Vincent N. DePalo

Partner

617.228.4464

Vincent practices in many areas of complex civil litigation, including toxic torts, environmental claims, and commercial disputes.

Vincent’s courtroom experience includes securing a defense verdict in the first joint asbestos-tobacco trial in Massachusetts history. This six-week jury trial, which Vincent handled with David Governo, garnered national attention and resulted in a $43.1 million verdict against a co-defendant tobacco company. The jury found the firm’s client, a brake rebuilder, not liable on all counts.

Vincent has been published in both legal and scientific journals. As an undergraduate, he assisted in research regarding cancer genetics at Massachusetts General Hospital’s world-renowned Neuro-radiation Oncology Laboratory. As an attorney, Vincent extensively researched attorney-directed voir dire and jury dynamics. That work culminated in a law review co-authored with Associate Justice Dennis J. Curran and published in the Suffolk Journal of Trial and Appellate Advocacy, entitled “Attorney-Directed Voir Dire Comes to Massachusetts: The Republic is Safe.” In addition, Vincent co-authored the Massachusetts law chapter in the Claims Professional Desk Reference published by the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel.

Vincent currently serves as an adjunct professor at Northeastern University School of Law’s LLM and Master of Legal Studies programs where he teaches Torts, Negotiation & Advocacy, and Financial Transactions. He has also given undergraduate lectures at Brown, Tufts, and Northeastern Universities and lectured law students at Roger Williams School of Law. In addition, Vincent frequently presents at Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) and Massachusetts Bar Association programs; he has also presented at national conferences, including Defense Research Institute (DRI).

He currently serves as a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association’s Judicial Administration Council and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Justinian Law Society.

Accomplishments

Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly Excellence in the Law Award (2022).
Boston Magazine Top Lawyer “Civil Litigation” (2021).
Super Lawyers: Rising Star (2018-2021).
Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch (2020-2021).
Massachusetts Bar Association’s Leadership Academy Fellow (2017-2018).
Massachusetts Judicial Conference Award for "substantial contribution to the administration of justice" (2012).

Education

JD, University of New Hampshire School of Law

BA, Biology, Manhattan College

Admissions

Bar Admissions

Massachusetts

Rhode Island

Court Admissions

U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts

U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut

Publications

Protect Yourself from Asbestos Lawsuits in the Rebuilding Industry, Reman Connection Magazine (March 2019) (Co-author).
Claims Professional Desk Reference, Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel (2018) (Co-authored chapter about Massachusetts law).
Attorney-Directed Voir Dire Comes to Massachusetts: The Republic Is Safe, Suffolk J. of Trial & App. Advoc. (2017) (Co-author).
Stiff Medicine: The Medicare Lien Process, MATA Journal (November 2014) (Author).
Abraham Lincoln: An Early Champion of ADR, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (November 27, 2013) (Noted Contributor).
An Honorable Salary? (2012), published online by the National Center for State Courts, at http://www.ncsc.org/Topics/Judicial-Officers/Judicial-Compensation/Resource-Guide.aspx (Project Director).
Molecular and Genetic Profiling of Prostate Cancer: Implications for Future Therapy, Current Cancer Therapy Reviews (2007) (Co-author).

Presentations

MCLE, Understanding & Predicting Jury Behavior. Boston, Massachusetts (January 25, 2022).
MCLE, Drafting Powerful Demand Letters. Boston, Massachusetts (May 13, 2021).
MCLE, “1st Look” at the New But-For Standard for Massachusetts Torts Cases. Boston, Massachusetts (April 15, 2021).
Real Estate Bar Association for Massachusetts, Massachusetts Lead Laws: Painting the Risk Landscape. Boston, Massachusetts (November 2, 2020).
MCLE, How to Develop Litigation Timelines: The 60-Minute Lawyer. Boston, Massachusetts (October 15, 2020).
MCLE, How to Draft Civil Jury Instructions When a Model One Does Not Exist: The 60-Minute Lawyer. Boston, Massachusetts, Faculty (May 20, 2020).
Tufts University, Guest Lecturer (Spring 2018 & Fall 2020).
74th Annual Session of the Massachusetts Boys State American Legion Program, Law Lecturer (June 17, 2018).
Northeastern University, Guest Lecturer (Fall 2015 – Spring 2018).
Northeastern University School of Law, Guest Lecturer (Summer 2015 – Spring 2017).
Roger Williams School of Law, Guest Lecturer (Fall 2013 – Fall 2016).
MCLE, BasicsPlus! Civil Trial Advocacy. Boston, Massachusetts, Presenter (October 15, 2013).
MCLE, Key Issues in Discovery Practice. Boston, Massachusetts, Contributor (May 21, 2013).
61st Annual Eastern Colleges Science Conference, Galectin-1 and AR and Their Role in Androgen Independent Prostate Cancer, Bronx, New York, Original Research Presentation (April 22, 2007).

Distinctions

Award for "substantial contribution to the administration of justice," Massachusetts Judicial Conference

Selected as a Fellow, Massachusetts Bar Association’s Leadership Academy (2017-18)

Affiliations

Massachusetts Bar Association
- Member, Judicial Administration Council (2018-2022)
- Fellow, Leadership Academy (2017-2018)
Justinian Law Society
- Member, Board of Directors