C. Forbes Sargent III

C. Forbes Sargent III

Partner, Business Law Department Chair

Overview & Experience

C. Forbes Sargent III is chair of the firm's Business Law Department.

His practice includes general representation of emerging and established businesses in all areas, including business formation, bank and venture capital financing, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and sales and distribution contracts. He represents clients in shareholder issues, including buy-sell agreements and shareholder disputes, with an emphasis on closely held businesses.

With a clientele that includes a number of technology companies, Forbes practices extensively in the intellectual property area, including copyrights, trademarks, Internet law, advertising law, and technology issues including software licensing. He also represents a number of product developers and manufacturers, including those in the food product industry.

Forbes also advises a variety of nonprofit corporations, including schools, social service agencies, and local affiliates of national charities on general corporate and charitable matters including entity formation, charitable and tax-exempt qualification, corporate and governance issues, executive compensation, mergers and acquisitions, and financial restructuring and dissolution.

Forbes serves on the Governing Board of Lexwork Americas, a strategic alliance of over twenty mid-sized law firms throughout the United States, Canada, and Central and South America. Lexwork Americas is affiliated with Lexwork International, with law firms in over 36 countries worldwide.

Colleagues describe Forbes as sincere and genuine in his commitment to his family and to charitable activities, particularly for The American Cancer Society. He spends much of his free time volunteering in his town, Milton, MA.

Experience

  • Represented startups in many industries including software, hi-tech, new product developers and app developers including organization, financing, contracts and general representation.
  • Represented multiple restaurants and retail businesses in private offerings.
  • Represented a number of real estate companies in connection with real estate joint ventures.
  • Merger of a number of affiliate organizations into single state affiliate of national charity, including negotiations with the Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General
  • Charitable organizations in investigations by Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, including whistleblower claims, failure to disclose, related party transactions and failure to operate in accordance with charitable purpose
  • Negotiated contracts, including employment, consulting, distribution and licensing for a multitude of industries
Insights & Activities

Accolades

  • Included in Massachusetts Super Lawyers
  • Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rated: A/V Preeminent®
  • Named to Boston magazine’s Top Lawyers list (2022, 2023, 2024)

Speaking Engagements & Publications

  • Legal Outlook and Pitfalls – How Changes to Employment, Corporate & Tax Laws Impact Your Business,” panelist, FEI, March 17, 2021
  • Massachusetts’ sick time law: What employers need to know,” Employee Benefit News, October 2015
  • Essentials for Building an Effective Nonprofit Board,” Wednesday Report, massnonprofit.org, July 2015
  • “President Signs Small Business Financing Legislation,” Sherin and Lodgen LLP Client Advisory, April 2012
  • Employment Law in Massachusetts: What Out-of-Staters Need to Know,” Sherin and Lodgen LLP Client Advisory, August 2011
  • “Going Green: A guide for solar success,” speaker, AICUM Fall Symposium, October 2010
  • “Massachusetts Data Privacy Regulations to Take Effect on March 1, 2010,” with Suzanne D. Wann, Sherin and Lodgen LLP client advisory, January 2010
  • “The Pros and Cons of Affiliations and Mergers: Look before You Leap,”Massachusetts Nonprofit Network/Associated Grant Makers 2009 Conference, November 2009
  • In tough economy, charity can begin at the office,” New England In-House, with Michael M. Sullivan, July 2009
  • “Non-Competes: Will the Challenging Economy Lead to Change in the Law?,” The Commonwealth Institute Newsletter, April 2009
  • “When Employment Law Goes Criminal: Practical Advice for Addressing Criminal Conduct in the Workplace,” speaker, Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education seminar, September 2008
  • Author of several articles for Boston Bar Journal regarding fiduciary duties of major shareholders in closely held corporations
  • Has lectured for Massachusetts Center for Legal Education in the area of tort and contract issues pertaining to privacy and the Internet

Memberships

Community Involvement

  • American Cancer Society
    • Former Director
    • Former State Fundraising Chairman
  • Executive Committee of Junior Achievement of Eastern Massachusetts
    • Former director and Member
  • Milton Foundation for Education
    • Former Trustee
  • Milton Town Meeting
    • Member