Boston partner Ben Lajoie will serve as a presenter at Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education (MCLE)’s 25th Annual Business Litigation Conference 2026 in Boston on February 25. CLE credit will be available for this insightful program.

Alongside his co-panelists, Lajoie will present “Frustration of Purpose 2.0 in Breach of Contract Cases.” The group will discuss the evolving doctrine of frustration of purpose, beginning with the wave of case law that emerged from COVID-19, related disruptions to performance under commercial contracts, including goods and services agreements, leases, and other business arrangements. Building on those developments, the discussion will examine how more recent challenges, such as funding claw-backs, contract cancellations, tariffs, and shifting tax policies have further tested the doctrine’s boundaries. The session will also provide practical guidance on drafting strategies, including force majeure clauses, limitation of liability provisions, and other risk-allocation mechanisms, to help parties better manage uncertainty in long-term contracts.

At Nelson Mullins, Lajoie helps businesses – financial institutions, employers, contractors, manufacturers, startups, as well as investment/asset managers, hedge funds, private funds, investment advisers, shareholders, officers, and others – in commercial, financial services, and securities litigation and arbitration. He defends and prosecutes business torts, fraud, unfair and deceptive trade practices, as well as contract, securities, trade secret, UCC shareholder, fiduciary duty, and licensing disputes, and other claims stemming from failed business deals.

MCLE’s Annual Business Litigation Conference offers attendees the opportunity to hear directly from U.S. District Court judges, U.S. District Court magistrate judges, Massachusetts Superior Court judges, and distinguished litigators as they share insights on emerging trends and answer your questions during the always-popular Business Litigation Session Judicial Panel and Federal Judicial Panel.