Historic & Environmental Preservation
Elder Law
Estate Planning and Wealth Management
Real Estate Law | Permitting and Transactions
Civil Litigation
Corporate and Commercial
Labor and Employment
Municipal

Historic & Environmental Preservation - ^ TOP ^
Information coming soon

Elder Law
We have developed a concentration in elder law, with the particular goal of protecting the assets of elders who may require nursing home care. Our elder law practice includes probate proceedings in which we have handled more guardianship cases than probably any other private practice in this region. We also prepare powers of attorney, health care proxies, and simplified trusts, which can help avoid the cost of probate proceedings when the time comes to assist with the medical and financial concerns of an elder family member.

Most importantly, we will work with your family to protect the assets of the elder who may require nursing home care. Many people are surprised to learn that the family home and family savings need not be lost to the high cost of nursing home care or medical assistance. But protecting those assets takes proper planning, and cannot be left to chance or delay. That planning requires a knowledge of the laws and regulations regarding eligibility for medical assistance from the government, and on the regulations regarding liens and recover of the government's costs. With our help, many of our clients have been able to keep the family home, and tens of thousands of dollars in family savings.

Estate Planning and Wealth Management - ^ TOP ^
We have approximately 2000 estate planning clients, from every economic spectrum. We have experience in nearly all sophisticated estate planning techniques that are useful to high wealth individuals. But we pride ourselves principally on taking care to learn the personal circumstances of our clients. We do not let tax avoidance and reduction techniques obscure more fundamental estate planning goals, and we are sensitive to our clients' tolerance for risk and complexity. We have particular expertise in the area of planning for family lands. We represent two of the largest area land trusts, and Daniel Perry has published a well received article on Massachusetts conservation restrictions. We also bring to that area extensive experience in the area of zoning, subdivision, wetlands and other laws that affect real estate value, which help us to give the most effective advice to our landholding clients.

Real Estate Law | Permitting and Transactions - ^ TOP ^
We handle all aspects of real estate, including purchase and sale agreements and conveyancing, as well as all aspects of its development, including zoning, environmental, and wetlands law. We have been developers' counsel for numerous major public and private projects. Several of our larger recent projects include: being counsel responsible for both the permitting and financing of a 152 acre regional landfill built by a governmental district, the only major new landfill to be built in Massachusetts in the last two decades; representing a charitable corporation responsible for rehabilitation and conversion of one of the largest whaling era mansions into seventeen units of congregate housing for the elderly; representing a local land trust in connection with the acquisition and preservation of approximately 900 acres of waterfront agricultural land in Dartmouth, which was accomplished with the collaboration of state and local government and a national conservation organization; and representing several area municipalities throughout the process of constructing multi-million dollar school projects.

Civil Litigation - ^ TOP ^
Since its founding, the firm has engaged in a wide ranging civil litigation practice. We have tried cases in all departments of the Massachusetts trial courts and in the federal trial court, as well as before numerous regulatory agencies and arbitration panels, and have handled appeals at all levels in the state court system. Our trial experience includes the litigation of disputes related to commercial business transactions, real estate transactions, consumer protection, local and state licenses and permitting, public and private employment, estates, personal injury and domestic relations. The members of our firm have tried the full range of cases from the defense of small claims to the prosecution of multi-million dollar commercial disputes. In one of our most notable cases, we successfully prosecuted the claim of a municipal client which arose from a long-term waste disposal contract. Our victory in that case resulted in cost savings and revenue potential estimated by our client to be worth up to twenty million dollars.

Corporate and Commercial - ^ TOP ^
We have served as local counsel to a number of Fortune 500 companies in connection with regional projects and problems, and serve as general counsel to dozens of local businesses. We have extensive experience in rendering advice concerning choice of business entity formation, taxation issues, labor relations, financing strategies, preparation of standardized business forms, reorganization, sale and purchase of business entities, and succession issues, including estate planning issues.

Labor and Employment - ^ TOP ^
In conjunction with its representation of municipalities and private clients, the firm handles all aspects of labor and employment law. We have extensive experience in negotiating labor agreements, addressing grievances and arbitrating labor disputes. In the are of employment law, the firm drafts employee handbooks, employment policies and represents clients before the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Attorneys from the firm have been on the faculty for several seminars designed to aid both attorneys and human resources professionals in dealing with the complex issues in employment law.

Municipal - ^ TOP ^
The firm has specialized in the laws of municipalities since its founding. The late Leonard E. Perry, one of our firm's founders, was at one point or another town counsel to five area municipalities. We currently serve as town counsel to five Massachusetts municipalities and a governmental district. We have also acted as special counsel to numerous other municipalities. We have handled literally thousands of matters and hundreds of court and agency cases for our municipal clients, in the fields of zoning, subdivision, wetlands and other environmental, solid waste, labor, education and election law, and tax, including many high profile cases of importance to our community.