Thomas D. Herman leads the corporate law practice at Smith Duggan. He represents privately held businesses, entrepreneurs, executives, nonprofit organizations, foundations, and family-owned enterprises in a broad range of corporate, transactional, employment, intellectual property, and international matters.

Tom advises start-up, emerging, and established companies in the technology, manufacturing, service, and media sectors. His practice includes business formation and governance; capital structure and private financings, including angel and venture capital transactions; mergers and acquisitions; executive employment and separation agreements; trademarks, copyrights and intellectual property licensing; and international trade and export compliance, including matters involving the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, economic sanctions, embargoes, and export licensing. He also maintains an entertainment practice representing authors, filmmakers, and other creative professionals.

Tom brings an unusually broad perspective to his legal practice. He began his career as a litigator at Hale and Dorr, now WilmerHale, and later practiced extensively in Central and Eastern Europe, representing U.S. and European businesses during the region’s economic transformation. His career has also included senior positions in Massachusetts state government and national political campaigns, as well as work as a journalist and documentary filmmaker. He has served as a director and producer of documentary films and as a freelance producer for CNN.

Tom has been rated AV Preeminent® by Martindale-Hubbell for more than ten years and has been selected by Boston Magazine as one of Boston’s top corporate attorneys in multiple years.

A graduate of Northeastern University School of Law, Tom also pursued postgraduate studies at Oxford University’s Pembroke College and Harvard University. He currently serves as President and Trustee of the Pembroke College (Oxford) Foundation. Throughout his practice, Tom combines the experience and sophistication associated with larger firms with practical, responsive, and cost-effective counsel tailored to the needs of each client.