Nicholas (Nick) Doherty is a Senior Advisor in the Firm’s government advocacy and contracting team in the Boston office. Nick offers clients a deep understanding of state policy developments, political strategy and the impacts of new and existing state laws and regulations on their businesses specific to Massachusetts and leverages his national experiences to provide strategic guidance on a state-by-state basis.

Nick began his career in the Massachusetts Legislature, where he spent more than a decade as senior staff to members in both the House of Representatives and Senate. His public service culminated in his tenure with the House Majority Leader’s office as General Counsel, where he advised the Leader (currently the House Speaker) on legislative strategies related to health care, mental health, energy, transportation, criminal justice reform, online gaming, marijuana, alcohol and disruptive technologies. 

Before serving in the House Majority Leader’s office, Nick was Chief of Staff and Legislative Director for the Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure. There, he led negotiations for the so-called “Right to Repair” law that is the basis of a national Memorandum of Understanding signed by all major car manufacturers in the world. Active in both chambers, he forged relationships with key legislators and staff and worked with state agencies, organizations and advocates regarding the effects of legislative initiatives on their business objectives.

Prior to joining Manatt, Nick was the Executive Director of U.S. Government Affairs and Policy at two major biopharmaceutical companies, where he gained extensive experience developing and advocating for legislative initiatives across the country to expand patient access and coverage for first-in-class medicines. He was also the Director of Policy at a national biopharmaceutical industry trade association, where he crafted responses to legislative and regulatory proposals and advocated before regulators and legislative committees on behalf of the companies in states across the country.