

Practice Focus and Experience
Howard Speicher practices in the Land Use and Real Estate Group and the Litigation Group. He conducts an extensive land use, permitting, and litigation practice, representing landowners and developers before municipal and state agencies and at all levels of the state court system. Howard’s active practice also includes commercial leasing and real estate transactional work; in addition, he litigates general business disputes and construction claims.
Howard’s nearly three decades of land use and litigation experience began with five years as a Boston Assistant Corporation Counsel and as counsel to its Zoning Board of Appeal and Inspectional Services Department. More recently, he served as Chair of the Boston Bar Association’s Zoning and Land Use Committee. In that position he headed a number of important land use seminars, including the prestigious Land Court Judicial Forum.
Howard recently served as a member of the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development’s Advisory Group participating in preparing regulations under the new Massachusetts “Smart Growth” zoning statute, chapter 40R of the Massachusetts General Laws. He also recently completed a three-year term on the Board of Editors of the Boston Bar Journal and has held an appointment as Lecturer at Boston University School of Law.
Representative Matters
- Won appeals of the denials of permits for a forty-four lot residential subdivision.
- Won appeals of the denials of permits for two “superstores” for a national retailer.
- Represents leading telecommunications company in its nationwide leasing and regional zoning and development matters.
- Successfully resolved title claims threatening access rights to a forty-five lot subdivision.
- Obtained permits for a combined independent senior housing and residential subdivision development.
Representative Reported Cases
- Sweenie v. A.L. Prime Energy Consultants, 451 Mass. 539 (2008) - On further appellate review of an Appeals Court decision, obtained a reversal of the Appeals Court decision from the Supreme Judicial Court, clarifying the obligations of abutters challenging a zoning decision, and reinstating our client's special permit for redevelopment of its property.
- Fieldstone Meadows Development Corp. v. Conservation Commission of Andover, 62 Mass. App. Ct. 265 (2004) - Represented developer in winning a landmark case limiting authority of local conservation commissions to impose restrictions under local wetland bylaws.
- Zuckerman V. Hadley, 442 Mass. 511 (2004) (for amicus
curiae)- Participated in successful litigation to invalidate “rate of development” bylaws that restricted issuance of building permits.
Professional
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Distinctions: Peer review "AV" rated by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest bestowed rating; Massachusetts Super Lawyer, 2004, 2005.
- Admitted: Massachusetts; New York; United States District Court
for the District of Massachusetts.
- Member: Boston Bar Association, past chairman (1996-1998) Zoning
and Land Use Committee; Board of Editors, Boston Bar Journal (2002-2004);
National Association of Industrial and Office Properties; Real Estate
Bar Association for Massachusetts.
Community Involvement
- Clerk and member of the executive committee and the board of directors of the South Boston Neighborhood House, a century-old settlement house providing educational and other community services to the South Boston community.
- Member of the board of directors of the Boston Synagogue.
- Former vice president and member of the board of directors of Hill House, the community center for Beacon Hill and surrounding neighborhoods.
Articles
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State Appeals Court Decision Restricts Commission Authority,
Banker and Tradesman, Judith Ashton and Howard P. Speicher (coauthors)
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Fieldstone Meadows v. Conservation Commission of Andover: The Pendulum Swings the Other Way,
Section Review, Massachusetts Bar Association, Howard P. Speicher (author)
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Courthouse-Go-Round,
Boston Bar Journal, Howard P. Speicher (author)
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Land Court Invalidates Zoning Bylaw as Impermissible"Contract Zoning,"
Boston Bar Journal, Howard P. Speicher (author)
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Boston Zoning - Selected Issues,
Boston Bar Association, Howard P. Speicher (author)
News
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Howard P. Speicher
Shareholder
direct 617.589.3829
fax 617.305.3129
Practice Areas
Education
- J.D., Boston University School of Law, 1979.
- B.A., State University of New York at Binghamton,
1976.
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