Catherine A. Shaghalian

Catherine is a trial attorney and litigator who focuses her practice on business and commercial litigation. She has experience litigating a variety of corporate disputes, including shareholder derivative, breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract and business tort claims. She has also handled general commercial, employment, copyright and environmental litigation matters. She has expertise in federal practice and procedure. She is admitted to practice in all state and federal courts in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.

Catherine enjoys working with clients, learning about their businesses and helping them find strategies and solutions to their disputes in order to achieve the best outcome, whether that be through litigation, a pre-suit resolution or settlement through alternative dispute resolution.

Notable Experience

• Obtained jury verdict invalidating the release of a debt between business partners due to lack of consideration;
• Represented the City of Pawtucket in a cy pres action related to the closure of Memorial Hospital in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. 
• Obtained large jury verdict against commercial real estate developer for conversion, unjust enrichment and breach of fiduciary duty related to the sale of an out of state supermarket.
• Achieved successful settlement of suit involving complex and novel theories of corporate liability, including fraudulent transfer, breach of fiduciary duty and alter ego liability.
• Successfully argued motion for summary judgment upholding insurer’s denial of accidental death and dismemberment benefits under ERISA, later affirmed by the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.
• Obtained summary judgment and attorney’s fee award under ERISA for a disabled plaintiff wrongfully denied disability benefits under union pension plan.
• Secured dismissal of royalty claim against performing rights organization due to absence of federal subject matter jurisdiction.

More about Catherine

In her free time, Catherine likes to cook, read, travel and spend time with her family and friends. On most weekends she can be found cheering on her favorite sports teams—the Boston Red Sox, New England Patriots and Notre Dame Fighting Irish.