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Howard P. Speicher

Practice Focus and Experience

Howard Speicher practices in the Real Estate and Litigation areas. 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.

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.

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

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 Zoning and Land Use Committee (1996-1998); Board of Editors, Boston Bar Journal (2002-2004); National Association of Industrial and Office Properties; Real Estate Bar Association for Massachusetts.