SPRINGFIELD — Fitzgerald Attorneys at Law and MGM Springfield announced that attorney Seth Stratton will be leaving his position as vice president and legal counsel of MGM Resorts’ Northeast Group by mid-June to rejoin Fitzgerald as the firm’s managing shareholder. In this leadership role, he will assist the firm’s clients on a wide range of business-related matters, including corporate governance, commercial development, regulatory matters, and dispute resolution.
“We are pleased to welcome Seth back to Fitzgerald, and I am personally excited to have him working alongside me in this important new role,” said attorney Frank Fitzgerald, founding shareholder of the firm. “In the nearly 30 years since our firm’s founding, we have been fortunate to work with many businesses and individuals whose success and dedication have led to our success. It is gratifying to be recognized as a business and development law firm that treats its clients right and is committed to delivering strong results for them. We are always looking for ways to better serve our clients’ needs and expand our areas of expertise. Along with the recent additions of attorneys Joseph Collins and Andrea O’Connor, Seth’s return is another key step in this direction.”
During his time with MGM Springfield, Stratton oversaw legal affairs, regulatory compliance, and government relations in connection with the development, construction, and opening of the $950 million MGM Springfield destination resort casino in downtown Springfield. In 2019, his role expanded to serve as property general counsel and officer for two operating MGM casinos: MGM Springfield and Empire City Casino in Yonkers, N.Y. In that capacity, Stratton provided strategic oversight, management, and direction for legal, regulatory, compliance, risk, and government-affairs functions for both casino complexes and served as an officer and executive committee member for each property. He will now bring this business, development, and management experience to his work with Fitzgerald.
“Seth has played a critical role in nearly every step along the journey of the MGM Springfield project: from conception to property opening and beyond,” said Chris Kelley, president of the Northeast Group of MGM Resorts International. “On behalf of MGM Resorts, we congratulate Seth on his new position and look forward to continuing to work with him and the entire Fitzgerald team for years to come.”
Added Stratton, “I am honored to rejoin the firm and excited to work with the talented attorneys and staff to serve our many loyal clients and to continue to build on the firm’s strong foundation. I want to thank MGM Resorts for the opportunity to be a part of the team that developed and launched the single largest economic-development project in the region’s history and look forward to continuing to work with my many colleagues as valued clients.
“During my time with MGM, it became clear that Western Massachusetts is a region on the rise,” he continued. “I am now taking this opportunity to once again work closely with Frank as a valued mentor along with the entire Fitzgerald team because I believe it is the type of nimble and strategic firm that can capitalize on this potential and help propel the entire region forward.”
