W. Scott "Scott" O'Connell

W. Scott "Scott" O'Connell


Holland & Knight LLP

Recognized since 2010

Boston, Massachusetts

Practice Areas

Appellate Practice

Bet-the-Company Litigation

Commercial Litigation

Litigation - Banking and Finance

Litigation - Health Care

Litigation - Municipal

Litigation - Securities

Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants

Product Liability Litigation - Defendants

Navigate to map location for W. Scott "Scott" O'Connell Call W. Scott "Scott" O'Connell at 617-523-2700
Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2023 - Litigation - Health Care Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2022 - Appellate Practice Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2021 - Appellate Practice Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2020 - Bet-the-Company Litigation Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2019 - Appellate Practice Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2018 - Litigation - Health Care Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2016 - Litigation - Securities Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2014 - Litigation - Banking and Finance Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2013 - Litigation - Securities
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W. Scott O'Connell is a trial attorney and litigation strategist in Holland & Knight's Boston and New York City offices. Mr. O'Connell focuses his practice on complex commercial disputes involving significant financial and reputational exposure. He has considerable experience leading class action and aggregate litigation as well as parallel government enforcement and regulatory proceedings, most notably involving health service, financial service, energy, technology, telecommunications or manufacturing companies.

Mr. O'Connell has been lead counsel on more than 60 trials, arbitrations, evidentiary injunction proceedings and related appeals in federal and state courts around the country. He provides clients with customized and value-driven strategies for resolving cases on their terms.

In his class action, mass torts and aggregate litigation practice, Mr. O'Connell works closely with businesses to find and implement solutions that limit accruing exposure while also defending the case. He also has considerable experience counseling companies through crisis intervention, internal investigations and parallel proceedings.

In addition, Mr. O'Connell counsels health service providers with regard to reimbursements owed from Medicaid, Medicare and third-party payers. This work involves federal and state litigation as well as Administrative Procedures Act (APA) appeals. In addition, he represents individuals, business entities and political organizations in the defense of constitutionally protected rights and liberties.

Mr. O'Connell's experience includes representing academic medical providers, public universities and private for-profit education institutions in governance, internal investigations and commercial litigation. He has considerable experience defending class actions seeking discharge of private student loans connected to failed for-profit education institutions such as commercial flight schools and beauty academies. Mr. O'Connell is a term trustee of his alma mater, St. Lawrence University. In this role, he has served on the Executive Committee, Presidential Appraisal Committee, Audit Committee and Academic Affairs Committee. Mr. O'Connell is often called upon to assist with issues involving shared governance, board governance and institutional risk avoidance and management.

Prior to joining Holland & Knight, Mr. O'Connell was chair of the litigation department for a global law firm, based in its Boston and Manchester, New Hampshire, offices.

Mr. O'Connell also maintains an active docket of pro bono cases specifically related to the prevention of domestic violence and providing needed access to justice.

    Contact & Links
    Location
    • 10 St. James Avenue, 11th Floor
      Boston, MA 02116
    Education
    • Cornell University, graduated 1991
    • St. Lawrence University, graduated 1987
    Bar Admissions
    • New Hampshire, New Hampshire Bar Association
    • Massachusetts, Massachusetts Bar Association
    • New York, New York State Bar Association
    • Maine, Maine State Bar Association
    • Vermont, Vermont Bar Association
    • District of Columbia, The District of Columbia Bar

    Holland & Knight LLP
    Boston, Massachusetts

    609 The Best Lawyers in America® awards

    192 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America awards

    Best Law Firms Badge Visit Website View Firm Profile

    Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2023 - Litigation - Health Care Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2022 - Appellate Practice Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2021 - Appellate Practice Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2020 - Bet-the-Company Litigation Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2019 - Appellate Practice Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2018 - Litigation - Health Care Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2016 - Litigation - Securities Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2014 - Litigation - Banking and Finance Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2013 - Litigation - Securities
    Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
    • Litigation - Health Care, Boston (2023)
    • Appellate Practice, Boston (2022)
    • Appellate Practice, Manchester (2021)
    • Bet-the-Company Litigation, Manchester (2020)
    • Appellate Practice, Boston (2019)
    • Litigation - Health Care, Manchester (2018)
    • Litigation - Securities, Boston (2016)
    • Litigation - Banking and Finance, Boston (2014)
    • Litigation - Securities, Boston (2013)
    Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2025 for work in:
    • Appellate Practice
    • Bet-the-Company Litigation
    • Commercial Litigation
    • Litigation - Banking and Finance
    • Litigation - Health Care
    • Litigation - Municipal
    • Litigation - Securities
    • Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants
    • Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
    Special Focus:
    • Class Actions
    • Closely-Held Businesses
    • COVID-19
    • Dispute Resolution
    • Finance
    • Shareholder Disputes
    Awards:
    • Manchester Union Leader Forty Under 40
    Additional Areas of Practice:
    • Arbitration
    • Banking and Finance Law
    • Consumer Protection Law
    • Corporate Governance Law
    • Criminal Defense: White-Collar
    • Financial Services Regulation Law
    • Mass Tort Litigation
    • Product Liability Litigation
    • Securities / Capital Markets Law

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    Publications

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