Atty. Stephen C. "Steve" Reilly
Prior to joining Fitch Law Partners LLP in January, 1995, Steve Reilly had been with the Boston law firm of Hale and Dorr, where he became a junior partner in the litigation department in 1994. Steve graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1989.
Profile Summary
About Stephen C. "Steve" Reilly at a glance
Stephen C. "Steve" Reilly is a business and litigation attorney based in Boston, Massachusetts, practicing at Fitch Law Partners LLP. Educated at Harvard University (J.D., 1989) and Middlebury College (B.A. summa cum laude, 1986). Recognitions include Best Lawyers in America — Commercial Litigation (2026), Best Lawyers in America — Litigation - Banking and Finance (2026), and Best Lawyers in America — Additional Areas of Practice: (2026). Serands clients in Boston, MA and the surrounding metropolitan area.
Want to Get Service From This Attorney?
Sign up free and choose one of the two methods below.
Have a legal question? Sign up free, submit it through the Ask the Attorney module and receive a focused answer from a specialist.
- Free to ask a question
- Answers from specialist attorneys
- Optional private / anonymous question
Request an online video meeting or an in-person consultation at the attorney's office. Pick a time that works for you and share the details securely.
- Online video meeting
- In-person at the attorney's office
- Secure messaging and payment
About
- Prior to joining Fitch Law Partners LLP in January, 1995, Steve Reilly had been with the Boston law firm of Hale and Dorr, where he became a junior partner in the litigation department in 1994
- Steve graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1989
- He earned his undergraduate degree summa cum laude in 1986 from Middlebury College, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa
- Since 2004, Steve has been recognized as a Massachusetts Super Lawyer in an annual list published by a Thomson Reuters rating service in Boston Magazine
- Only 5% of the lawyers in Massachusetts are awarded that designation
- At Fitch, Steve's practice has focused on general commercial litigation, with particular emphasis on the defense of banks and other financial institutions in tort and contract matters, the defense of electric utilities in complex liability cases, and real estate litigation
- Among other clients, Steve has represented Bank of America, Fleet National Bank, the National Grid family of companies (including Massachusetts Electric Company and Granite State Electric Company), Boston Edison Company, Union Camp Chemicals, Ltd., and Walsh Construction Company.Steve has represented several different banks and financial services companies in connection with claims involving, among other things: letters of credit
- bank operations and collections
- commercial paper and check fraud
- wire transfer fraud
- safe deposit box litigation
- the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act
- the Fair Credit Reporting Act
- the Electronic Funds Transfer Act, and Regulation E
- the Truth In Lending Act, and Regulation Z
- and legal process issues, including subpoena compliance, trustee process, attachments, search warrants and restraining orders
- By way of non-exclusive example, Steve represented the defendant bank in both the trial and appellate courts in Grassi Design Group, Inc., et al. v
- Bank of America, N.A., et al., 74 Mass
- App
- Ct. 456, review denied, 454 Mass. 1108 (2009)
- In that case, the Massachusetts Appeals Court affirmed the trial court’s entry of summary judgment in favor of the bank in a complex check fraud saga
- The Grassi decision is significant because it marked the first instance in which an appellate court in Massachusetts had ruled on the “same wrongdoer” rule set forth in Uniform Commercial Code (“UCC”) § 4-406(d)(2) -- a key defense to many check fraud claims
- The Appeals Court also made it clear that, in a check fraud case such as Grassi, the bank’s customer bears the burden of proving that the bank did not exercise “ordinary care” as that term is specifically defined in UCC § 3-103(a)(7)
- Steve also represented the defendant bank in both the U.S
- District Court and the U.S
- Court of Appeals for the First Circuit in Demelo, et al. v
- U.S
- Bank National Association, 727 F.3d 117 (1st Cir. 2013)
- In that matter, which involved complex allegations of predatory lending and wrongful foreclosure, the First Circuit affirmed the dismissal of the plaintiffs’ claims
- The First Circuit's decision, which turned on he application of the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989 ("FIRREA"), establishes binding precedent for federal courts located in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Puerto Rico
- As a member of Fitch's admiralty and maritime practice group, Steve participated in a conference for international club correspondents in September 2013.Steve has appeared in both state and federal trial and appellate courts in Massachusetts
- He has represented clients before the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, and in connection with investigations by the Federal Trade Commission and the Occupational Safety & Health Administration.Steve is the author of Creating a Discovery Plan which appears as Chapter 3 of Massachusetts Discovery Practice (MCLE, Inc. 2002)
- Portions of that article were re-printed in a leading civil procedure textbook: Subrin, Minow, Brodin and Main, Civil Procedure: Doctrine, Practice, and Context 2nd Ed. (Aspen Publishers, 2004)
- Steve is also the co-author of Preparing To Take A Deposition, which appears as Chapter 3 of the Massachusetts Deposition Practice Manual, 2nd Ed., 1st Supplement (MCLE, Inc. 2008)
- He has lectured as a Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education faculty panelist on multiple occasions
- Steve is admitted to practice in Massachusetts and the District of Columbia, and is a member of the bars of the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts
- He has near native fluency in French
Practice Areas Explained
Stephen C. "Steve" Reilly's Areas of Practice
Each practice area below reflects the types of cases Stephen C. "Steve" Reilly handles, with a brief overview of what that area of law covers.
Business attorneys advise founders and growing companies on entity formation, contracts, financing, M&A, and dispute resolution.
Stephen C. "Steve" Reilly is one of 501,317 business attorneys indexed nationally. Browse business attorneys in Massachusetts →
Civil litigation attorneys for breach of contract, business disputes, civil rights, and class action lawsuits.
Stephen C. "Steve" Reilly is one of 454,532 litigation attorneys indexed nationally. Browse litigation attorneys in Massachusetts →
Jurisdictional Context
Why local counsel matters in Massachusetts
Practicing law in Massachusetts. Legal matters in Massachusetts are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in Boston are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate Massachusetts state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in Massachusetts brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this andnue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in Massachusetts courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.
Looking for additional Massachusetts attorneys? Browse all attorneys in Boston or all attorneys in Massachusetts.
Frequently Asked
Common questions about Stephen C. "Steve" Reilly
Where is Stephen C. "Steve" Reilly's law office located?
What practice areas does Stephen C. "Steve" Reilly handle?
Where did Stephen C. "Steve" Reilly go to law school?
How can I contact Stephen C. "Steve" Reilly for a consultation?
What awards or recognition has Stephen C. "Steve" Reilly received?
Practice Areas
Education
Awards
Reviews
No reviews yet.