Will focuses his practice on complex civil litigation before state and federal courts. He has experience handling all stages of litigation, including drafting pleadings and motions, assisting with witness examinations, managing e-discovery, and conducting document review. He represents clients across a variety of industries.
Prior to joining Mintz, Will was a litigation associate at an international law firm, where he worked on a broad spectrum of complex commercial litigation. He also had an active pro bono practice that included assisting clients with family separation settlement negotiations with the US Department of Justice, Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) applications, and habeas corpus petitions.
While attending law school, Will served as senior executive editor of the New York University Journal of International Law and Politics.
Before earning his JD, Will worked in senior research roles at an online media company and a market research firm, and as a researcher for a nonprofit think tank focused on international development.
Not admitted to practice in the District of Columbia. Working under the supervision and guidance of members of the Bar of District of Columbia. Admitted to practice in the state of New York only.
viewpoints
Understanding ESG Ratings: Legal Insights & Perspectives
May 20, 2024 | Advisory | By Jacob Hupart, David Adams, Will G. McKitterick, Tucker Kelsch
Read about environmental, social, and governance (ESG) ratings, including a discussion of their utility, methodologies used to calculate them, and key takeaways for executives, financial professionals, and other market participants concerning the use of ESG scores.
SEC Approves Sweeping New Climate Disclosure Rule: Key Takeaways
March 14, 2024 | Advisory | By Jacob Hupart, Jennifer Rubin, Doug Baumstein, Thomas R. Burton, III, Sahir Surmeli, Will G. McKitterick
Read about the SEC’s long-awaited final rule concerning climate disclosures, entitled “The Enhancement and Standardization of Climate-Related Disclosures for Investors,” which mandates disclosures of climate-related information by US capital markets participants.
A Mintz ESG Primer: The Current State of Environmental, Social, and Governance Matters in American Corporations
October 24, 2023 | Resources
The Mintz ESG Working Group created an in-depth primer covering the current landscape of ESG issues businesses are typically confronting. Our attorneys examine a broad spectrum of topics, including the polarization of rulemaking on the state and local levels, regulation and enforcement trends, and DEI policies, to help companies effectively navigate the ESG landscape.
Greenwashing Class Action Litigation: An Emerging Risk for Companies’ Claims of Sustainability
August 2, 2023 | Alert | By Jacob Hupart, Doug Baumstein, Joshua Briones, Will G. McKitterick, Jared Solomon, Alex Mejia
Plaintiffs’ attorneys are increasingly bringing false advertising class action lawsuits that target companies’ inflated claims about the sustainability of their products — or “greenwashing.” Mintz litigators and energy attorneys discuss how regulators are focusing on these issues and provide an in-depth analysis of private litigation in this area.
A Quantitative Analysis of Comment Letters Issued by the SEC Concerning Climate Change Disclosures
June 8, 2023 | Advisory | By Jacob Hupart, Doug Baumstein, Thomas R. Burton, III, John Condon, Will G. McKitterick, Jaidyn M. Jackson, Tucker Kelsch
From July 2021 through March 2023, the SEC sent reporting entities more than 100 letters seeking information on climate change topics and nearly 170 letters concerning greenwashing. In an in-depth analysis, Mintz attorneys identify and analyze the frequency of various categories of questions as well as the industries and characteristics of the businesses targeted.
Navigating Fiduciary Duties amidst the Rise of Anti-ESG Rulemaking
February 15, 2023 | Blog | By Doug Baumstein, Jacob Hupart, Will G. McKitterick, Ellen Shapiro
In recent years, companies and investment managers have increasingly considered environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) issues in corporate strategy and decision-making, whether in response to investor pressure or due to self-imposed changes via internal processes. Indeed, a market has developed for ESG-compliant investments over the past few years. And while ESG-focused investing is more popular than ever, the topic has become increasingly politically fraught.
Caremark Liability Following the SEC’s New ESG Reporting Requirements
December 16, 2022 | Blog | By Jacob Hupart, Doug Baumstein, Jonathan L. Kravetz, Ellen Shapiro, Will G. McKitterick
“We lost. Sorry everyone”: The Implications of a District Court Finding Digital Token, LBC, Is a Security
November 21, 2022 | Blog | By Ellen Shapiro, Will G. McKitterick, Sofia Nuño
Crypto litigation, fueled by a surge of investors and market volatility, has ballooned in recent years. For example, numerous securities class actions and government subpoenas followed the May 2022 collapse of the $60 billion Terra network, along with stablecoin TerraUSD and the LUNA token.
What Public Comments on the SEC’s Proposed Climate-Related Rules Reveal—and the Impact They May Have on the Proposed Rules
July 20, 2022 | Blog | By Jacob Hupart, Megan Gates, William F. Weld, Doug Baumstein, Jennifer Rubin, Will G. McKitterick
This article provides a brief summary of the public comments submitted to the SEC regarding the Commission's proposed climate-related rules, and analyzes and summaries the key points the comments conveyed.
News & Press
Mintz Serves as Expert Contributor to University of Oxford Report on Climate Regulations
November 13, 2024
Mintz is one of two US law firms invited by Oxford University to serve as an expert pro bono contributor to its Climate Policy Monitor, an annual report on global climate regulations which launched today. Including a granular survey of 30 major countries’ net zero implementation (G20+), the research gives the most detailed view yet of how economic rules align—or not—to climate goals.
How Project 2025 Could Upend Federal ESG Policies
October 17, 2024
Members Jacob Hupart and Douglas Baumstein, along with Associate Will McKitterick, published a Law360 article about how Project 2025 could influence federal ESG policies.
Emerging Trends In ESG-Focused Securities Litigation
June 18, 2024
ESG Co-chair Jacob Hupart, Securities Litigation Co-chair Douglas P. Baumstein, and Associate Will McKitterick recently co-authored an article in Law360 about the latest trends in securities litigation related to ESG. They analyze the current state of private securities fraud litigation pertaining to corporate ESG disclosures, identify common themes in the limited rulings to date, and offer several practical suggestions to avoid or mitigate related liability.
A Deep Dive Into The Evolving World Of ESG Ratings
June 11, 2024
ESG Co-chair Jacob Hupart, Member David Adams, and Associate Will McKitterick co-authored an article in Law360 discussing the evolving landscape of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) ratings. They highlight the importance of these ratings in evaluating company performance and guiding investment decisions, while also addressing methodologies and various issues.
OpEd: Navigating Fiduciary Duties Amid The Rise Of Anti-ESG Rulemaking
February 14, 2023
Members Douglas P. Baumstein, Jacob H. Hupart and Associates Will G. McKitterick and Ellen Shapiro authored an article for The Deal discussing divides amongst state legislations regarding the implementation of ESG factors in investment decisions.
'Caremark' Liability Following The SEC's New ESG Reporting Requirements
December 15, 2022
Members Douglas P. Baumstein, Jacob H. Hupart, and Securities & Capital Markets Chair and Life Sciences Co-Chair Jonathan L. Kravetz, and Associates Will G. McKitterick and Ellen Shapiro authored an article for the New York Law Journal analyzing the role corporate boards play in monitoring and overseeing a company's operations, particularly in light of the SEC's imminent ESG disclosure rules.