James Roosevelt, Jr.

        Counsel

        Jim advises health care payers, providers, trade associations, and service providers on business matters, legislative and regulatory issues, governance, and personnel matters. He regularly represents medical device and medical process startups, including with respect to telehealth, artificial intelligence, and treatment utilizing legal psychedelics. He is also a national speaker and author on the Affordable Care Act, Medicare and Medicaid policy, and Social Security.

        For more than 10 years, Jim was CEO of Tufts Health Plan, where he led a turnaround that nearly doubled the membership and achieved consistent profitability while attaining #1 ranking in the United States from the national accrediting organization. He was previously in-house General Counsel and was a former partner in the Health Care Practice Group of Choate, Hall and Stewart in Boston. Before joining Tufts Health Plan, he served as Associate Commissioner of the U.S. Social Security Administration.

        In 2016, Jim was a visiting fellow at the Institute of Politics of the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. He continues as a clinical instructor in the Public Health and Community Medicine Department of Tufts University School of Medicine.

        Public policy and politics are Jim’s personal passions. He co-chairs the Rules and Bylaws Committee of the Democratic National Committee and is volunteer legal counsel for the Massachusetts Democratic Party. He is a trustee of the Cambridge Public Library and the Cambridge Community Foundation. He has co-chaired Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo’s Healthcare Leaders Task Force on Health Care Cost Growth, and he co-chaired the Massachusetts Hospital Association’s work group on access to behavioral health care. Jim is a trustee of the Cambridge Public Library, the Cambridge Community Foundation and the Atrius Health Equity Foundation.

        Jim and his wife, Ann, enjoy living near their daughter and her husband and two grandsons in Cambridge, MA, as well as visiting their daughters, their husbands and four grandchildren in Washington, DC, and Los Angeles, CA.

        Services/Industries

        Education

        • Harvard Law School (J.D.)
        • Harvard College (B.A.)
        • Harvard Business School (Advanced Management Program)

        Public Service

        • Member, FAIR Health, Inc., Board of Directors
        • Chair, Massachusetts Health Quality Partners Board of Directors

        Bar Admissions

        • Massachusetts
        • Washington, D.C.

        Memberships

        • American Health Lawyers Association
        • Boston Bar Association, Health Law Committee
        • American Bar Association, Health Law Section
        • Massachusetts Hospital Association, Life Member

        Honors

        • AV Preeminent® Rated by Martindale-Hubbell
        • Listed in The Best Lawyers in America® under Health Care Law in Boston, Massachusetts (2021-2027)
        • Emmanuel College, Boston, Massachusetts, Commencement Speaker and Honorary Degree (Dr. of Laws, 2011)
        • William James College, Newton, Massachusetts, Honorary Degree (Dr. of Humane Letters, 2017)

        Learn more about the third-party ratings, rankings, and selection processes used for inclusion.

        Firm Highlights

        Press Releases

        Verrill Welcomes Health Care & Life Sciences Attorney Elpida Velmahos

        BOSTON, Massachusetts – Verrill is pleased to announce that Elpida Velmahos has joined the firm’s Health Care & Life Sciences Group as an...
        Press Releases

        Verrill Welcomes Litigation & Trial Attorney Emma Pooler

        PORTLAND, Maine – Verrill is pleased to announce that Emma Pooler has joined the firm’s Litigation & Trial Group as an Associate, resident in...
        Published Works

        Four Verrill Attorneys Co-Author Massachusetts Trends and Developments Chapter for Chambers and Partners Child Relocation 2026 Guide

        Verrill attorneys Mary H. Schmidt, Rachel A. Deering, Hannah R. Zukoff, and Mariah G. Tappan co-authored the “Trends and Developments” chapter...
        Blog

        A New Protected Class in Maine: Holders of Final Protection Orders

        In the lead-up to Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October, employers may be taking a closer look at how their policies and practices respond to...
        Alerts and Newsletters

        Verrill Secures SJC Victory for Boston Legacy FC in White Stadium Litigation

        Verrill has secured a significant appellate victory for Boston Legacy FC in the litigation challenging the redevelopment of White Stadium in...
        Blog

        Hurry Up and Wait

        This is the third in a series of Verrill blog posts on Maine’s packaging extended producer responsibility (“EPR”) law[1]. In July we reported...
        Media Mentions

        Robert Keach Discusses First Brands Chapter 11 Case in Law360

        Verrill attorney Robert Keach was recently quoted in a Law360 article examining the rejection of First Brands Group's Chapter 11 plan and the...
        Media Mentions

        Cybersecurity and AI Governance: Scott Anderson Featured in Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly

        Verrill Managing Partner Scott Anderson was recently featured in Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly discussing how law firms can build attorney buy-in for...
        Blog

        Section 530A Account Update: ERISA Status of Trump Accounts

        The Department of Labor has issued important guidance addressing whether employer programs that permit contributions to Section 530A accounts (and...
        Press Releases

        97 Verrill Attorneys Recognized by Best Lawyers® 2027, Including Four Named Lawyers of the Year

        AUGUSTA, Maine, BANGOR, Maine, BOSTON, Mass., PORTLAND, Maine, and WESTPORT, Conn., (August 20, 2026) – Verrill is proud to announce that 97...
        Alerts and Newsletters

        SEC’s Proposed “Reg Crypto”: What Founders Need to Know

        Startup founders and emerging-growth companies have a number of options for raising capital under the federal securities laws, including Regulation D...
        Blog

        After 45 Years, the IRS Speaks on DCAP Nondiscrimination Testing – And It’s Good News

        Employers that provide a Dependent Care Assistance Program will be pleased to learn that for the first time in 45 years, the IRS has issued guidance...