Education

Boston College Law School, J.D., 1999 

Boston College, Carroll School Of Management, B.S. Accounting, cum laude, 1990

Admissions to Practice

Supreme Court of the United States

Commonwealth of Massachusetts

United States Court of Appeals for the 1st and 4th Circuits

United States District Court, District of Massachusetts

Professional Affiliations

American Bar Association

Boston Bar Association

Massachusetts Bar Association

Certified Internal Auditor (Inactive)

Certified Management Accountant (Inactive)

Awards and Recognitions

Rising Star, Business Litigation (New England Super Lawyers, 2009)

Recognized as “Up and Coming” lawyer by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (2008)

Outstanding Attorney Award, Tax Division of the Department of Justice (2002, 2003, 2005)

Continuing Education and Commitment to Excellence

Panelist, “What Every CPA Needs to Know About Civil and Criminal Tax Litigation,” Continuing Professional Education Credit Program for Certified Public Accountants (2010)

Panelist, “The IRS Voluntary Off-shore Disclosure Initiative,” Continuing Professional Education Credit Program for Certified Public Accountants (2010)

Faculty, "Criminal Law 911: Triage for the General Practitioner," Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education (2008)

Guest Lecturer at the Boston College Law School Attorney General Clinical Program (multiple years)

Publications and Press

Co-Author, Boston Tax Attorney Blog www.bostontaxattorneyblog.com    

Co-Author, "Auditor Liability to Non-Clients,"  ALI-ABA Conference, May 2007

Co-Author, "Backdating Stock Options: Cost of 'Scandal' Promises to Be High,"  Lawyers Weekly, August 2006

Interviewed and quoted by New England Cable News, coverage of the Hewlett-Packard Boardroom Scandal of 2006

Pro Bono / Community Service

Co-Chair, Lawyers Have Heart, road race fundraiser for the American Heart Association (2008 - 2011)

Volunteer/Supporter, BC High Alumni Association

Student Mentor, Moot Court Judge and Volunteer/Supporter, BC Law Alumni Association

William J. Lovett

617 371 1007

wlovett@collorallp.com

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Clients and Industries

During his career, Bill has represented public and private companies, banks and other lenders, executives, managers, and licensed professionals (such as brokers and traders) as well as the federal government. His clients at Collora LLP have been associated with many sectors of commerce, including the financial services, banking, mutual fund, securities brokerage, Internet commerce, automotive retail, and construction industries. 

Practice Areas and Experience

Bill is a partner who has effectively handled complex civil and white collar criminal litigation, as well as responses to government investigations and enforcement actions related to sophisticated financial matters.

In civil matters, he has particular experience representing clients in cases involving accounting fraud and malpractice, as well as financial disputes related to acquisitions, loans, stock purchases and other complex transactions. His professional background as a former auditor and management accountant has enabled him to understand financial disputes, financial statements and conformance with generally accepted accounting principles.

Bill has also handled government investigations and enforcement matters, both civil and criminal in nature, relating to financial matters, tax issues, improper accounting practices and securities infractions. Most recently, he has represented individual and corporate clients under investigation by federal grand juries and clients who were subjects of SEC enforcement actions. He has also represented various clients in civil suits brought against public accounting firms seeking to recover damages suffered as a result of negligently performed audits.

He is particularly adept at dealing with tax controversy matters, having prosecuted and defended cases involving allegations of: tax evasion; false returns; aiding and abetting; tax conspiracy; failures to file; sales and use tax practices; excise tax payments; fuel and road tax payments; and improper tax withholding.

Professional Experience Outside of Collora LLP

Bill joined Collora LLP in 2006 after serving over six years as a federal prosecutor at the U.S. Department of Justice. While at the Department of Justice, he served as a Special Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia and was recognized with the Outstanding Attorney Award in 2002, 2003 and 2005.

Prior to practicing law, Bill was an auditor for several regional and international banking and investment management institutions.  He was responsible for conducting and managing compliance investigations and financial audits.

Sample of Results in Practice *

• Part of team that successfully represented two individual defendants targeted in market-timing investigation by the government, obtaining limited, probated sentences when prosecutors were seeking substantial prison time.
• Obtained a prosecutorial declination in a criminal tax evasion case on behalf of an automotive dealer client, avoiding indictment and enabling the client to continue on his business.
• In connection with the IRS Voluntary Disclosure Program, represented individual account holders who had invested money in off-shore banks but sought agreements not to prosecute in exchange for cooperation with investigations.
• Part of legal team that successfully represented a syndicate of banks that suffered $50 million in damages arguably related to the frauds of officers and directors and to the failure of independent auditors to detect and report those frauds. Settled the case to client’s satisfaction after vigorous pre-trial advocacy. 
• Successfully represented former shareholders of family-owned retail company who detrimentally relied on auditor opinions that financial statements were in conformance with generally accepted accounting principles, settling the matter favorably after providing evidence for the client’s contentions.
• Represented auditors in disciplinary proceedings brought by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board pertinent to various matters.
• Represented owner of construction company prosecuted by the government in a multi-million dollar payroll tax evasion case, securing a sentence of less than one year despite the prosecutor’s sentence recommendation of more than 3 years.
• Successfully represented commercial lenders in several cases, bringing professional liability claims against auditors of the borrowers’ financial statements, obtaining remedies satisfactory to clients.
• As a prosecutor, successfully obtained a tax evasion conviction of professionals involved in an abusive trust scheme in Florida.
• As a prosecutor, successfully obtained conviction of tax preparer who knowingly filed a number of returns with improper deductions.
• As a prosecutor, successfully prosecuted 13 defendants, who all eventually pled guilty to a complex mortgage fraud scheme.

* This sampling of cases represents a selected, small portion of this lawyer’s total experience, and past performance is not intended to be a representation of likely future results, which must be assessed on a case-by-case basis. 

Bill can provide a list of citations to reported cases in which he was counsel of record upon request.

About Bill

Bill is described by friends as “a good listener,” and he believes that quality helps him to effectively communicate with his clients, opposing parties and judges in the boardroom and the courtroom.  Outside of the office, he coaches his daughter’s sports teams and is an avid runner.