Johnson & Borenstein has an active and diverse practice in real estate development and land use permitting. Our attorneys regularly represent clients before various municipal authorities, including, planning and zoning boards; conservation commissions; boards of health; city councils; and boards of selectmen. Geographically our focus is on municipalities in Essex, Middlesex and Worcester counties in Massachusetts and throughout Southern New Hampshire. Our work also extends to practice before various state agencies and authorities, such as, the Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Housing and Community Development-Housing Appeals Committee; Executive Office of Environmental Affairs; and MassHousing. Our projects include a variety of residential and commercial proposals, ranging in scope from single-family home permitting to large, complex condominium, rental and commercial developments. Although primarily serving private developers and land owners, our land use practice also extends to representing the interests of abutting land owners and municipal entities as special counsel. Johnson & Borenstein also litigates permit appeals in the trial and appellate courts, both from their client’s own municipal or state agency proceedings and on a referral basis from engineers and other attorneys.
Through our staff of experienced attorneys and paralegals, Johnson & Borenstein counsels landowners, lenders, buyers and tenants in a variety of sale, lease and finance transactions. Our broad-based experience in all aspects of real estate law allows us to provide efficient, timely and knowledgeable representation in the most complex situations and, to employ business-focused solutions in every real estate deal. We pride ourselves in providing seamless representation of our clients from negotiation of an initial land acquisition, through the sale or lease-out of the completed project. Clients depend on us to draft, review and negotiate purchase and sale agreements; coordinate pre-closing due diligence; review legal title, address title clouds and issue title insurance policies; conduct sale and finance closings; prepare and negotiate commercial and industrial leases; formulate, draft and declare residential and commercial condominiums, homeowners associations and similar structures; and, to generally utilize our staff’s extensive knowledge and experience to creatively attain their transactional goals. Johnson & Borenstein is an authorized policy issuing agent for Lawyers Title Insurance Company, CATIC, and Old Republic Title Insurance Company. We carry a $10M professional liability policy, qualifying us to participate in large transactions. In addition to participating in transactions involving private lenders and various area banks, we also represent clients in financing obtained through MassHousing, MassDevelopment, and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston.
Johnson & Borenstein attorneys represent businesses and individuals in all stages of civil litigation. Our general litigation practice includes contract disputes, construction litigation, commercial collection, will contests, business disputes, and personal injury actions. In these matters our clients rely on us to provide knowledgeable, aggressive, and cost effective litigation strategies to present their case in the most effective manner.