Joeseph L. Bierwirth portrait

LAWYER DIRECTORY

JOSEPH L. BIERWIRTH, JR.

DIRECT DIAL: 617-557-9728
E-MAIL: jbierwirth@hembar.com

JOSEPH L. BIERWIRTH, JR. joined Hemenway & Barnes in 1997 and became a partner in 2006.  He concentrates his practice in the areas of probate, trust, real property and business litigation. 

As a member of the fiduciary practice group at Hemenway & Barnes, Mr. Bierwirth has substantial experience representing fiduciaries and beneficiaries in court.  He regularly litigates breach of fiduciary duty claims, trustee investment decisions, will contests, accounts, removal actions and other contested matters on behalf of institutional, individual and charitable clients.  Mr. Bierwirth also has experience prosecuting various trust petitions, whether for instructions, reformation or distribution.  He is often called upon to serve as a court-appointed guardian ad litem in probate court disputes. 

His real estate litigation practice includes zoning appeals in the Land Court, as well as contract disputes, eminent domain cases and other real property matters.  In the business context, he has defended and prosecuted claims involving shareholder rights, employment issues, non-competition agreements, breach of contract and fraud. 

Mr. Bierwirth is active in the Boston Bar Association, currently serving as Chair of the BBA’s Fiduciary Litigation Committee.  Mr. Bierwirth has served as a faculty member for Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education on litigation practices and procedures, particularly with respect to probate and business disputes.  He has published several articles on various legal topics and appeared as a panel member for a seminar on "Legal Considerations for Nonprofits in Massachusetts". He is also a Member of the Board of Overseers for Epiphany School, a middle school in Dorchester for underprivileged children.

Mr. Bierwirth lives with his family in Hingham, where he has served on the Hingham Historical Commission and the Hingham Community Preservation Committee.  Currently, he is Chairman of the Town’s Advisory Committee.

He received his undergraduate degree from Holy Cross College and his law degree from the University of San Francisco (cum laude). After graduating from law school, Mr. Bierwirth served as a judicial law clerk to the Hon. W. Arthur Garrity, Jr. of the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts.