Joseph has achieved notable success for his commercial litigation, bankruptcy/creditors’ rights, health care and technology clients-and recognition by his peers and legal organizations for top performance-by working to understand clients’ underlying business issues and goals, and then tailoring innovative solutions to their complex problems. His client-focused approach also extends to numerous Asian clients, helping guide them through the American legal system. Having worked in Japan and other Asian countries for four years, Joseph is attuned to cross-cultural issues and conversant in Japanese.
The veteran trial and appellate litigator has successfully handled multi-million dollar cases for varied businesses in Rhode Island, Massachusetts and federal courts. He has also represented clients in major bankruptcy and receivership cases in Rhode Island, and often advises clients on structuring complex transactions to minimalize the risks of potential bankruptcy.
The Latest
•08.15.19 / News
27 AP&S Attorneys Selected for 2020 Edition of Best Lawyers in America
•05.24.19
AP&S Attorneys Receive RI Monthly’s Professional Excellence Award
•08.15.18 / News
7 AP&S Attorneys Named “Lawyer of the Year” from Best Lawyers in America
•08.15.17 / News
6 AP&S Attorneys Named “Lawyer of the Year” from Best Lawyers in America
Honors
•Selected by his peers for inclusion in the 2007-2020 editions of The Best Lawyers in America in the fields of Bankruptcy and Creditor-Debtor Rights and Appellate Law.
•Best Lawyers' 2019 Lawyer of the Year, Appellate Practice, Providence.
•Professional Excellence in the Law, Bankruptcy and Workout, Rhode Island Monthly, 2019.
•Best Lawyers' 2018 Lawyer of the Year, Bankruptcy, Providence.
•Best Lawyers' 2017 Lawyer of the Year, Appellate Practice, Providence.
•Selected as a Rhode Island Super Lawyer, 2007-2016.
•AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell, its highest rating for attorneys.
•Served as judicial law clerk to Judge Joseph J. Longobardi, Jr. of the United States District Court for the District of Delaware.
•Summa cum laude graduate and valedictorian, American University, Washington College of Law.
Seminars / Publications
•Speaker at Seminar on E-Commerce in Rhode Island - Legal & Business Issues.
•Speaker at Seminar on Law of the Internet in Rhode Island.
•Served as executive editor, American University Law Review.
Blog
Rhode Island Superior Court’s Non-Liquidating Receivership Program Provides Relief For Businesses Impacted By COVID-19
By Joseph Avanzato and Andro S. Hannoush on April 9, 2020 It’s Your Business Blog
With the COVID-19 pandemic adversely impacting both the state’s economy overall and individual businesses, the Rhode Island Superior Court, Presiding...
Posted In: Bankruptcy Law, Business Law, COVID-19
The Impact Of COVID-19 On Parties’ Obligations To Perform Contractual Obligations
By Joseph Avanzato and Derek T. Rocha on March 30, 2020 It’s Your Business Blog
The recent outbreak of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (“COVID-19”) in the United States has caused many business activities to come...
Posted In: Contracts Law, Coronavirus, COVID-19
Potential Impact of COVID-19 on Commercial Leases and Options for Landlords and Tenants
By Joseph Avanzato and Stephen D. Nelson on March 27, 2020 It’s Your Business Blog
As COVID-19 continues to imperil the health of Americans, many state and local leaders have ordered businesses to close or...
Posted In: Commercial Leases, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Landlord Tenant, Real Estate Law
D.C. Circuit Upholds FCC’s Net Neutrality Rules
By Joseph Avanzato on June 28, 2016 It’s Your Business Blog
On June 14, 2016, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld the Federal Commerce Commission’s...
Posted In: Business Law
Maintain Separation Between A Nonprofit And The Foundation That Supports It
By Joseph Avanzato on June 7, 2016 It’s Your Business Blog
A nonprofit corporation is a business with assets and liabilities just like any other business. When a nonprofit runs into...
Posted In: Bankruptcy Law, Business Law
Copyrights Don’t Last Forever-Not Even For Mickey Mouse Or “Happy Birthday”
By Joseph Avanzato and Jamie J. Bachant on March 22, 2016 It’s Your Business Blog
Copyright expiration is a deadline that demands your business’ attention. Because copyrights last for decades, monitoring their expiration dates often...
Posted In: Business Law, Intellectual Property
U.S. Supreme Court Rules That Employers Must Periodically Review Investment Options In 401(k) Plans And Remove Imprudent Funds
By Joseph Avanzato on October 13, 2015 It’s Your Business Blog
An employer has fiduciary duties with respect to the 401(k) plan it provides its employees. Those duties include the obligation...
Posted In: Business Law, Employment Law
Protecting Your Business: Payment Plans Are Not Necessarily Bankruptcy Proof
By Joseph Avanzato on August 15, 2015 It’s Your Business Blog
“Neither a borrower nor a lender be . . . .” Hamlet Act 1, scene 3, line 75 With all due respect...
Posted In: Bankruptcy Law, Business Law
