George Rockas focuses on civil litigation, with emphasis on legal and accounting malpractice and other types of nonmedical professional liability claims. In addition, he represents insurers on insurance coverage matters. George renders insurance coverage opinions on a wide range of policies, including professional liability, comprehensive general liability, environmental and crime. He frequently litigates insurance coverage and bad faith matters in state and federal courts.
George has addressed a wide variety of malpractice and risk management issues for clients, and he has written extensively for both legal and professional journals. He is a frequent speaker on malpractice and coverage issues. George also handles a wide variety of general liability and commercial litigation matters ranging from wrongful death to serious personal injury to breach of contract.
Community Activities & Awards
Distinguished Service Award, Phillips Academy, Andover, MA (November 2008)
Member, Order of St. Andrew the Apostle, Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople (October 2006 to present)
Member, Legal Committee of the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle (July 2005 to present), Chairman of the Litigation Subcommittee (January 2006 to present)
Member, Town of Lynnfield School Committee (April, 1997 to April, 2000)
Member, Town of Lynnfield Capital Planning Committee (October, 1997 to April, 2000)
Member, Parish Council, St. Vasilios Greek Orthodox Church, Peabody, MA (January, 1998 to 2005)
Member, Board of Trustees and Executive Committee, Hellenic College/Holy Cross Seminary, Brookline, MA, (August, 1998 to September, 2000)
Areas of Focus
Professional Liability
George's practice involves defense and coverage matters for professionals, including lawyers, accountants, insurance agents, real estate agents, architects and engineers, and software engineers. He has defended more than 1,000 legal malpractice cases.
General Liability and Commercial Litigation
George handles a wide variety of general liability and commercial litigation matters. The types of cases he has handled include product liability, wrongful death, construction defect, mold, breach of contract, tortious interference with contractual relations and Chapter 93A cases.
Insurance Coverage
George renders insurance coverage opinions on a variety of policies, including commercial general liability, first party property and professional liability. He litigates coverage issues in state and federal courts and defends bad faith claims. He is former chairman of the Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee of the Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section of the ABA.
Representative Matters
Lawyers Professional Liability
Represented general counsel to large, family-held multibillion-dollar supermarket and real estate business in litigation between competing sides of family for control of business empire. Claims against attorney included negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud and civil conspiracy.
Claim by intended beneficiaries of estate plan against attorney who drafted plan.
Claim by real estate developer against attorney for failing to advise him about the economic feasibility of a project.
Claim by a divorcee against attorney who represented her on the appeal of a divorce judgment, claiming attorney failed to recognize she was mentally incompetent and to take the appropriate steps to protect her interests.
Numerous claims involving conflict of interest, real estate matters, missed statutes of limitations, failure to settle, bankruptcy matters.
Numerous claims against attorneys for improperly trying a case.
Claim against attorney for failing to make disclosures to investors in a private offering.
Claim against attorney by clients of an investment adviser (investment adviser clients and adviser were both clients of the attorney).
Claim against attorney for failing to advise client that mortgage survey plan prepared by land surveyor was defective.
Claim against attorney for failing to advise client about the consequences of transferring stock in privately held company and for failing to document promises to loan client millions of dollars.
Claim against attorney for failing to advise client that amount stated in promissory note was incorrect.
Claim against attorney for failing to obtain proper security for a loan.
Claim against attorney for representing both husband and wife in preparation of estate plan.
Claim against attorney for failing to supervise another attorney who was handling work in his office.
Claim against law firm by a real estate limited partner who alleged that the firm was representing all the limited partners and that the partners had conflicting interests.
Claim against attorney for allowing meritless lawsuit to be dismissed.
Claim against lawyer for advising client not to disclose information on financial statement used in a divorce.
Claim against divorce lawyer for failing to put “looking forward” provision in divorce settlement agreement.
Claim against attorney for failing to merge two corporations under proper section of Internal Revenue Code.
Represented attorneys on a number of different matters before the Board of Bar Overseers.
Represented elder law attorney accused of taking advantage of elderly client.
Accountants Professional Liability
Claim by purchaser of business who relied upon audit opinions in deciding to purchase business and upon price.
Multiple claims against accountants accused of failing to detect employee embezzlement, fraud or improper financial controls during audit or review process.
Numerous claims against accountants involving tax services, including allegations of improper tax elections, untimely preparation and filing, and erroneous tax advice.
Claim against accountant accused of improperly valuing business in divorce proceeding.
Claim against accountant accused of giving improper business and asset valuation.
Multiple claims against accountants accused of giving bad investment advice.
Multiple claims against accountants by third parties claiming duty owed.
Claim against accountant for giving improper management advisory services regarding information systems.
Insurance Coverage
Provided fidelity coverage opinions to insurers on a variety of issues and represented them in a number of lawsuits, including two suits that went to the First Circuit.
Represented insurance carrier in $10 million trademark infringement advertising injury claim in which the carrier was awarded summary judgment based on the applicability of the breach of contract exclusion.
Represented insurance carriers in a number of claims in which the insured sought advertising injury coverage for patent infringement, misappropriation of trade secrets and related claims. In each case, the carrier was awarded summary judgment.
Provided insurance coverage opinions to primary and excess insurers on allocation issues and provided subsequent representation in litigation.
Provided insurance coverage opinions to and represented carriers in litigation involving the applicability of claims made notice provisions in various professional liability policies.
Represented carrier in litigation involving garage policy where issue concerned the applicability of a “leased” auto exclusion.
Provided insurance coverage opinions to and represented carriers in litigation involving construction defects and faulty workmanship.
Provided insurance carriers with insurance coverage opinions and represented them in litigation on a variety of claims involving personal injury coverage.
Represented carrier in litigation involving the interpretation and applicability of a sexual misconduct sublimit endorsement. The carrier was awarded summary judgment.
Represented carrier in litigation involving interpretation of vendors’ broad form endorsement.
Represented carriers in litigation involving bad faith claims in a variety of contexts.
Represented carriers in litigation in which they attempted to void coverage based on the fraud and concealment clause or on misrepresentations in the application for insurance. Handled numerous “rescission” cases.
Represented various insurers on environmental coverage claims.
Represented liability excess insurer in claims involving the collapse of panels in the so-called “Big Dig” tunnel.