Patrick Hanley
Top rated White Collar Crimes attorney in Boston, Massachusetts
Butters Brazilian LLP
Practice areas: White Collar Crimes, Administrative Law, Gaming; view more
Licensed in Massachusetts since: 2003
Education: Northeastern University School of Law
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2023 - 2025 Call today:
617-367-2600
Butters Brazilian LLP
420 Boylston St4th Floor
Boston, MA 02116 Visit website
Mr. Hanley represents individuals, businesses, organized labor, and government entities in consequential matters across Massachusetts. In the last three years he has successfully tried five cases and argued two cases before the Supreme Judicial Court. Mr. Hanley’s practice is broken into several key areas all with the common denominators of personalized attention and polished advocacy.
Mr. Hanley’s practice includes white collar criminal defense/government investigations, professional discipline, gaming (sports wagering, daily fantasy sports, casinos, etc.), criminal and civil trials, conducting independent investigations for businesses and school districts, and outside general counsel work.
Mr. Hanley’s practice is built upon 15 years of government service, including ten years as an Assistant Attorney General. He served as the first Chief of Gaming Enforcement for the Office of the Attorney General of Massachusetts where he oversaw all investigations and prosecutions statewide of cases impacting or relating to the Commonwealth’s growing casino industry. During his time in the Attorney General’s Office, Mr. Hanley tried the greatest number of cases of anyone in the Criminal Bureau, which included nine separate wiretap trials.
In the last three years, Mr. Hanley has secured not guilty verdicts in two white collar trials. He has successfully represented witnesses in state and federal grand jury investigations. Mr. Hanley regularly represents individuals and businesses in connection with investigations conducted by various government agencies. He has handled matters with many divisions and bureaus within the Office of the Attorney General of Massachusetts, including Criminal, Gaming, Insurance and Unemployment Fraud, Medicaid Fraud, Healthcare, Antitrust, Fair Labor, Non-Profit and Public Charities, Consumer Protection, Government, and Trial.
Mr. Hanley’s professional discipline practice includes representing professional licensees in connection with inquiries, investigations, and enforcement actions. Recently, Mr. Hanley has represented attorneys in matters with the Office of the Bar Counsel and the Board of Bar Overseers. He has also represented individuals with other licenses, including, professional engineering, construction supervision, education, massage therapy, funeral directing, and law enforcement.
As the first Chief of Gaming Enforcement, Mr. Hanley developed deep familiarity with all facets of the gaming industry. He regularly represents individuals and entities with matters at the Massachusetts Gaming Commission and the Attorney General’s Gaming Enforcement Division.
Mr. Hanley has developed significant experience in public records matters. He represents individuals and entities in these matters, and represents both plaintiffs and defendants, including government entities. Recently, Mr. Hanley successfully enforced the public records law on behalf of a police officer facing harassment in the workplace.
Mr. Hanley often collaborates with his partners Beth Keeley and Karen Wells on independent investigations. They conduct comprehensive and well-documented investigations and ultimately report findings of fact and conclusions of law, and where appropriate, offer recommendations on steps forward. Mr. Hanley has also served as a Title IX investigator and Title IX decision-maker. In the last two years, Mr. Hanley has been involved in four such investigations.
For more than five years, Mr. Hanley has served as outside general counsel to the State Police Association of Massachusetts, the union representing 2,000 Troopers and Sergeants. The Association is the largest law enforcement bargaining unit in New England. In that role he advises the Association on labor and employment matters, governance, discipline, ethics, lobbying, campaign finance, and strategic litigation. Mr. Hanley provides similar services to other business leaders across industries.
Mr. Hanley has been recognized as a top attorney by Boston Magazine, SuperLawyers, and Best Lawyers.
In 2025, Mr. Hanley was appointed by Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey to serve as a Commissioner on the State Ethics Commission.
Practice areas
Criminal Defense: White Collar, Administrative Law, Gaming, Professional Liability: Defense, Health CareFocus areas
Ethics & Professional Responsibility, Gaming Law, Health & Health Care Law, Licensing, White Collar Crime
- 30% Criminal Defense: White Collar
- 20% Administrative Law
- 20% Gaming
- 20% Professional Liability: Defense
- 10% Health Care
First Admitted: 2003, Massachusetts
Professional Webpage: https://www.buttersbrazilian.com/patrick-hanley/
Bar / Professional Activity
- Member of Board of Editors of Massachusetts Law Review, 2024
- U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts, 2007, 2007
- Massachusetts, 2003, 2003
- Teaching Faculty Member, Havard Law School Trial Advocacy Workshop, 2021
- Member, Massachusetts Bar Association, 2024
- Member, Boston Bar Association, 2024
Verdicts / Settlements (Case Results)
- Argued significant attorney discipline matter before the Supreme Judicial Court., 2023
- Not guilty verdict in threats case against prominent public official in case that attracted print, online, and television news coverage., 2022
- Represented client in federal court charged with wire fraud and successfully advocated for probation sentence after guilty plea., 2019
- After contested hearing, obtained restraining order barring online harassment of client., 2021
- Settled business dispute involving licensee relationship., 2021
Representative Clients
- State Police Association of Massachusetts - largest law enforcement union in New England., 2023
- Commonwealth Equine and Agricultural Center - an applicant for a thoroughbred racing meeting license before the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, 2022
Educational Background
- Bachelor of Arts conferred by Brandeis University, 2000
- Northeastern University School of Law, JD, 2000-2003
Scholarly Lectures / Writings
- See law review article., Co-Author, Should State Law Enforcement Official be Required to Develop and Implement Minimization Protocols to Govern the Execution of Digital Search Warrants, 100 Mass. Law Review 1, 5, Massachusetts Law Review, Legal, 2018
- See law review article., Author, Applying the Mosaic Theory to Determine Whether Use of Automatic License Plate Readers Constitutes a Search (Commonwealth v. McCarthy), 102 Mass. Law Review 1, 16 (2020), Massachusetts Law Review, Legal, 2020
- Casinos
- Government
- Highly Regulated Businesses
- Law Enforcement
- Legal
These comments were made by fellow attorneys during the annual nomination process.
“Mr. Hanley represents individuals, businesses, organized labor, and government entities in consequential matters across Massachusetts. In the last two years he has successfully tried five cases and argued two cases before the Supreme Judicial Court. Mr. Hanley’s practice is broken up into several key areas all with the common denominators of personalized attention and polished advocacy. Mr. Hanley’s practice includes white collar criminal defense/government investigations, professional discipline, gaming (sports wagering, daily fantasy sports, casinos, etc.), criminal and civil trials, conducting independent investigations for businesses and school districts, and outside general counsel work. Mr. Hanley’s practice is built upon 15 years of government service, including ten years as an Assistant Attorney General. He served as the first Chief of Gaming Enforcement for the Office of the Attorney General of Massachusetts where he oversaw all investigations and prosecutions statewide of cases impacting or relating to the Commonwealth’s growing casino industry. During his time in the Attorney General’s Office, Mr. Hanley tried the greatest number of cases of anyone in the Criminal Bureau, which included nine separate wiretap trials. In the last two years, Mr. Hanley has earned not guilty verdicts in two white collar trials. He has successfully represented witnesses in state and federal grand jury investigations. Mr. Hanley regularly represents individuals and businesses in connection with investigations conducted by various government agencies. He has handled matters with many divisions and bureaus within the Office of the Attorney General of Massachusetts, including Criminal, Gaming, Insurance and Unemployment Fraud, Medicaid Fraud, Healthcare, Antitrust, Fair Labor, Non-Profit and Public Charities, Consumer Protection, Government, and Trial. Mr. Hanley’s professional discipline practice includes representing professional licensees in connection with inquiries, investigations, and enforcement actions. Recently, Mr. Hanley has represented attorneys in matters with the Office of the Bar Counsel and the Board of Bar Overseers. He has also represented individuals with other licenses, including, professional engineering, construction supervision, education, massage therapy, and law enforcement. Mr. Hanley also represents government officials with matters before the State Ethics Commission.”
“Pat's years of experience in the public sector of law have made him a valuable assets to BBLLP he is one of the hardest working attorneys I know”
“Excellent criminal and white collar defense lawyer. Also very good at attorney disciplinary proceedings.”
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2023 - 2025
