Jane E. Willis
Partner
Jane E. Willis, a litigation partner since 2003, focuses her practice on complex business litigation matters, including class action antitrust litigation. She is experienced in antitrust law, health care law, and merger and acquisition disputes. In addition, Jane regularly provides counseling regarding antitrust and intellectual property matters. Her impressive client list includes publicly-traded companies, real estate investment trusts, hospital and healthcare systems, and private equity funds. Jane has experience in a range of industries including health care, consumer electronics, consumer products, sports, transportation, and real estate.
As a part of her antitrust practice, Jane has represented many of the firm’s clients in mergers and acquisitions subject to antitrust merger review and investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division and the Federal Trade Commission.
Jane has been interviewed for her antitrust experience by various publications including The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, Legal Times, Competition Law 360, Modern Healthcare, Reuters and Bloomberg News Services.
Experience
- Harvard Pilgrim HealthCare. Lead counsel in successful appeal on behalf of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care of decision by Division of Insurance resulting in overturning rate caps and price controls.
- Leading REITs. First-chair counsel for publicly traded REITs, including a successful trial against HealthSouth involving the ownership of certain rehabilitation hospitals.
- Boston Red Sox. First-chair trial counsel in a successful trial in U.S. Bankruptcy Court and first chair counsel in a preliminary injunction proceeding in U.S. District Court to ensure the establishment of an entertainment concourse on game days on Yawkey Way near Fenway Park.
- Daewoo International. Successfully obtained dismissal for Korean company named as a defendant in a class action antitrust case arising out of an alleged international cartel.
- TravelCenters of America. Lead counsel for Fortune 500 company in litigation and arbitration, including pending antitrust litigation involving allegations of conspiracy and boycott and pending multidistrict consumer class actions arising out of consumer protection claims brought in 28 states.
- Five Star Quality Care, Inc. Lead counsel for publicly traded NYSE health care company in a suit against a manager of health care facilities.
- Hitachi-LG Data Storage. Co-lead counsel for a Korean-Japanese joint venture in defending civil class actions alleging price-fixing in the optical disk drive industry.
Awards
- Benchmark Litigation: Top 250 Women in Litigation (2012-2013)
- Benchmark Litigation, Litigation Star (2011-2013)
- Lawdragon 3000, National Finalist (2010)
- Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business (2004-2013)
- Litigation Counsel of America, Fellow
- The Best Lawyers in America (2007-2013)
- Outstanding Healthcare Antitrust Lawyer, Nightingale's Healthcare News (2009)
- Massachusetts Super Lawyers (2004-2011)
- Super Lawyers, Corporate Counsel Edition, Business Litigation (2008-2010)
- Top 50 Women Lawyers in Massachusetts, Boston Magazine (2005)
- Boston Business Journal's 7th Annual "40 Under 40" Awards (for business/community leadership)
- According to the 2013 edition of Chambers USA: Jane Willis wins plaudits from sources for being “very smart, practical and effective.”
- According to the 2012 edition of Chambers USA: Clients praise Jane’s "ability to focus on the important details and communicate them in a meaningful commercial way."
- According to the 2011 edition of Chambers USA: Sources praise her "terrific communication and interpersonal skills."
- According to the 2010 edition of Chambers USA: “Jane Willis’s expertise encompasses antitrust counseling and litigation and she is viewed as ‘an excellent lawyer with a strong practice.’”
- According to the 2008 edition of Chambers USA: “The ‘extremely thoughtful and practical’ Jane Willis is admired for ‘balancing business imperatives with legal considerations.’ ‘[The antitrust litigation team has] always done a great job for us, they are excellent in the courtroom and at coming up with strategies that work,’ noted one client.”
Insights
Publications
- Jane E. Willis and Ryan P. McManus, “Healthcare Reform and Antitrust Enforcement: Provider Consolidation Encouraged, Scrutinized,” Competition Policy International: Antitrust Chronicle (July 2012)
- Jane E. Willis, Mark S. Popofsky, and Daniel J. Bachner "ACOs and Antitrust Enforcement: Familiar Rules Raise New Concerns,” Competition Policy International (May 2011)
- Jane E. Willis and Anne E. Johnson, "Certification of a National Class under State Law: Is Electronic Arts a Trend or an Outlier?" Bloomberg Law Reports: Class Actions (March 2011)
- Jane E. Willis and David T. Cohen, "Ninth Circuit Brings Greater Scrutiny to Class Counsel's Fees in In Re Mercury Interactive Corp.," Bloomberg Law Reports: Class Actions/Securities Litigation and Enforcement (October 2010)
- Jane E. Willis and Daniel J. Bachner, "How Hollywood Manages Its Channels," Competition Law 360 (February 2010)
- Jane E. Willis and F. Turner Buford, "Articulating Twombly: The Supreme Court's Iqbal Framework for the Lower Federal Courts," Pretrial Practice and Discovery, American Bar Association Litigation Section (Fall 2009)
- Stephen A. Warnke, Daniel T. Roble, and Jane E. Willis, "Is Massachusetts Poised to Leap Ahead of the Curve on Health Care Cost Containment?" 15 HPPR 101, BNA Health Plan and Provider Report (August 2009)
- Jane E. Willis and F. Turner Buford, "Pleading Standards in the Federal and State Trial Courts: The Evolving Impact of U.S. Supreme Court Precedent," Litigation Counsel of America Newsletter (August 2009)
- Jane E. Willis and Matthew P. Garvey, "DOJ Attempts to Lead, but FTC Declines to Follow," National Law Journal (November 2008)
- Jane E. Willis and Matthew P. Garvey, "Promoting Convergence On Anti-Monopoly Standards," Competition Law 360 (September 2008)
- Jane E. Willis and Matthew P. Garvey, "Core Approach Is Incorrect - FTC v. WholeFoods Markets," National Law Journal (August 2008)
- Jane E. Willis and James W. Cobb, "Discrimination Under the Massachusetts Fair Housing Law - DeLiddo v. Oxford Street Realty, Inc.," 450 Mass. 66 (2007), Boston Bar Journal (May/June 2008)
Presentations
- Presenter, “Litigating Technology Cases: Considerations for Korean Companies in U.S. Courts” (Seoul, Korea) (October 2012)
- Presenter, “Hot Topics in Life Sciences and Health Care Cross-Border M&A” (Tokyo, Japan) (April 2012)
- Presenter, Medical Executive Committee Institute, “Peer Review, Corrective Action, and the Law” (New Orleans, Louisiana) (March 2011)
- Presenter, Boston Bar Association, Business Litigation Section, “Price-Fixing Investigations and Class Actions” (February 2011)
- Presenter, Seoul National University Center for Competition Law, “Recent Trends in Competition Law Enforcement and the Regulation of Cartel and IP Rights Abuse” (Seoul, Korea) (October 2010)
- Presenter, The Japanese Institute of International Business Law, "Developments at the Antitrust and Intellectual Property Crossroads" (Tokyo, Japan) (July 2010)
- Co-Presenter, Osaka Bar Association, International Section "Recent Developments in U.S. Antitrust and Intellectual Property Law" (Osaka, Japan) (July 2010)
- Presenter, Boston Bar Association, Business Law Section, "Antitrust Law Fundamentals" (February 2010)
- Presenter, American Bar Association, "In-House Counsel Update: Private Antitrust Litigation" (November 2009)
- Presenter, Boston Bar Association, Business Law Section, "The Department of Justice's Single Firm Conduct Report: A Blueprint for the Future or Not?" (November 2008)