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J. Gavin Cockfield

Practice Focus and Experience

J. Gavin Cockfield practices in the Litigation and the Real Estate and Environmental areas. He advises developers and individuals with respect to the permitting of development projects including zoning, subdivision, and related work at the municipal, trial and appellate levels. Gavin regularly assists clients to resolve issues concerning commercial, business, property rights, property use and acquisition, landlord/tenant, and condominium matters before reaching litigation. When litigation is unavoidable in such disputes, he represents clients throughout the entire litigation process and before the appropriate forums.

Gavin has successfully represented clients before municipal boards, the various trial courts of the Commonwealth, the Massachusetts Appeals Court, and the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.

Representative Reported Cases

Hoffman v. Board of Zoning Appeal of Cambridge, 74 Mass. App. Ct. 804 (2009) - Successfully overturned decision by trial court that had dismissed client's appeal of a variance decision for failure to establish standing at trial. The Appeals Court determined that sufficient evidence had been introduced at trial to establish the standing necessary to proceed with appeal.
Kurker v. Shoestring Properties Limited Partnership, 68 Mass. App. Ct. 644 (2007) - Successfully overturned decision of trial court on appeal and obtained order requiring adverse party to convey marina property to client.
Haufler v. Zotos, 446 Mass. 489 (2006) - Successfully represented property owner in statutory civil rights claim where the client's neighbor had interfered with client's right to use and develop his property.
Murphy v. Olsen, 63 Mass. App. Ct. 417 (2005) - Successfully represented various lot owners claiming beach and access rights over nearby subdivision where such rights were not expressly granted or reserved in conveyances.
McCarthy v. Tobin, 429 Mass. 84 (1999) - Successfully represented client in establishing the enforceability of an offer to purchase real estate. This case clarified that preliminary offers to purchase real estate, as opposed to purchase and sale agreements, can be, and often are, binding contracts.

Read Gavin's Full Bio for More Reported Cases

Professional

Distinctions: Peer Review AV^® Preeminent™ rated by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest bestowed rating.
Admitted: Massachusetts.
Member: Boston Bar Association; Real Estate Bar Association for Massachusetts.