complex. Representation of a minority shareholder of grocery distribution company in freeze out action. Representation of a powerboat owner in action against marine casualty insurer for failure to provide coverage and violations of M. G. L. c. 176D and against insurance agency for malpractice. Prosecution of a corporate indemnification action in the Delaware Chancery Court. More information about the case. Representation of a developer of single family homes in negligent workmanship action against site sub-contractor. Representation of a supermarket chain in opposing certiorari petition to Supreme Court of the United States in Kettenbach v. Demoulas, et al. Representation of an inventor in arbitration of patent royalty dispute regarding a medical device. Representation of a purchaser of a bus line in breach of contract action against seller. Representation of a telecommunication services provider in action against landlord to enforce noncompetition covenants of commercial lease. Representation of condominium associations in the collection of outstanding condominium common expenses from delinquent condominium unit owners under G. L. c. 183A. REPORTED CASES View Evans v. Lorillard, 2004-2840-B (Mass. Super., September 1, 2011) - Obtained judgment on 93A claim pursuant to the Massachusetts Consumer Protection Act in precedent-setting wrongful death case, in which judgment in excess of $200 million (including interest) entered in favor of estate of individual smoker against tobacco company. Boylan v. Boston Sand & Gravel Co., 25 Mass. L. Rptr. 209, 2009 WL 765404 (Mass. Super. Jan. 23, 2009) - Prevailed at evidentiary hearing invalidating vote of ostensibly independent corporate directors to dismiss shareholder derivative suit challenging propriety of self-dealing transaction entered into by the companys officers, controlling shareholders and directors, and to ratify the challenged transaction after-the-fact. Successfully established that the directors, at the time they voted to dismiss the suit and ratify the transaction, did not meet the three-tiered test established in Houle v. Low, 407 Mass. 810 (1990) for scrutinizing the good faith, independence and thoroughness of directors who vote to exonerate corporate insiders where a majority of the board has a financial interest in the transaction. Kurker v. Shoestring Properties Limited Partnership, 68 Mass. App. Ct. 644 (2007) - Successfully overturned decision of trial court on appeal and obtained order requiring adverse party to convey marina property to client. Boylan v. Boston Sand & Gravel Co., WL 836753 (Mass. Super. Mar. 16, 2007) - Successfully opposed summary judgment motion in shareholder derivative lawsuit challenging self-dealing transactions of corporate officers, directors, and controlling shareholders. Vote of disinterested members of board of directors to terminate the pending lawsuit is equivalent of vote of a special litigation committee and is held to heightened standard of review established by SJC in Houle v. Low, 407 Mass. 810 (1990). Directors must be independent, unbiased, and act in good faith in voting to terminate derivative lawsuit. Haufler v. Zotos, 446 Mass. 489 (2006) - Successfully represented property owner in statutory civil rights claim where the clients neighbor had interfered with clients right to use and develop his property. Keating v. Keating, 17 Mass. L. Rptr. 241 (2003) - Successfully prosecuted action for freeze out of minority shareholder by controlling shareholder. Workgroup Technology Corp. v. MGM Grand, LLC, 246 F. Supp. 2d 102 (D. Mass. 2003) - In this federal court action, Workgroup Technology prevailed against MGM Grands motion to dismiss or to transfer the case to Nevada, which would have been a costly and inconvenient forum for our Massachusetts-based client. The case settled thereafter. Demoulas v. Demoulas, 57 Mass. App. Ct. 456 (2003) - Concerning the methodology and principles applicable to tax deductions in the context of a disgorgement remedy. CREDENTIALS View Distinctions: Peer Review AV® Preeminent™ rated by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest bestowed rating Massachusetts Super Lawyers, 2013-2024 Massachusetts Super Lawyers Rising Stars, 2006-2012 Admitted: Massachusetts US Supreme Court US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit US District Court for the District of Massachusetts US District Court for the District of Illinois Member: Massachusetts Bar Association American Bar Association International Lawyers Network MORE THAN A LAWYER View Outside the office, Josh serves as Vice President of the Red Auerbach Youth Foundation. News & Insights View Nearly Two Dozen Davis Malm Attorneys Recognized by Massachusetts Super Lawyers 27 Davis Malm Attorneys Recognized by Massachusetts Super Lawyers Davis Malm Prevails in MA Land Court Case Involving Marijuana Cultivation and Product Processing Facilities in Framingham 25 Davis Malm Attorneys Recognized by Massachusetts Super Lawyers 22 Davis Malm Attorneys Recognized by Massachusetts Super Lawyers 22 Davis Malm Attorneys Recognized by Massachusetts Super Lawyers LLC Liability Loopholes & Piercing the Corporate Veil, chair of MCLE seminar 20 Davis Malm Attorneys Recognized by Massachusetts Super Lawyers MCLEs 17th Annual Business Litigation Conference, presenter 23 Davis Malm Attorneys Recognized by Massachusetts Super Lawyers Chapter 93A Rights and Remedies Guide, contributing author to MCLE guide MCLEs 16th Annual Business Litigation Conference, co-chair Twenty-Five Davis Malm Attorneys Recognized by Massachusetts Super Lawyers Twenty-Six Davis Malm Attorneys Listed in 2015 Massachusetts Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Twenty-Six Davis Malm Attorneys Listed in 2014 Massachusetts Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Thirty Davis Malm Attorneys Listed in 2013 Massachusetts Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Davis Malm Attorneys Walk to the Hill for Civil Legal Aid Twenty-one Davis Malm Attorneys Listed in 2012 Massachusetts Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Davis Malm Attorneys Walk to the Hill for Civil Legal Aid Josh Grossman Elected Shareholder Davis Malm Attorneys Awarded Attorneys Fees and Costs Against Cigarette Manufacturer Twenty-Two Davis Malm Attorneys Named 2011 Massachusetts Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Davis Malm Attorneys Prevail in 93A Claim Against Cigarette Manufacturer Big Tobacco Case Tops Years Largest Verdicts, featured in article in Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Top 10 Jury Verdicts of 2010: (#3) $152 for Woman Given Free Cigarettes as a Child, featured in Lawyers USA article Nineteen Davis Malm Attorneys Named 2010 Massachusetts Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Fifteen Davis Malm Attorneys Named 2009 Massachusetts Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Seventeen Davis Malm Attorneys Named 2008 Massachusetts Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Joint-Defense Agreements Helpful in Securities Cases, authored article in New England In-House Davis Malm Attorneys Participate in MBAs Walk to the Hill for Civil Legal Aid Use of Joint Defense Agreements In Securities Laws Enforcement Proceedings, author Fourteen Davis Malm Attorneys Named 2007 Massachusetts Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Awards