Partner Dan Halston has been recognized by The American Lawyer as a Distinguished Leader and for Lifetime Achievement as part of the publication’s 2024 New England Legal Awards. The Distinguished Leader category recognizes lawyers who achieved impressive career results and demonstrated clear leadership skills that helped them achieve those results. The Lifetime Achievement award honors those who have left a lasting imprint on the legal community in New England.
Dan Halston, who rejoined WilmerHale’s Boston office in 1994, after serving as an assistant attorney general in the Government Bureau of the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, focuses on securities litigation, general commercial litigation and administrative law disputes. He has represented numerous public and private high technology, life sciences and financial services companies and their officers and directors in a wide range of complex litigation matters.
Halston’s Q&A published by the Connecticut Law Tribune showcases what keeps him inspired as a lawyer, recent proud achievements and what success looks like in an effective leader. When asked what it means to be a leader, Halston replied, “A leader should possess a willingness to listen to opposing viewpoints and a healthy dose of humility before making up one's mind and reaching a final decision; hard work (no way around it) and a pursuit of excellence; courtesy towards others and a recognition that everyone counts; a healthy appreciation for history and that, more often than not, you are not writing on a clean slate; and a deep gratitude for the advice of others.”
He also shared a recent case that made him proud. Halston, along with a WilmerHale team and the Center for Public Representation, represented Medicaid-eligible youth in a twenty-year long class action seeking access to mental health services.
“The matter was brought on behalf of Medicaid-eligible children under 21 who were not being provided with preventive and rehabilitative treatment by the commonwealth of Massachusetts, as required by the federal Medicaid program,” said Halston. “The court concluded that the litigation and work of the parties created a ‘comprehensive system of services to rectify an embarrassing and systemic failure of the commonwealth to comprehensively address the needs of its emotionally disturbed children.’ The court described the case as a ‘resounding success benefitting the children in need on whose behalf it was brought.’
Halston has a longstanding history of being a leader within WilmerHale and the broader legal community. Within WilmerHale, he has served as the former Partner-in-Charge of the Boston Office, Chair of the Boston Hiring Committee and as a member of the Associate Communications Task Force and continues to serve on the Counsel Committee, Diversity Committee, Ethics Committee and Securities Committee. Beyond the firm, Halston serves on the Board of FamilyAid Boston, is a member of the Supreme Judicial Court Historical Society, American Bar Association, Boston Bar Association and was a Former Director of Massachusetts Appleseed Center for Law & Justice. He has also served in numerous roles for the Town of Belmont.
Partner Lisa Pirozzolo was also recognized as a finalist for Attorney of the Year. WilmerHale was named a winner in the Litigation Department of the Year: Intellectual Property category and a finalist in the Litigation Department of the Year: General Litigation category.
Honorees were celebrated during the New England Legal Awards event on September 26 at Fairmont Copley Plaza in Boston.