Doreen M. Rachal

Doreen’s representative matters include:

• Representation of a large financial institution in a major unemployment insurance matter that has resulted in the client receiving over 4,000 subpoenas from local, state, and federal government agencies. This work has included production of thousands of account statements to the government agencies and responding to thousands of grand jury and administrative subpoenas since 2020 as a result of fraud related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Representation of global company regarding potential criminal liability exposure involving MARPOL and the Clean Water Act. Handled large scale internal investigation in the United States and assisted with related internal investigation in Asia. Handled company’s response to grand jury subpoenas, crisis management, preparing witnesses for potential grand jury testimony and proffers, settlement discussions with the government, and review and analysis of company’s governance policies and procedures. Also handled presentation to Board regarding findings and recommendations regarding the company’s governance policies and procedures.
• Representation of global company in connection with grand jury subpoena. Handled internal investigation and document review, responses to the grand jury subpoena, discussions with the government, and consultation with the company’s Board of Directors regarding findings of the internal investigation.
• Representation of private equity firm in connection with its investment in a company that is currently manufacturing an innovative cutting-edge technology. Provided crisis management and litigation support and handled settlement negotiations related to stock purchase agreements and shareholder derivative legal action.

Doreen regularly handles high-profile pro bono cases for the NAACP Boston Branch, the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights, ACLU Massachusetts, and The Innocence Project.

She recently led a case with the NAACP Boston et al., which involved defending the Boston Public School District’s (BPS) implementation of an interim admissions policy geared toward creating socio-economic, geographic, and racial equity diversity within Boston’s elite exam schools. Doreen’s win in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts upheld the policy, which enabled BPS to enroll a more diverse student population. This case is currently pending before the First Circuit.

Doreen is a member of the Boston Bar Association, the National Conference of Bar Presidents, the Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association, the American Bar Association, the Massachusetts Chapter of the Federal Bar Association, the Women’s Bar Association of Massachusetts, the National Bar Association, and the Hispanic National Bar Association. An active member of the Massachusetts Black Lawyers Association, she served as President from 2013–2014 and held various other leadership positions. Doreen also serves on the Boston Bar Association’s Amicus Committee, the Massachusetts Chapter of the Federal Bar Association’s Board of Directors, and as Chair of the Pro Bono Committee of the Women’s Bar Association of Massachusetts. At her previous firm, she served on the Diversity Committee for three years, focusing on the retention and recruitment of diverse lawyers. Doreen also served for six years on the Massachusetts Judicial Nominating Commission by appointment of the governor.