Global 50 law firm Goodwin announced today that Brackett B. Denniston III, who led General Electric’s renowned legal organization for more than a decade, has returned to Goodwin, where he began his legal practice as an associate and, later, was named partner. Denniston rejoins Goodwin as senior counsel, based in the firm’s Boston office.
“Brackett is one of the most highly regarded GCs of his generation and we are thrilled to welcome him back to Goodwin,” said David M. Hashmall, Goodwin’s Chairman. “His longstanding commitments to client service, pro bono and diversity align with Goodwin’s culture and values, and his extensive senior leadership experience, in both the public and private sectors, will be of enormous value to our clients.”
“I am delighted to return to Goodwin, a place that was instrumental in teaching me how to lawyer and which I loved,” said Denniston. “I look forward to working on the issues about which I have been deeply passionate throughout my career.”
Denniston joined General Electric in 1996 as Vice President and Senior Counsel of Litigation and Legal Policy. He was named General Counsel in 2004 and Senior Vice President in 2005, and served in these roles for more than a decade, leading a global legal, environmental and safety, and government affairs team of more than 3,000 professionals worldwide. His tenure leading GE’s legal operations has been widely praised, especially his team’s work in the areas of compliance, corporate governance, IP protection, dispute resolution, government affairs, pro bono and diversity. During his time at GE, it was named best legal department by Corporate Counsel magazine and he was named among the most influential lawyers by the National Law Journal.
Prior to joining GE, Denniston served as Chief Legal Counsel for Massachusetts Governor William F. Weld for three years. His public sector work also includes service from 1982-1986 as Chief of the Major Frauds Unit in the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts, where he led prosecutions relating to securities and financial fraud. He was awarded the Department of Justice’s Director’s Award for Superior Performance for his role overseeing numerous successful prosecutions.
Denniston was a partner at Goodwin from 1986-1993, and also practiced as an associate at the firm from 1974-1982, where he focused on complex civil litigation, securities matters and white collar crime cases. He began his legal career as a law clerk for Judge Herbert Y. C. Choy of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit after graduating magna cum laude from Harvard Law School, where he was an editor of the Harvard Law Review. He earned his undergraduate degree summa cum laude from Kenyon College.
Denniston is Chair of the Board of Kenyon College, Chair of the Institute for Legal Reform of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Chamber’s board and Executive Committee, and a board member of Transparency International (US), Equal Justice Rights and the Pro Bono Partnership.
He may be reached at 617-570-1520 or bdenniston@goodwinlaw.com.