Gerry Leone, District Attorney of Middlesex County, Massachusetts, announced today he will join international law firm Nixon Peabody LLP as partner in the firm’s Government Investigations & White Collar Defense practice in Boston effective April 29.
Elected as district attorney in 2006, Mr. Leone oversees the prosecution and investigation of hundreds of crimes each year in Massachusetts’ largest county, which includes 54 cities and towns and more than a quarter of the state’s overall population. Throughout his career, Mr. Leone has personally earned hundreds of convictions and supervised thousands of others. Some of his better known prosecutions include “Shoe Bomber” Richard Reid, the first admitted Al Qaeda terrorist convicted in the U.S., as well as his co-defendant Sajiid Badaat, and the conviction of British nanny Louise Woodward, who was accused of killing eight-month-old Matthew Eappen, another case that earned international attention. Mr. Leone also convicted members of the Massachusetts State Treasury who stole $9.7 million in taxpayer monies in the largest theft and public corruption case in the state’s history.
“After dedicating myself to protecting and serving others and impacting lives in public service for the last twenty years, I’m excited about the opportunity to take on new challenges and provide service to others in a different capacity,” said Mr. Leone. “Nixon Peabody has a strong reputation in the legal community and a collaborative approach that will allow me to take advantage of my skills to the fullest. I’m looking forward to using the experience I’ve gained and the skillset I have developed throughout my career to work on high-stakes matters for a range of clients across a number of industries and geographies.”
“In addition to Gerry’s stellar credentials as a prosecutor and trial attorney, his energy, innovative spirit, and collaborative approach is an excellent fit with our firm’s culture and priorities,” added Andrew I. Glincher, CEO and managing partner, Nixon Peabody LLP. “Gerry’s arrival is a visible example of how we are bringing value to our clients in new ways.”
Prior to his election as district attorney, Mr. Leone served as first assistant United States attorney in the District of Massachusetts, managing the office and conducting federal and international investigations and cases ranging from public corruption to health care fraud and cybercrime. During this time, he supervised the criminal and civil investigations of health care companies and hospitals, resulting in hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements. He also served as the first Anti-Terrorism Task Force coordinator in Massachusetts following the attacks of September 11, 2001. Prior to joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Mr. Leone was the chief of the Criminal Bureau for the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, where he oversaw the investigation and prosecution of statewide cases ranging from economic crime and corruption to environmental enforcement. He began his legal career in Boston as a trial attorney in the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.
“Gerry has earned the respect of law enforcement, businesses, community leaders, and the defense bar for his work as an effective and ethical prosecutor and leader,” said David Vicinanzo, Nixon Peabody partner and leader of the firm’s Government Investigations & White Collar Defense practice. “He has an impressive track record in white collar and complex cases. Gerry’s insight and experience in prosecuting and supervising these types of cases will be enormously beneficial to our clients.”
While district attorney, Mr. Leone has created private/public partnerships that are focused on the areas of diversity, workplace violence, colleges and universities, and health care providers and hospitals. He serves on the boards of the United Way of Tri-County and Middlesex Partnerships for Youth, Inc., where he is chairman of the board of directors. He is an executive board member of the Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council as well as an executive committee member for the Joint Terrorism Task Force. He graduated from Suffolk University Law School and earned his undergraduate degree from Harvard College, where his varsity football teammates voted him the recipient of the Henry N. Lamar Award for his dedication and unique contributions to the Crimson football program.
