Howard E. Berkenblit

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Partner
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One Post Office Square
Boston, MA 02109
T (617) 338-2979
F (617) 338-2880

Howard E. Berkenblit is a partner and leader of the firm’s Securities & Corporate Governance Group. He specializes in counseling both public and private companies involved in equity and debt financings and ongoing corporate governance and disclosure matters, stock exchange listing standards and Sarbanes-Oxley Act and Dodd-Frank Act compliance. He also advises Israeli and other international companies that seek to have their securities traded in the United States, as well as real estate investment trusts that engage in securities offerings and governance initiatives. In addition, Mr. Berkenblit works with clients on mergers and acquisitions, capital raising and general corporate matters. He has written articles and spoken on many topics including Sarbanes-Oxley, Dodd-Frank and a range of securities law issues impacting U.S. and foreign companies. 

Representative Client Work

  • $300 million public preferred equity offering in the hotel REIT industry
  • $400 million public senior note offering in the office REIT industry
  • $400 million public common equity offering in the senior living facility REIT industry
  • $2 million convertible note PIPE by Israeli software company
  • Representation of a foreign software company in the acquisition and going private transaction involving a public U.S. software company
  • $150 million 144A offering and A/B exchange in the information storage and protection industry
  • Served as Senior Corporate Counsel for Stream International, Inc., a provider of CRM and technical support services
  • Design of governance charters, policies and procedures for senior living services company
  • Switch of Nasdaq listed financial services company to listing on NYSE
  • $450 million national bank holding company merger in public stock for stock transaction
  • $1.6 billion acquisition of an information storage and protection services company in public stock for stock transaction
  • Initial public offering of a transportation company

Teaching & Speaking Engagements

  • "Dodd-Frank Reform Act," New York Law Journal Breakfast Briefing (June 26, 2012)
  • "Governance, Capital Raising and Disclosure Update: Dodd-Frank, the JOBS Act and More!," Financial Executives International (FEI) (May 16, 2012)
  • "29th Annual New England Business & Securities Law Conference 2011," Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, Inc. (MCLE) (October 2011)
  • "Will My Company Be The Next Zipcar?," Financial Executives International (FEI) (May 2011)
  • "The State of Data Security: Regulations and Disclosure Rules," Sullivan & Worcester LLP, Boston (April 2011)
  • "28th Annual New England Business & Securities Law Conference 2010," Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, Inc. (MCLE) (October 2010)
  • Howard Berkenblit interviewed on Fresh Ground Podcast, discussing PR and Private Equity, Podcast (February 2010)
  • "SOX for Private Companies: Keys to Managing Sarbanes-Oxley Compliance," Progressive Business Audio Conferences (January 2010)
  • "27th Annual Business & Securities Law Conference 2009," Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, Inc. (MCLE) (October 2009)
  • "Corporate Governance and the Audit Committee – the Role of the CFO," Financial Executives International (FEI) (November 2008)  
  • "Smaller Reporting Companies," MCLE Business and Securities Law Conference (October 2008)
  • "What are the Best Practices to Prepare for your Audit Committee Meeting?," Financial Executives International (FEI) (March 2008)
  • "SEC Offering Reform - New Avenues for Fundraising," The Chinese Finance Association (TCFA) (February 2008)
  • "Recent Initiatives and Developments by the SEC Division of Corporation Finance," Boston Bar Association (April 2007)
  • "The Sarbanes-Oxley Act: Update on Boards and Committees," Lorman Education Services (April 2007)
  • "Ethics and Corporate Governance – Tips and Strategies," Financial Executives International (FEI) (January 2007)
  • "E-Proxy – What Companies Need to Worry About (and not worry about)," MCLE Business and Securities Law Conference (October 2007)
  • "The Rest of the Story…2005-06 SEC and SRO Developments," MCLE Business and Securities Law Conference 2006 (October 2006)
  • "The Sarbanes-Oxley Act: Evolving Best Practices," Lorman Education Services (April, August and September 2006)
  • "Mastering your External Marketing Strategies," New Partner Forum, American Conference Institute (ACI) (June 2006)
  • "The Impact of Sarbanes-Oxley on Private Companies," Boston CEO Club (December 2005)
  • "Adapting to SOX: Governance and Compliance in Private Companies," Financial Executives International Private Company Forum (October 2005)
  • "Sarbanes-Oxley Act," Lorman Education Services (August and September 2005)
  • "Leveraging IT Standards for Regulatory Compliance Requirements," Object Management Group (June 2005)
  • "Managing Risk: Current Legal, Accounting and Disclosure Issues Impacting Israeli Companies in the US," The Wall Street Transcript (moderator) (June 2005)
  • "The Impact of Sarbanes-Oxley on Private Companies," Route 128 Practitioners Forum (June 2005)
  • "Representing Issuers and Purchasers of Private Company Securities," MCLE (January 2005)
  • "Investing in Israel (Legal, Accounting & Financial Issues Impacting Investing in Israel)," The Wall Street Transcript (June 2004)
  • "Corporate Governance Update: Governing in the Shadow of Scandal," Boston Bar Association (April 2004)
  • "The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002: Its Impact on Clients of Commercial Records Centers," PRISM International (March 2003)

Publications

Professional & Civic Activities

  • American and Massachusetts Bar Associations
  • Co-Chair, BBA Securities Law Committee, Boston Bar Association, 2006-2008
  • Director, Massachusetts Council on Economic Education

News

Seminars & Speaking Engagements

Client Advisories

Practices

Bar & Court Admissions

  • Massachusetts, 1995
  • U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts

Education

  • J.D., summa cum laude, 1995, Boston College Law School
  • B.A., cum laude, University of Pennsylvania, 1992

Awards & Honors

  • Legal 500 U.S. (2008)
  • "Rising Star," Massachusetts Super Lawyers (2006-2008, 2010)
  • Madison Who's Who of Executives and Professionals (2006)