Shannon Zollo, chair of Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP’s Mergers & Acquisitions and Private Equity practice group in Boston, has earned distinction as a Leading Partner in the prestigious Legal 500 United States 2025 guide. The recognition comes in the “M&A/Corporate and Commercial: Middle‑Market (sub‑$500 million)” category. In the same tier, Meghan Kelly was highlighted as a Next Generation Partner within the same practice area. Additionally, Nutter was named a “Firm to Watch” in the Real Estate (Land Use/Zoning) category, marking a significant rise for the firm in this national listing.
Zollo’s acknowledgement arrives at a time when demand for sophisticated M&A legal services in the middle‑market sector—sped up by both domestic and cross‑border deal activity—is surging. Legal 500 editors commended Nutter for its practical depth in corporate knowledge and highlighted Zollo’s ability to lead on high-stakes deals involving targets and strategic buyers in the $50 million to $500 million range.
Based in Boston and serving a broad New England clientele, Zollo co‑chairs Nutter’s M&A and private equity group. He is known for advising clients across various sectors—including life sciences, healthcare, technology, defense, and professional services—on complex transactional matters, including leveraged buyouts, joint ventures, PIPEs, auctions, and strategic roll-ups.
Among his notable engagements, Zollo led the Nutter team advising Eastern Bankshares on a $528 million merger with Cambridge Bancorp, alongside a concurrent $510 million sale transaction. He also steered Nutter’s representation of City Point Partners in its acquisition by HDR, navigating publicly visible infrastructure and construction services merger activity.
Beyond transactions, Zollo has built visibility through thought leadership, including moderating the “Preparing for Your Post‑Deal Legacy” panel at the Smart Business Dealmakers Conference in March 2024, where he discussed M&A legacies and alignment of pre‑ and post‑deal expectations.
Meghan Kelly, a corporate partner at Nutter, was recognized as a Next Generation Partner for her role in the same middle‑market M&A category. Her elevation underscores Nutter’s commitment to cultivating emerging talent in corporate law.
Nutter’s corporate department represents a wide spectrum of clients—from private equity and family-owned enterprises to publicly traded companies—across all major industries, including finance, life sciences, real estate, healthcare, tech, and manufacturing. Services encompass full-cycle M&A and equity transactions, ranging from going-private deals to proxy contests.
In addition to its corporate rankings, Nutter received its first-ever “Firm to Watch” mention in the Real Estate (Land Use/Zoning) category of the Legal 500 2025 U.S. guide. This accolade reflects the firm’s expanding and increasingly sophisticated capabilities in real estate development, zoning approvals, environmental compliance, and permitting across major jurisdictions.
Nutter’s real estate team handled more than 330 commercial property acquisitions and dispositions, facilitated permitting for over 200 developments, managed upwards of 260 leases across asset classes, and structured financing for 180 real estate loans in 2024 alone—highlighting the scale and expertise behind the recognition.
Zollo’s honor and Kelly’s recognition signal market validation not only for individual excellence but also for Nutter’s overall strategic growth in middle‑market M&A and adjacent real estate advisory services. As elite clients increasingly expect strategic legal counsel aligned with business planning, the combination of senior leadership and emerging talent positions Nutter as a competitive force nationally.
The momentum aligns with broader market trends: 2024 saw historic demand for legal M&A services and rising billing rates, emphasizing the need for law firms that provide both high‑level technical capability and business‑savvy guidance.
As Zollo, Kelly, and other attorneys build the firm’s bench strength, Nutter appears well-positioned to capitalize on cross‑sector transactional growth. The dual recognitions in corporate and real estate rankings reflect a firm strategy of cross‑practice integration—allowing clients to access seamless advice across M&A, real estate development, financing, and land use.
With more than a century of presence in Boston—and roots dating to its founding by Louis Brandeis in 1879—Nutter combines deep historical foundations with a growing national footprint across New York, San Francisco, and Hyannis.
As the legal services landscape evolves, the Legal 500 recognitions showcase Nutter’s commitment to delivering pragmatic, business-oriented counsel in high-value, complex middle‑market transactions.
