William E. Christie

Shareholder/Director

Biography

For over a decade, Bill has been recognized for his groundbreaking work in the areas of federal and state criminal defense and complex civil litigation. Whether a client’s best interests involves creative negotiation or an aggressive trial strategy, Bill has been successful in obtaining favorable results for individuals and companies in the state and federal courts of New Hampshire and Massachusetts.

For the past several years, Bill has served as lead plaintiffs’ counsel in seven consolidated wrongful death lawsuits against the United States Government in Federal Court in Boston, Massachusetts arising from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s relationship with longtime Boston area criminals and FBI informants James "Whitey" Bulger and Stephen "the Rifleman" Flemmi. After a six-year legal battle, in September 2006, Bill obtained a $3.1 million dollar judgment against the United States Government that was described by the Boston Herald editorial page as "justice at last" for the plaintiff’s family and for the "community" as well. In May 2009, Bill obtained a second judgment against the United States Government in excess of $2 million for the FBI’s involvement in murder.

Bill’s civil practice also involves representation of businesses involved in commercial disputes applying his negotiation and trial skills to protect his clients’ commercial interests and trade secrets.

Beyond complex civil litigation, Bill’s main practice area is criminal defense with a focus on federal criminal defense. Bill has represented numerous clients in Federal Court, including those charged with fraud offenses, obstruction of justice, tax evasion and drug offenses. Bill has successfully used his knowledge of the Federal Sentencing Guidelines to obtain favorable results for numerous clients facing federal criminal charges.

Bill also has a significant State Court practice where he has represented clients charged with embezzlement, environmental offenses, as well as a variety of motor vehicle offenses, including negligent homicide and driving while intoxicated.

Combining his expertise in civil and criminal matters, Bill conducts internal investigation for companies regulated by the state or federal governments and has successfully represented corporate and individual clients subject to “parallel” civil and criminal proceedings.

Representative Cases:

  • United States v. Mealey, Cr. 07-80-02-SM

    Client charged with a conspiracy to Defraud the IRS by evading collection and payment of employment taxes. Client was involved with three temporary employment agencies during the years 2000-2004. The agencies treated workers as independent contractors, paid workers in cash and did not withhold employment taxes from their wages. The United States Government brought charges alleging the workers were employees of the agencies and the cash payments were part of a conspiracy to avoid the agencies’ obligation to withhold and pay employment taxes. The defense at trial was: 1) the government could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the workers were employees and not independent contractors; and 2) the government could not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that client did not have a good faith belief that workers were independent contractors. On Day 2 of the trial, after cross-examination of government witnesses in which the defense established the client’s good faith belief that the workers were independent contractors, the United States dismissed the indictment and all charges against the client were dismissed.

  • McIntyre v. United States, 447 F.Supp.2d 54 (D. Mass. 2006)

    Obtained a $3.1 million dollar judgment after a four-week trial proving the Federal Bureau of Investigation caused the murder of John McIntyre by leaking to longtime Boston area criminals and FBI informants, James "Whitey" Bulger and Stephen "the Rifleman" Flemmi, the fact that McIntyre was cooperating with the government against Bulger and Flemmi. Both the four-week trial and the judgment received extensive publicity in the local, national and international media. The First Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed this $3.1 million dollar judgment on October 16, 2008.

  • McIntyre v. United States, 01-10408-RCL (September 14, 2007 D. Mass 2007)

    After the McIntyre verdict, obtained an order requiring the United States to pay plaintiffs’ attorney fees by proving that government attorneys acted in bad faith by “lying” to the district court about the state of the evidence prior to trial.

  • Halloran v. United States, 01-11346-RCL

    In the second FBI/Informant Leak Case to proceed before the district court, successfully obtained summary judgment against the United States, proving, without trial, the Federal Bureau of Investigations caused the murder of Brian Halloran by leaking to Bulger and Flemmi the fact that McIntyre was cooperating with the government against Bulger and Flemmi. In May 2009, the Court awarded over $2 million in damages.

  • Bradley v. United States, 545 U.S. 1101 (2005); 426 F.3d. 54 (1st Cir. 2005)

    Obtained reversal at the United States Supreme Court and First Circuit Court of Appeals of 70-month criminal sentence by establishing sentence was imposed under unconstitutional mandatory sentencing guidelines.

  • Federal District Court District of New Hampshire

    Obtained dismissal of indictment against individual charged with participating in scheme to import counterfeit prescription drugs into the United States.

    After a contested sentencing hearing, convinced court to impose a sentence of probation and home confinement for client convicted of a complex tax conspiracy.

    After a three year investigation, obtained a sentence of probation and home confinement for a client charged in a multi-defendant drug conspiracy.

  • New Hampshire Superior Court

    Represented client charged under New Hampshire’s Drug Enterprise Leader Statute. Despite a 25 year minimum mandatory sentence required by statute, through agressive pretrial efforts, successfully obtained a 13 year sentence for client.

    Successfully sued contractor who performed work during renovation of hotel resulting in a six figure settlement prior to trial.

  • Concord District Court — Concord, New Hampshire

    Client charged under State of New Hampshire’s music "bootlegging" law. After extensive pretrial motion practice, Bill obtained a directed verdict in favor of the defendant after the close of the State’s evidence resulting in not guilty verdict for defendant.

    Clients accused of harassing neighbors under New Hampshire "Stalking" Statute. After a two day trial, stalking petition is dismissed by the court and clients’ full rights and privileges are restored.

  • Suffolk County Trial Court — Boston, Massachusetts

    Client charged in Massachusetts with Motor Vehicle Homicide within days of new enacted "Melanie’s Law" requiring mandatory prison sentences for certain drinking related motor vehicle offenses. Despite the new law, Bill successfully negotiated a plea agreement where the defendant received a suspended sentence and did not go to jail.

Admissions:

  • Member of the Bar – New Hampshire
  • Member of the Bar – Massachusetts
  • United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire
  • United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts
  • United States Tax Court
  • First Circuit Court of Appeals
  • United States Supreme Court

Professional Associations and Memberships:

  • New Hampshire Bar Association
  • New Hampshire Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
  • National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
  • Million Dollar Advocates Forum

Recognition:

  • Peer Review Rated for Ethical Standards and Legal Ability by Martindale-Hubbell
  • Selected to lecture on amendments to Federal Sentence Guidelines and Federal Rules of Evidence at the Federal District Court District of New Hampshire

Community Involvement:

  • Bill formerly served on the Board of Directors of the Concord Family YMCA and remains an active member of the Concord YMCA.

Career:

  • B.A., Boston College, 1989 (Gasson Scholar Phi Beta Kappa)
  • J.D., Boston College Law School, 1994
  • Shaheen & Gordon, P.A., 1995-Present

Recent Publications:

  • “FBI Found Responsible for Mob Informant’s Murder”
    published in the New Hampshire Trial Bar News (Summer, 2007)
  • “Jury held FBI to task for mob informant’s murder”
    published in the National Law Journal (March, 2007)