Michael A. Pignatelli

Michael A. Pignatelli is a founding shareholder of Rath, Young and Pignatelli and leads the firm’s Litigation Practice Group. He focuses on business and commercial litigation, medical malpractice and professional administrative matters, personal injury, products liability, and other complex civil disputes. His work includes investigating, evaluating, settling, and trying major cases in New Hampshire and across New England. He represents clients in matters involving business relationships, professional services, environmental claims, insurance issues, and significant personal or commercial losses.

Pignatelli earned a J.D. from Boston College Law School and an M.B.A., magna cum laude, from the University of Massachusetts. His combined legal and business education supports a litigation practice that frequently requires analysis of financial records, contractual relationships, professional standards, business operations, damages, and strategic risk. The business background is especially useful in commercial disputes where legal claims cannot be separated from management decisions, transaction history, insurance coverage, or the economic impact of a lawsuit on an organization.

Pignatelli has handled civil jury trials and major settlements involving environmental claims, business disputes, class actions, medical malpractice, professional liability, personal injury, products liability, and multiparty litigation. Representative matters include environmental litigation for a high-technology company, professional liability cases involving physicians and hospitals, disputes arising from the purchase of company assets, and insurance matters involving multimillion-dollar environmental claims. Earlier in his career, he served as a New Hampshire Assistant Attorney General and Chief of the Criminal Justice Division.

Michael A. Pignatelli is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and has received professional recognition for litigation work, including an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell and listings in Best Lawyers. He has also served in public roles including the New Hampshire Judicial Council, the Nashua Police Commission, and the Nashua Board of Aldermen. His trial, government, and business experience helps clients evaluate complex disputes, weigh settlement and litigation risks, and prepare significant cases for resolution or trial.

Law Office Affiliations

• Shareholder, Rath Young and Pignatelli PC
• Member, New Hampshire Bar Association
• Member, Massachusetts Bar Association
• Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers
• Past Member, New Hampshire Judicial Council
• Member, Defense Research Institute
• Past Member, Nashua Police Commission
• Former Member, Nashua Board of Aldermen

Licensed State

• New Hampshire
• Massachusetts

Education

• Boston College Law School
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• University of Massachusetts
  Master of Business Administration (MBA) (Magna Cum Laude)

Awards & Badges