617.482.8200

Our Firm

Conn Kavanaugh is a Boston law firm that represents individuals and organizations ranging from closely held and family businesses to Fortune 100 companies. Since our founding in 1988, clients have relied on us for practical and realistic strategies to resolve legal issues quickly and effectively, both in and out of the courthouse.

Leadership

Conn Kavanaugh attorneys hold leadership positions in many community and bar organizations, publish articles and speak at continuing legal education seminars. The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts appointed one of our founding partners to the Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers (BBO), the official body that investigates and evaluates complaints against lawyers. Several other firm attorneys are hearing officers for the BBO.

Pro Bono Services

Our attorneys provide pro bono legal services in collaboration with a number of nonprofit organizations, including the Legal Food Hub, Massachusetts Advocates for Children, the Women's Bar Foundation, the Victim Rights Law Center, Volunteer Lawyers Project, Health Law Advocates and Discovering Justice.

Awards

  • 2015: Conn Kavanaugh has received a First Tier ranking in Boston for Employment Litigation by U.S. News – Best Lawyers® “Best Law Firms” for 2015.
  • 2015: Four Conn Kavanaugh attorneys were listed in The Best Lawyers in America © 2015.
  • 2014: The publishers of Boston Magazine selected 16 Conn Kavanaugh attorneys as Massachusetts Super Lawyers. The publication also placed members of our team on its lists of Top 100 Massachusetts Lawyers, Top 100 New England Lawyers, Top 50 Massachusetts Women Lawyers, Top 50 New England Women Lawyers, and Massachusetts Rising Stars.
  • 2014: The American Bar Association's Tort Trial & Insurance Section honored one of our partners with the Edmund S. Muskie Pro Bono Service Award. 
  • 2013: Law & Politics selected 12 Conn Kavanaugh attorneys as Massachusetts Super Lawyers. The publication also placed members of our team on its lists of Top 100 Massachusetts Lawyers, Top 50 Massachusetts Women Lawyers, and Massachusetts Rising Stars.
  • 2013: The Massachusetts Defense Lawyers Association (MDLA) honored one of our partners with the Defense Lawyer of the Year award.

Why Choose Conn Kavanaugh

Boston is home to dozens of excellent law firms. Why should you turn to Conn Kavanaugh for assistance with your legal needs?

Accessibility

Conn Kavanaugh offers a level of accessibility and responsive, attentive service that larger firms cannot match. Maintaining close contact and open communication with clients really matters here. We believe in listening to clients and advising them in specific terms to solve their legal challenges. And we aim to develop an ongoing relationship of trust and confidence with clients, becoming part of their team.

Specialized Expertise

We deliver many of the benefits you might associate with a larger firm — for example, breadth and depth of expertise. Each of our attorneys focuses on a select number of practice areas. Collectively, they give our firm the highly specialized expertise necessary to address wide-ranging client needs.

Transactional Experience

Our business attorneys have decades of experience negotiating deals for acquiring and selling companies through mergers, consolidations and asset and stock transactions. We are strong advocates and skilled negotiators. In addition, we bring considerable value to our clients in getting deals done efficiently and effectively while never losing sight of the importance of identifying and managing risk.

Litigation Experience

The Conn Kavanaugh team includes seasoned former prosecutors and a strong, deep bench of attorneys with civil and criminal trial experience, which equips us to solve complex litigation cases for clients. Some of our attorneys are fellows in the American College of Trial Lawyers, the nation's premier professional trial organization.

Cost-efficiency

One reason so many of our clients choose us is that we staff our cases leanly and charge reasonable fees. In addition, we provide practical and realistic strategies to resolve legal issues quickly and effectively, within budgetary constraints.

Please call us today at 617.482.8200 to learn more about what sets Conn Kavanaugh apart.

Search our Attorneys

    A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z View All

    Business Litigation

    Our Business Litigation practice group offers the experience of seasoned lawyers who recognize the value of solving problems to promote your business success.

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    Anthony V. Bova
    Anthony Bova
    Russell F. Conn
    Russell Conn
    Andrew R. Dennington
    Andrew Dennington
    Catherine M. DiVita
    Catherine DiVita
    Daniel R. Fishman
    Daniel Fishman
    Kurt B. Fliegauf
    Kurt Fliegauf
    Thomas J. Gallitano
    Thomas Gallitano
    Erin K. Higgins
    Erin Higgins
    James F. Kavanaugh, Jr.
    James Kavanaugh, Jr.
    Julie  Martin
    Julie Martin
    Mary ('Beth') E. O'Neal
    Mary ('Beth') O'Neal
    Kathleen R. O'Toole
    Kathleen O'Toole
    Thomas E. Peisch
    Thomas Peisch
    James B. Peloquin
    James Peloquin
    Michael J. Rossi
    Michael Rossi
    Conor  Slattery
    Conor Slattery
    Carol A. Starkey
    Carol Starkey
    Christopher K. Sweeney
    Christopher Sweeney
    Alexis P. Theriault
    Alexis Theriault
    James Gray  Wagner
    James Gray Wagner

    Complex Tort Defense

    Since its founding in 1988, a staple of Conn Kavanaugh’s practice has been the defense of business entities in serious and complex personal injury or property damage actions.

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    Anthony V. Bova
    Anthony Bova
    Russell F. Conn
    Russell Conn
    Daniel R. Fishman
    Daniel Fishman
    Erin K. Higgins
    Erin Higgins
    James F. Kavanaugh, Jr.
    James Kavanaugh, Jr.
    Johanna L. Matloff
    Johanna Matloff
    Kathleen R. O'Toole
    Kathleen O'Toole
    Thomas E. Peisch
    Thomas Peisch
    James B. Peloquin
    James Peloquin
    Michael J. Rossi
    Michael Rossi
    Alexis P. Theriault
    Alexis Theriault
    James Gray  Wagner
    James Gray Wagner

    Construction

    Whether you are the owner, design professional, general contractor, project administrator, subcontractor, or supplier on a construction project, our Construction practice will assist you in achieving a successful project outcome.

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    Russell F. Conn
    Russell Conn
    Daniel R. Fishman
    Daniel Fishman
    James B. Peloquin
    James Peloquin
    Christopher K. Sweeney
    Christopher Sweeney
    James Gray  Wagner
    James Gray Wagner

    Corporate / Transactional

    Our Corporate/Transactional practice has a broad range of skills. This versatility allows them to remain a principal point of contact with our business clients and to move freely across multiple disciplines to ensure continuity of representation.

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    Barry E. Gold
    Barry Gold
    Gregory J. Murphy
    Gregory Murphy
    Bob B. Rosenthal
    Bob Rosenthal
    Neil R. Schauer
    Neil Schauer

    Criminal / White Collar / Regulatory

    We have extensive experience advising businesses and individuals who are the subject of criminal or regulatory investigations or proceedings.

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    Thomas J. Gallitano
    Thomas Gallitano
    Thomas E. Peisch
    Thomas Peisch
    Carol A. Starkey
    Carol Starkey
    Glen A. Tagliamonte
    Glen Tagliamonte
    Kirsten Z. Young
    Kirsten Young

    Employment Litigation / Counseling

    Employers and employees alike look to Conn Kavanaugh’s employment lawyers for advice in navigating the increasingly complex web of state and federal statutes,

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    Anthony V. Bova
    Anthony Bova
    Russell F. Conn
    Russell Conn
    Andrew R. Dennington
    Andrew Dennington
    Catherine M. DiVita
    Catherine DiVita
    Daniel R. Fishman
    Daniel Fishman
    Thomas J. Gallitano
    Thomas Gallitano
    Barry E. Gold
    Barry Gold
    James F. Kavanaugh, Jr.
    James Kavanaugh, Jr.
    Johanna L. Matloff
    Johanna Matloff
    Mary ('Beth') E. O'Neal
    Mary ('Beth') O'Neal
    Kathleen R. O'Toole
    Kathleen O'Toole
    Michael J. Rossi
    Michael Rossi
    Conor  Slattery
    Conor Slattery
    Carol A. Starkey
    Carol Starkey
    Alexis P. Theriault
    Alexis Theriault

    Estate Planning / Administration

    Our Estate Planning attorneys help individuals and their families plan for the future and protect their assets. We handle all aspects of estate planning.

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    George M. Ford
    George Ford
    Sheila B. Giglio
    Sheila Giglio
    Gregory J. Murphy
    Gregory Murphy
    Neil R. Schauer
    Neil Schauer
    Kirsten Z. Young
    Kirsten Young

    Family Law / Probate Litigation

    Our experienced Family Law/Probate Litigation attorneys work zealously to ensure rightful asset distributions in these emotionally charged proceedings. Our group handles a wide range of areas including prenuptial agreements, custody disputes, and post-divorce support or estate modifications.

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    Steven O. Anderson-Garrison
    Steven Anderson-Garrison
    George M. Ford
    George Ford
    Sheila B. Giglio
    Sheila Giglio
    Laurel K.  Koes
    Laurel K. Koes
    Christina  Pashou
    Christina Pashou
    James Gray  Wagner
    James Gray Wagner
    Kirsten Z. Young
    Kirsten Young
    Lindsay  Zelek-Thompson
    Lindsay Zelek-Thompson

    Insurance Litigation

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    Russell F. Conn
    Russell Conn
    Catherine M. DiVita
    Catherine DiVita
    Daniel R. Fishman
    Daniel Fishman
    Kurt B. Fliegauf
    Kurt Fliegauf
    Erin K. Higgins
    Erin Higgins
    James F. Kavanaugh, Jr.
    James Kavanaugh, Jr.
    Johanna L. Matloff
    Johanna Matloff
    Thomas E. Peisch
    Thomas Peisch

    Land Use / Real Estate Litigation

    Our Land Use/Real Estate Litigation practice has extensive experience in handling real estate disputes of all kinds and at all levels. We can develop a strategy for your dispute.

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    Andrew R. Dennington
    Andrew Dennington
    George M. Ford
    George Ford
    James B. Peloquin
    James Peloquin
    Conor  Slattery
    Conor Slattery
    Christopher K. Sweeney
    Christopher Sweeney
    James Gray  Wagner
    James Gray Wagner

    Mediation / Arbitration

    Having litigated hundreds of cases, the Mediation/Arbitration practice is well-equipped to effectively value cases to resolve disputes according to your needs and goals.

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    Thomas E. Peisch
    Thomas Peisch
    James B. Peloquin
    James Peloquin

    Product Liability

    Conn Kavanaugh’s lawyers regularly represent manufacturers, distributors, and retailers in defending against product liability claims.

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    Russell F. Conn
    Russell Conn
    Daniel R. Fishman
    Daniel Fishman
    Erin K. Higgins
    Erin Higgins
    Johanna L. Matloff
    Johanna Matloff
    Thomas E. Peisch
    Thomas Peisch
    James B. Peloquin
    James Peloquin
    Michael J. Rossi
    Michael Rossi

    Professional Liability

    Our trial attorneys are accomplished in defending claims against attorneys, health care professionals, insurance agents and brokers, and other professionals.

    Read More...

    Anthony V. Bova
    Anthony Bova
    Russell F. Conn
    Russell Conn
    Andrew R. Dennington
    Andrew Dennington
    Catherine M. DiVita
    Catherine DiVita
    Daniel R. Fishman
    Daniel Fishman
    Kurt B. Fliegauf
    Kurt Fliegauf
    Thomas J. Gallitano
    Thomas Gallitano
    Erin K. Higgins
    Erin Higgins
    Johanna L. Matloff
    Johanna Matloff
    Kathleen R. O'Toole
    Kathleen O'Toole
    Thomas E. Peisch
    Thomas Peisch
    James B. Peloquin
    James Peloquin
    Michael J. Rossi
    Michael Rossi
    Carol A. Starkey
    Carol Starkey
    Christopher K. Sweeney
    Christopher Sweeney
    Glen A. Tagliamonte
    Glen Tagliamonte
    Alexis P. Theriault
    Alexis Theriault
    James Gray  Wagner
    James Gray Wagner

    Real Estate

    Our Real Estate practice provides skilled representation in a variety of transactions, including the financing, leasing, acquisition and disposition of commercial properties.

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    Barry E. Gold
    Barry Gold
    Bob B. Rosenthal
    Bob Rosenthal
    Neil R. Schauer
    Neil Schauer

    Architects/Engineers

    Conn Kavanaugh has a wealth of experience advising and representing architects and engineers in many aspects of their businesses.

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    Russell F. Conn
    Russell ConnPartner
    James B. Peloquin
    James PeloquinPartner
    Christopher K. Sweeney
    Christopher SweeneyAssociate
    Glen A. Tagliamonte
    Glen TagliamonteSenior Counsel

    Cannabis

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    Anthony V. Bova
    Anthony BovaAssociate
    Andrew R. Dennington
    Andrew DenningtonPartner
    Thomas J. Gallitano
    Thomas GallitanoPartner
    Erin K. Higgins
    Erin HigginsPartner
    Johanna L. Matloff
    Johanna MatloffPartner
    Gregory J. Murphy
    Gregory MurphySenior Counsel
    Mary ('Beth') E. O'Neal
    Mary ('Beth') O'NealOf Counsel
    Kathleen R. O'Toole
    Kathleen O'TooleAssociate
    Bob B. Rosenthal
    Bob RosenthalPartner
    Michael J. Rossi
    Michael RossiPartner
    Conor  Slattery
    Conor SlatteryAssociate
    Glen A. Tagliamonte
    Glen TagliamonteSenior Counsel
    James Gray  Wagner
    James Gray WagnerPartner

    Closely Held/Family Businesses

    Conn Kavanaugh’s business attorneys have a broad range of skills and are very experienced in providing legal services to family-owned and other closely-held businesses.

    Read More...

    Daniel R. Fishman
    Daniel FishmanAssociate
    Barry E. Gold
    Barry GoldPartner
    Bob B. Rosenthal
    Bob RosenthalPartner
    Neil R. Schauer
    Neil SchauerPartner

    Construction

    Conn Kavanaugh has provided an array of services to private and public clients in the construction industry, including the manufacturers of building materials and systems.

    Read More...

    Kurt B. Fliegauf
    Kurt FliegaufPartner
    James B. Peloquin
    James PeloquinPartner
    Christopher K. Sweeney
    Christopher SweeneyAssociate
    Glen A. Tagliamonte
    Glen TagliamonteSenior Counsel
    James Gray  Wagner
    James Gray WagnerPartner

    Financial Services

    Conn Kavanaugh draws upon a wide range of disciplines to meet the needs of individual and institutional clients in the financial services industry.

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    Andrew R. Dennington
    Andrew DenningtonPartner
    Daniel R. Fishman
    Daniel FishmanAssociate
    Thomas J. Gallitano
    Thomas GallitanoPartner
    Carol A. Starkey
    Carol StarkeyPartner

    Food and Beverage

    Our decades of work in the food and beverage industry, including alcohol regulatory and distribution, have permitted us to gain expertise and insight into the typically fast paced and challenging world of our clients engaged in the food and beverage industry.

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    Anthony V. Bova
    Anthony BovaAssociate
    James F. Kavanaugh, Jr.
    James Kavanaugh, Jr.Partner
    Mary ('Beth') E. O'Neal
    Mary ('Beth') O'NealOf Counsel
    Kathleen R. O'Toole
    Kathleen O'TooleAssociate
    Conor  Slattery
    Conor SlatteryAssociate

    Government

    Conn Kavanaugh provides an array of services to clients in the public sector, including state agencies, municipalities, and public officials.

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    Andrew R. Dennington
    Andrew DenningtonPartner
    Daniel R. Fishman
    Daniel FishmanAssociate
    Kurt B. Fliegauf
    Kurt FliegaufPartner
    J. P. Christian MildeAssociate
    Carol A. Starkey
    Carol StarkeyPartner

    Healthcare

    The Conn Kavanaugh team has the skills and experience necessary to successfully maneuver our clients through the increasingly complex and highly regulated environment of the health care industry.

    Read More...

    Andrew R. Dennington
    Andrew DenningtonPartner
    Daniel R. Fishman
    Daniel FishmanAssociate
    Johanna L. Matloff
    Johanna MatloffPartner
    Thomas E. Peisch
    Thomas PeischOf Counsel
    Michael J. Rossi
    Michael RossiPartner
    Carol A. Starkey
    Carol StarkeyPartner

    Insurance

    Our lawyers work with our insurance industry clients in a variety of ways. We represent their insureds in virtually every type of lawsuit for which insurance coverage is available. We represent insurance companies directly in bad faith actions, and in high-exposure losses or losses that present unusual or challenging coverage issues.

    Read More...

    Russell F. Conn
    Russell ConnPartner
    Catherine M. DiVita
    Catherine DiVitaAssociate
    Daniel R. Fishman
    Daniel FishmanAssociate
    Kurt B. Fliegauf
    Kurt FliegaufPartner
    Erin K. Higgins
    Erin HigginsPartner
    Johanna L. Matloff
    Johanna MatloffPartner
    Thomas E. Peisch
    Thomas PeischOf Counsel
    Michael J. Rossi
    Michael RossiPartner
    Alexis P. Theriault
    Alexis TheriaultAssociate
    James Gray  Wagner
    James Gray WagnerPartner

    Law Firms

    Since the firm was founded in 1988, our attorneys have been known as “lawyers’ lawyers.”

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    Russell F. Conn
    Russell ConnPartner
    Daniel R. Fishman
    Daniel FishmanAssociate
    Thomas J. Gallitano
    Thomas GallitanoPartner
    Erin K. Higgins
    Erin HigginsPartner
    Julie  Martin
    Julie MartinAssociate
    J. P. Christian MildeAssociate
    Thomas E. Peisch
    Thomas PeischOf Counsel
    Bob B. Rosenthal
    Bob RosenthalPartner
    Michael J. Rossi
    Michael RossiPartner
    Christopher K. Sweeney
    Christopher SweeneyAssociate

    Manufacturing

    Conn Kavanaugh has broad experience in representing the interests and needs of various manufacturers.

    Read More...

    Russell F. Conn
    Russell ConnPartner
    Barry E. Gold
    Barry GoldPartner
    Erin K. Higgins
    Erin HigginsPartner
    Johanna L. Matloff
    Johanna MatloffPartner

    Real Estate

    Conn Kavanaugh has a wealth of experience in the real estate field.

    Read More...

    George M. Ford
    George FordOf Counsel
    Bob B. Rosenthal
    Bob RosenthalPartner
    Michael J. Rossi
    Michael RossiPartner
    Neil R. Schauer
    Neil SchauerPartner
    Christopher K. Sweeney
    Christopher SweeneyAssociate
    James Gray  Wagner
    James Gray WagnerPartner

    Staffing and Recruiting

    Staffing companies and Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs) are playing an increasingly important role in many aspects of human resource management, as employers are relying more and more on staffing companies and PEOs for payroll and employee benefit administration, risk management, and other increasingly complex administrative burdens.

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    Daniel R. Fishman
    Daniel FishmanAssociate
    Thomas J. Gallitano
    Thomas GallitanoPartner
    Barry E. Gold
    Barry GoldPartner
    Johanna L. Matloff
    Johanna MatloffPartner
    Mary ('Beth') E. O'Neal
    Mary ('Beth') O'NealOf Counsel

    Bob has extensive experience in business planning, organization of corporations, limited liability companies and partnerships, purchases and sales of businesses and real estate, leasing, and financing transactions. Bob’s practice covers business and real estate law. He is highly skilled in negotiating, with a practical style that emphasizes "active listening" to best understand the objectives of both his client and the opposing party, so as to maximize the prospects for successfully concluding a deal. Drawing upon an unusual combination of depth and expertise in both the corporate and real estate practice areas, Bob employs a creative, solutions-oriented approach in guiding clients through sophisticated business transactions.

    Bob strives for clear and precise drafting in all agreements. In addition to his many years of proficiency with documents associated with purchase and sale, loan and leasing transactions, he also has experience across a broad variety of business contracts, ranging from employment and non-competition agreements to shareholder buy/sell arrangements to supply and distribution contracts.

    Bob regularly has been named a “Massachusetts Super Lawyer” (top 5% of Massachusetts) by the publishers of Boston Magazine. He has received an AV Peer Review Rating, the highest rating, in The Martindale-Hubbell Lawyers Directory.

    Practice Areas

    Industries

    Education

    • Harvard Law School, J.D., magna cum laude (1977)
    • The University of Pennsylvania, B.A., summa cum laude (1974)

    Court Admissions

    • Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts

    Recognition

    • Selected as Massachusetts Super Lawyer by Law & Politics and the publishers of Boston Magazine (2004 - 2012, 2014 - 2018)

    Representative Matters

    • Corporate / Transactional

      • Represented the corporate owner of two retail stores in improving a strained business relationship with its sole supplier by restructuring their franchise like agreement, including transferring operations of one store to the supplier while maintaining favorable lease terms for our client's affiliated landlord entity.
      • Represented the minority owner of a financial services company in purchasing the stock of the founder/majority owner.
      • Represented a solar power technology company in structuring, negotiating and documenting a preferred class of ownership interests to be issued to a new investor.
      • Represented a transportation services company based in the United Kingdom in its expansion into the New England market, including negotiation of employment and stock ownership arrangements with the CEO of the new U.S. subsidiary.
      • Represented a company in the fuel industry in multiple acquisitions of similar businesses, in structuring arrangements with a key supplier, and in a purchase of real estate with particular emphasis on protection against potential environmental law claims.
      • Represented a principal of an environmental services company in structuring equity ownership and employment arrangements. Later represented this company as it expanded its geographic base of operations by multiple strategic acquisitions of similar businesses with complementary expertise.
      • Represented a regional marine transportation company in several acquisitions and sales of vessels, including associated financing and refinancing transactions.

    • Real Estate

      • Represented a family trust in negotiating and documenting two related but separate transactions with respect to a single-tenant retail property owned by the trust located along a major suburban commercial thoroughfare, one transaction involving dispute settlement and lease termination arrangements with the tenant, and the other transaction involving the sale of the property to an alternative retail business on terms that included a complex seller financing structure.
      • Represented a family trust in its sale of a portfolio of commercial/residential properties in the Back Bay section of Boston, negotiating simultaneous transactions with multiple buyers and resolving associated tenant issues.
      • Represented the owner of an entertainment/restaurant business in formulating, negotiating and documenting two coordinated settlement transactions to resolve independent real estate disputes, one transaction involving the sale of a newly constructed store to its national chain tenant despite prior construction defect issues, and the other involving carefully crafted easements and use restrictions to end a long standing contest about the effectiveness of a decades old agreement.
      • Represented a co owner of real estate in enforcing a partially documented agreement to buy out the other owner, ultimately resulting in the completion of the purchase transaction on the previously agreed terms, using legitimate structuring techniques to keep the specifics of this intra family matter off the public land records.
      • Devised and implemented a ground lease structure to enable the separate financing of two buildings on a parcel of land that could not satisfy the requirements for a traditional subdivision, including negotiating key agreements with the lender and the publicly-owned company that was the sole tenant of one building.
      • Represented a biotechnology company in negotiating a lease for its new office/research facility in a major complex in the City of Cambridge.
      • Represented a commercial real estate owner for over two decades in structuring, negotiating and documenting retail and office leasing transactions, financing and refinancing transactions, and new acquisitions, including responsibility for sensitive negotiations of our client's long desired purchase of valuable abutting property in the context of a higher subsequent offer by a different bidder.
      • Structured a multi-phase sale of a parcel of almost 100 acres for residential development in one of Boston's most desirable South Shore communities, negotiating specially tailored rights to protect our client's interest in the remaining property prior to the completion of the last phase of the sale.
      • Represented a family-owned manufacturing company in its move to a larger facility in the Route 495 corridor, assisting in coordination of lease termination arrangements at its departed site and managing the acquisition and financing transactions for its new space.
      • Represented a developer selling land to a major regional real estate company under a joint venture arrangement in which our client received a multi-million dollar cash payment and a substantial ownership interest in the project.

    Professional Affiliation and Activities

    • Massachusetts Bar Association, Member
    • Boston Bar Association, Member
    • Enforcing Employee Non-Compensation Agreements, Mass High Tech, April 10, 2000
    • Subleasing Unwanted Space Is Not Quite So Simple, Mass High Tech, November 19, 2001
    • Gauging the Enforceability of Offers to Purchase, Boston Business Journal, October 20, 2006
    • Authored articles on a variety of topics relating to business and real estate issues
    • Seminars to continuing legal education groups

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