Callan G. Stein

Cal is an experienced trial attorney who represents clients in complex civil, white collar criminal, and RICO litigation matters and state and federal government investigations. As a seasoned trial attorney, he has served for years as a faculty member for the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA) and the firm’s trial advocacy program for associates.

With a background as a trial attorney in both civil and criminal matters, Cal is uniquely positioned to handle litigation involving the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). He has extensive experience defending businesses and individuals across a broad spectrum of industries who have been accused of either civil or criminal RICO violations. Cal has successfully tried and arbitrated RICO cases that allege all manner of racketeering activity, including mail fraud, fraud wire, money laundering, embezzlement, homicide, and violations of federal statutes such as the Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act and the Controlled Substances Act. Cal hosts the “RICO Report,” a podcast series devoted entirely to the RICO statute.

Cal also handles a wide range of commercial litigation, including fraud, breach of contract, and business tort cases. He frequently litigates these types of cases for clients who operate in the health care industry and other highly-regulated industries, including hospitals and hospital systems, clinical laboratories, and other health care providers, pharmaceutical and medical device companies, insurance providers, and institutes of higher education and academic medical centers. These cases often take the form of breach of contract litigation (e.g., provider agreements), whistleblower/qui tam lawsuits (alleging violations of the False Claims Act), or civil RICO cases.

In his white collar and government enforcement practice, Cal defends clients facing government investigations and enforcement actions conducted by state and federal prosecutors and administrative agencies. In the health care and life sciences industries, he regularly represents providers, hospitals, CLIA laboratories, nursing homes, and other long-term care facilities in CMS enforcement matters, responding to credible allegations of fraud letters, and Medicare suspensions/revocations. Cal also represents pharmacists and pharmacies (including compounding pharmacies), and pharmaceutical and medical device companies facing government investigations or enforcement actions involving the False Claims Act (FCA), the Anti-Kickback Statute, the Stark Law, other health care fraud and abuse laws, the Food Drug and Cosmetic Act (FDCA), drug diversion laws, public nuisance claims, and unfair and deceptive marketing suits.

Cal also handles FCA and fraud cases involving other industry sectors, including in connection with Covid-19 programs such as the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Provider Relief Fund (PRF) operated by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). In 2024, Cal won summary judgment for a client accused of PPP fraud in the first PPP fraud qui tam case to reach the dispositive motion stage in the U.S.

Cal proactively works with clients to help mitigate potential compliance issues and government actions. He develops and implements risk mitigation strategies such as enforcing, updating, and enhancing corporate compliance programs, and regularly conducts internal investigations of complaints and other internal issues to prevent them from ripening into government investigations or whistleblower lawsuits. Drawing from an in-depth knowledge of the methods used by prosecutors and regulators, Cal investigates allegations and advises clients on possible remediation strategies for even the most complex and sensitive issues.

Cal also frequently represents and advises higher education clients, particularly in areas related to collegiate athletics and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rights and compliance. Cal provides NIL compliance advice and internal investigation services to major universities, including those that participate in Division I football and basketball, and likewise advises schools on athletics contracts, conference affiliations, conference realignment, and other NCAA-related issues. Cal also represents and advises businesses on NIL contracts, as well as NIL collectives on formation and compliance matters. He co-hosts the firm’s “Highway to NIL” podcast and serves as an editor for the NIL Revolution blog. Both platforms explore the dynamic legal landscape and recent developments in NIL law.

RICO Litigation and Trials

• Following a three-month trial, secured not guilty trial verdicts on all 25 charges of second-degree murder racketeering acts, as well as conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and violations of the FDCA brought against Barry Cadden in the widely publicized New England Compounding Center criminal RICO case, arising out of a national fungal meningitis outbreak.
• Secured a defense verdict for a satellite company after a multiweek international arbitration on civil RICO claims alleging more than $100 million in damages stemming from racketeering activity of wire fraud and money laundering, and other allegations of violations of U.S. EAR and ITAR.
• Obtained dismissal of civil RICO claims brought twice against a family business and its longtime owners that alleged nearly $20 million in damages. The dismissed racketeering activity stemmed from allegations of pricing fraud and breaches of contract, and included allegations of wire fraud, money laundering, and embezzlement from a labor union.
• Obtained dismissal of a civil RICO claim brought by patients against a thyroid medicine manufacturer alleging that the company sold defective medicine by misrepresenting the quality of its operations and the quality of the product, including falsely claiming that it complied with cGMP, required testing standards, and the United States Pharmacopeia (USP). Through the RICO claim, the patients sought to recover the full purchase price of all medicine sold in the U.S., plus treble damages.
• Obtained dismissal of a civil RICO lawsuit (alleging federal and state RICO claims) brought by a former U.S. congressional candidate against Fox News and one of its hosts. The dismissed lawsuit included allegations of fraud and the provision of preferential treatment to a competing candidate, all of which the court dismissed.
• Obtained dismissal of a civil RICO claim brought by two individual consumers seeking to represent a class of plaintiffs against a large national bank and a credit reporting agency alleging fraud in connection with the opening of unauthorized bank accounts using synthetic identity fraud.
• Successfully represented a medical device company in prosecuting a civil RICO lawsuit against its former distributors in China for wire fraud and misappropriation of trade secrets.

Civil Litigation and Trials

• Obtained multiple favorable arbitration verdicts on behalf of a national health insurer in multiple week-long arbitrations brought by a formerly in-network specialty provider that alleged breaches of their Provider Agreement. The specialty provider claimed nearly $100 million in damages for unpaid claims.
• Obtained favorable trial verdict on behalf of an LLC and one of its members facing a judicial dissolution lawsuit brought by the other LLC member. The opposing member sought, among other things, ten years’ worth of imputed payments. After a multiday state court trial, obtained a defense verdict on the claim for imputed payments.
• Obtained summary judgment in favor of a hospital and the chief of its medical staff in a civil lawsuit brought by a previously dismissed physician alleging improper termination of his medical staff privileges, peer review violations, and other employment claims.
• Successfully defended health insurers, third party administrators, behavioral health providers, and managed care companies in numerous lawsuits brought by plan beneficiaries alleging violations of ERISA and the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA).
• Successfully defended a hospital and several senior employees against a former employee’s federal whistleblower and wrongful discharge allegations.
• Obtained a landmark federal lawsuit against the U.S. government Department of Health and Human Services to overturn a debarment order based on findings of research misconduct.

White Collar Criminal Defense + Government Enforcement

• Successfully obtained full summary judgment on behalf of a real estate investment company of a False Claims Act (FCA) qui tam action brought by three former employees who alleged that the company made false statements to the Small Business Administration (SBA) regarding two Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans the company received during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is the first such reported summary judgment decision on a PPP fraud qui tam case, and the decision secured complete dismissal of the action, with prejudice, on behalf of our client.
• Represented Barry Cadden, an owner and president of the New England Compounding Center, in federal and state investigations arising out of a national fungal meningitis outbreak tied to medications compounded in his facility. Also defended Mr. Cadden in his nationally covered federal criminal trial, including securing not guilty trial verdicts on all 25 charges of second-degree murder, as well as charges that he conspired to defraud the U.S., and on violations of the FDCA.
• Defended a compounding pharmacy sales representative against federal criminal charges of health care fraud involving the payment of kickbacks in exchange for prescriptions written for federal government program patients, and resolved the matter with a non-jail sentence.
• Defended a CLIA laboratory against a credible allegations of fraud letter issued by CMS and the accompanying suspension of its Medicare credentials related to its participation in a COVID-19 testing program.
• Defended a major pharmaceutical manufacturer in numerous state attorneys general investigation into allegedly unfair and deceptive marketing practices involving its opioid medication, including obtaining successful resolutions with no civil complaint or criminal charges filed.
• Defended a multi-discipline, full-service health care provider against allegations of fraudulent billing that resulted in both CMS and a state Medicaid agency suspending its billing credentials.
• Defended two members of a physician practice group in a federal health care fraud and kickback investigation, and persuaded prosecutors not to bring charges against either (and only civil proceedings against the practice).
• Represented a dentist in state dental insurance fraud charges brought against her and her dental practice by the state attorney general’s office; ultimately obtained a noncriminal disposition of the case.

• JD Supra, Readers Choice Awards, White-Collar Defense (2023, 2025)
• Boston Magazine, Top Lawyers List, Criminal Defense White Collar (2021-2023)
• Best Lawyers in America®: Health Care Law (2021-2026), Criminal Defense: White-Collar (2023-2026), Litigation – Health Care (2026)
• Legal 500 United States for white collar criminal defense (2019)
• Selected for inclusion on the Massachusetts Rising Stars lists (2014-2019)
• Named an Up & Coming Attorney, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (2013)