Alec is a commercial litigator with strong capabilities around fiduciary matters, corporate governance, and insurance and reinsurance. In the corporate litigation side of his practice, Alec ably handles cases involving disputes between shareholders of closely-held corporations and counsels directors and officers regarding fiduciary duties and business strategy.
Alec has experience representing primary and excess insurers with respect to coverage disputes arising under directors and officers, representations and warranties, professional liability, and general liability policies. He has co-authored several articles and client advisories regarding developments in the law pertaining to corporate governance and insurance and reinsurance, including the Director and Officer Liability Insurance Chapter of the American Bar Association Annual Review of Developments in Business and Corporate Litigation.
Alec is devoted to the Boston community and representing the interests of those who have been disenfranchised by our legal system. Specifically, Alec has represented numerous sex trafficking survivors and survivors of domestic violence pro bono. He has also championed legislative reforms to help sex trafficking survivors obtain post-conviction relief. Alec's efforts have been recognized by local and national organizations, including the Boston Business Journal, which named Alec to its prestigious list of forty top professionals in Boston under the age of forty in 2018.
In 2009 and 2010, Alec was an assistant district attorney for Suffolk County, Massachusetts, where he took almost a dozen cases to trial for offenses ranging from indecent assault and battery to operating under the influence of alcohol. On behalf of the Commonwealth, Alec successfully argued the appeal Commonwealth v. Maker, SJC-10761 (2011 WL 711566 (Mar. 3, 2011) before the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court. During law school, he was the news editor of the Virginia Law Weekly.
Alec is the lead Litigation Hiring Member for the firm’s Summer Associate Program in Boston.
Representative matters include:
- Represented insurers in numerous coverage disputes including CGL, D&O, and representations and warranties policies.
- Represented numerous clients in post-merger indemnification disputes.
- Defended directors and officers of companies in a wide variety of industries, including healthcare, professional services, engineering, architecture, and financial services against claims that they breached their fiduciary duties.
- Represented minority shareholders in freeze-out actions against majority shareholders.
Education
- University of Virginia (JD)
- Brandeis University (BA)
Experience
- Represented the general partner of a hedge fund and its members in a dispute with a former employee who claimed to own a minority interest in the general partner.
- Represented a minority shareholder when he was frozen out of his business by the majority shareholder who forced the company into bankruptcy to avoid liability. Obtained a resounding win on summary judgment as to the remedy for the minority shareholder.
- Represented a major eCommerce provider in a commercial dispute with a former customer.
- Represented the ousted founder of an automation company in a fiduciary dispute.
- Represented an insurer in parallel actions before the bankruptcy court and federal court in connection with claims for coverage brought by directors, officers, and corporate policyholders leading to a successful multiparty mediation.
- Represented a telecommunications service provider in general commercial litigation and corporate litigation matters.
- Represented a majority shareholder in a dispute with a minority shareholder resulting in a successful mediation.
- Represented a partnership in a dispute with a former partner regarding compensation.
- Represented a majority shareholder of a residential property development company in a dispute with a minority shareholder.
- Obtained multi-million dollar judgement on behalf of Sandy Alexander, Inc., a marketing communications firm, in bet-the-company litigation against a manufacturer for breach of contract.
- Represented an insurer with respect to a dispute concerning coverage under a professional liability policy for an insurance broker’s alleged negligence in the procurement of a director and officer liability policy.
- Represented an insurer with respect to a dispute concerning the allocation method among standard occurrence-based CGL policies for a long-term progressive injury.
- Part of the team that won over $8 million for the owners of an iconic Boston restaurant that was forced to close and file bankruptcy due to a long-term state-funded construction project that had a negative effect on the number of customers. After a three-week trial, the jury awarded our client the full amount we requested.
Recognition & Awards
- Benchmark Litigation: 40 & Under Hot List (2021)
- Selected Participant, 2020 Young American Leaders Program, Harvard Business School
- Massachusetts Super Lawyers: Rising Star: Closely Held Business (2013 – 2020)
- Professional Director Certification, American College of Corporate Directors (June 2019)
- Boston Business Journal: 40 Under 40 (2018)
- 2018 Adams Pro Bono Publico Award
- Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce: Ten Outstanding Young Leaders Award (2018)
- Boston Business Journal: Emerging Leader (2015)
- Richard Mintz Pro Bono Award (2014)
- Kids In Need of Defense, Pro Bono Attorney of the Month (March 2013)
- Boston Bar Association, Public Interest Leadership Program (2013)
Involvement
- Secretary, PLUS New England Chapter Committee
- Member, Business Associates Club
- Co-chair, Boston Bar Association, Human Trafficking Sub-Committee
- Member, Boston Bar Association, Delivery of Legal Services Steering Committee
Recent Insights
Viewpoints
News & Press
Viewpoints
Recent Decision in Newmont Mining Reinforces the High Bar Buyers Face when Attempting to Establish a Material Adverse Event
May 4, 2020 | Blog | By Francis Earley, Alec Zadek, Joel Rothman
As parties to merger or acquisition agreements carefully review their agreements to see what, if any, impacts the COVID-19 pandemic may have, the recent decision from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York in Newmont Mining Corp. v. AngloGold Ashanti Ltd. provides meaningful guidance for the interpretation of Material Adverse Effect (“MAE”) provisions in agreements governed by New York law.
Read more
Supreme Judicial Court Affirms Award Of $2,250,000 plus Interest Against Insurer for Breach of Duty to Defend and Settle — on $50,000 Policy
September 18, 2015 | Alert | By Alec Zadek
In Boyle v. Zurich American Insurance Company, SJC-11791 (Sept. 14, 2015), the Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) affirmed an award of $2,250,000 plus interest against an insurer for failing to defend its insured on a $50,000 policy and for failing to make reasonable efforts to settle the suit.
Read more
News & Press
40 Under 40 honorees, up close and personal
October 18, 2018
This special section profiles the 2018 Boston Business Journal 40 Under 40 class including Member Alec Zadek. In Alec's Q&A, he answers questions about his proudest professional moment (being elected a Member at Mintz), the community service project he is most proud of, the number one quality for professional growth, and others including his guilty pleasure and what is on his bucket list.
Mintz's Alec Zadek Honored with 2018 Adams Pro Bono Publico Award
October 10, 2018
Massachusetts Powerhouse: Mintz Levin
August 30, 2018
This article profiles Mintz as one of the 2018 Law360 Massachusetts Powerhouse law firms. Mike Fantozzi, Managing Member of the firm’s Boston office and the Corporate, Tax, Private Client and Immigration Division Head, is quoted providing commentary throughout the piece.
Meet the BBJ's 2018 40 Under 40 honorees
August 21, 2018
Alec Zadek, a Member in Mintz’s Boston office, is recognized among the Boston Business Journal’s 2018 40 Under 40 class. The annual award recognizes 40 professionals under the age of 40 throughout the Boston area who are making a difference in their businesses and communities.
Alec Zadek, a Member and litigator in Mintz’s Boston office, has long been a strong advocate on behalf of women who were the victims of human trafficking. He’s been actively involved in Massachusetts legislation that would vacate criminal convictions of women who were forced into prostitution.
Mintz Promotes Five Attorneys to Member
May 26, 2017
Mintz has elevated five attorneys to Members of the firm. “These attorneys consistently demonstrate excellence in the delivery of legal services to the firm’s clients,” said Bob Bodian, Managing Member.
Mintz attorney Alec Zadek is featured in this story concerning a new bill on the table at the Massachusetts state house that would clear the names of sex trafficking victims of prostitution charges that would otherwise follow them the rest of their lives.
Alec Zadek of Mintz authored this Massachusetts Lawyers Journal article discussing the Delaware Supreme Court’s ruling in the Cornerstone Therapeutics Inc. case.
Eighty-Four Mintz Attorneys Named 2016 Massachusetts Super Lawyers and Rising Stars
October 18, 2016
Fifty-three Mintz attorneys have been named Massachusetts Super Lawyers for 2016 and thirty-one have been named Massachusetts Rising Stars. The findings will be published in the November 2016 issue of Boston Magazine and in a stand-alone magazine, New England Super Lawyers.
A Day in the House with State Representative Michael Day
April 27, 2016
Alec Zadek, a litigator in Mintz’s Boston office, was interviewed in a Day in the House episode with State Representative Michael Day on the topic of Sexual and Domestic Abuse Awareness.
Alec Zadek and Lavinia Weizel are quoted in This Winchester Star article discussing Massachusetts Representative Day’s filing of HD.4623, “An Act to reduce sexual exploitation of victims of human trafficking.”
Cracking Down on Labor Trafficking
February 25, 2016
Alec Zadek, an experienced complex litigator at Mintz, is featured in this BBA Week article recapping his conversation with the U.S. Department of Labor Wage & Hour Division on Human Trafficking.
Events
Speaker
Feb
18
2021
Navigating the Massachusetts Vacatur Law for Human Trafficking Survivors: A Panel Discussion
Boston Bar Association
Webinar
Speaker
Jun
12
2019
American College of Corporate Directors
Boston Area Director Education Forum 2019
Dedham Hilton Hotel Dedham, Massachusetts
Panelist
Sep
13
2018
Shhh: Just Between You and Me!
Protecting the Attorney-Client Privilege
Mintz - 1 Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111
Moderator
Jan
23
2017
No Buyers, No Business. Combating Human Trafficking by Targeting the Demand
Boston Bar Association
16 Beacon Street Boston, MA
Moderator
Feb
22
2016
Speaker