Eric P. Christofferson was recently named Managing Partner of BBA Sponsor Firm DLA Piper. We caught up with him to learn more about his new role, his advice to new lawyers in Boston, and more. Check out the full interview below:
Boston Bar Association: What inspired you to become a lawyer, and more specifically, what drew you to a white-collar crime practice?
Eric Christofferson: I did not have lawyers in my family, and I didn’t know any growing up. I was originally drawn to the idea of becoming a lawyer – like many – through television shows and movies depicting great courtroom dramas. Perhaps that’s why I was pretty sure early on that I wanted to be a litigator, although I did not really know what that meant when I arrived at law school.
I was lucky enough to obtain a summer internship at the US Attorney’s Office in Boston after my first year in law school and was assigned to work for Judge Allison Burroughs, who was then an Assistant US Attorney in the Economic Crimes Unit. I got to see firsthand what she and so many other talented federal prosecutors did every day – wrestling with thorny legal issues, analyzing high-stakes case strategy, arguing before judge and jury – and I was immediately hooked. As a law firm associate, I was able to work with incredibly talented white-collar lawyers and see the world from the defense side, which presents its own exciting opportunities and challenges, before joining the US Attorney’s Office myself in 2010.
BBA: Do you have any particular highlights from your career that you’re especially proud of?
Christofferson: I have enjoyed a number of successes in my career, including some courtroom victories and successful trial verdicts, but am perhaps most proud of having been part of a team of DLA Piper attorneys who won the release of two different vulnerable people, each of whom had been separately imprisoned for approximately two decades under the harsh federal drug-sentencing laws of the late ‘90s and early 2000s for non-violent drug offenses. Filing so-called “compassionate release” motions based on, among other factors, their respective serious health conditions when COVID-19 was raging through federal prisons, we successfully secured their release and reunited them with their families.
BBA: With a focus on life-sciences, healthcare, and financial services, I imagine your practice has experienced significant changes in recent years between the pandemic, rise (and fall) of crypto, and the general financial climate recently. What changes have you noticed and how have you adjusted your practice in turn?
Christofferson: As a white-collar practitioner, the pandemic did have an impact on my practice. For example, the Department of Justice and other enforcement agencies have prioritized pandemic-related fraud and misconduct, including financial fraud and health care fraud, leading to a significant number of investigations for which companies and individuals alike need representation. At the same time, travel prohibitions during the pandemic forced more traditional in-person activities, like witness interviews, to be conducted virtually. Now that travel prohibitions are gone, lawyers are more discerning and careful about what can be conducted in person and what can be done virtually.
BBA: What are you focused on as a Managing Partner, not just in the year to come but over the next several years? What are the priorities for the firm, and what opportunities or hurdles do you foresee?
Christofferson: The DLA Piper Boston office is thriving. With more than 90 attorneys working across a wide range of practice groups and industries, we have the talent and experience to advise clients concerning virtually any opportunity or challenge they face. But we are always looking to grow and add to our already talented roster of attorneys, particularly those who counsel clients in life sciences, financial services, technology, and intellectual property matters.
DLA Piper offers an unparalleled global platform, with nearly 5,000 lawyers spread across more than 90 offices and more than 40 countries.
BBA: You’ve been actively involved as a member of the BBA, co-chairing the White-Collar Crime Section and serving on the White-Collar Crime Conference advisory committee. How is a partnership with a bar association like ours beneficial to you specifically, and to DLA Piper more generally?
Christofferson: The BBA is a terrific resource for lawyers and law firms alike. The organization understands that modern legal practice is highly specialized and accordingly offers a wide array of practice-specific groups and programming. Personally, it has provided me with unparalleled networking and educational opportunities that have provided huge benefits to my practice. From generating new referral sources, to providing marketing opportunities, to offering genuine educational forums, the BBA consistently delivers value to its members and sponsors.
BBA: What advice do you have for newer lawyers, whether at your firm or more generally?
Two sage pieces of advice I received as a junior associate stay with me to this day. First, when responding to an assignment posed by a senior lawyer, do not stop with the answer. Instead, try to identify the implications of that answer and offer potential next steps for the senior lawyer to consider. Even if the senior lawyer ultimately disagrees with the analysis or chooses a different path, showing that kind of initiative demonstrates real value and potential.
Second, never be afraid to ask simple questions. Newer lawyers naturally tend to be less confident and may be reticent to ask simple but foundational questions about a case or assignment, such as “What law or rule are we talking about?” or “What entity is this and how does it relate to our client?”
But don’t equate a lack of information with a lack of intelligence. A brilliant senior partner with whom I worked constantly posed these kinds of questions during meetings, modeling for us that it was OK to do the same. If you are unsure about something, do not assume that uncertainty is unique or unreasonable; indeed, you may find that your question was on everyone’s mind!
BBA: As a member of the CJA Panel in Massachusetts, you have an active pro bono portfolio. Why is pro bono work so important to you, and why should it be important to other attorneys?
Christofferson: Pro bono work is a defining element of what makes this job a profession. When lawyers receive our bar cards, I believe that we not only receive the ability to practice law, we also accept a responsibility to serve and return some of what the public has given us.
At DLA Piper, we believe in a collaborative approach to pro bono, and often work alongside firm clients, legal service providers, and others to broaden the impact of our pro bono efforts. This is certainly the case in Boston.
I’m very proud of the pro bono work the firm’s attorneys have done. In North America alone, DLA Piper dedicated more than 127,000 hours to pro bono legal service and community engagement.
BBA: If you weren’t a lawyer, what occupation do you think you would have pursued?
Christofferson: If I weren’t a lawyer, I think I would have pursued a career in music. I’ve been playing guitar and performing since I was in high school. And while I don’t have time to play as much as I would like, music keeps me grounded.
BBA: What is your favorite fall activity to do around the city?
Christofferson: Fall brings the best out of this city and region. There are so many great things to do, whether it’s taking a stroll along the Charles, attending a late-season game at Fenway, or enjoying an IPA at one of the many outdoor beer gardens. But, as a struggling “weekend warrior,” I think fall golf in the Boston area is unmatched, from the crisp autumn air to the eye-popping color of the foliage framing the fairways. It’s so beautiful out there, you don’t even notice how bad your score is!
