Evan J. O’Brien

Evan J. O’Brien is a director at Downs Rachlin Martin PLLC in Burlington, Vermont. His practice focuses on commercial litigation and white collar defense. He represents clients in state and federal courts in complex lawsuits and disputes and government enforcement matters. His listed areas include intellectual property litigation, insurance litigation, and health care litigation. He works toward resolving disputes with attention to the client’s goals and the demands of the case.

Evan earned a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law, where he was a member of the Order of the Coif and participated in the Supreme Court Litigation Clinic. He also holds an A.B. from Harvard College. Academic advocacy and legal research provide tools for testing arguments against the law and record. Those tools support clear, focused submissions in both trial and appellate litigation.

Evan previously practiced at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP in New York. He also clerked for Chief Judge Christina Reiss of the U.S. District Court for the District of Vermont from 2016 through 2017. His background connects complex litigation practice with work inside a federal court. That combination informs the preparation needed when clients face disputes involving business obligations, alleged misconduct, or overlapping factual and legal questions.

Evan J. O’Brien is admitted in Vermont and New York and before several federal courts, including the Second Circuit. He participates in professional organizations and completed Leadership Champlain in 2020. His practice emphasizes efficient and favorable resolution of difficult disputes. Evaluating a litigation strategy requires weighing the evidence, procedural opportunities, and practical consequences, while keeping the client’s objectives central to decisions about how the matter should proceed.

Law Office Affiliations

• Attorney, Downs Rachlin Martin PLLC
• Member, Vermont Bar Association
• Member, New York State Bar Association
• Member, Federal Bar Association
• Member, Chittenden County Bar Association
• Member, Defense Research Institute
• Member, Leadership Champlain (2020)

Licensed State

• Vermont
• New York

Awards & Badges