For the past two decades, John's practice has focused on real estate acquisition, financing, management and development, principally involving the development and management of multi-family housing. Many of these projects have involved tax credits, including state and federal low-income housing tax credits, state and federal historic credits, "Brownfields" credits and other state credits.
Earlier in his career, John was an experienced commercial litigator of eminent domain and other matters involving real estate values as well as employment discrimination and termination issues. He has represented property owners and developers in a broad range of land use matters from permitting a site for a sanitary landfill to trials and appeals of zoning cases.
John is recognized by his peers as a gifted drafter of legal documents of all descriptions. As such, he is often asked to take the lead role in authoring legislation and quasi-judicial decisions, be they federal regulations as he did for HUD in the late 1970's, a landmark zoning decision in the late '90's involving the Town of Belmont and the Mormon Church that was upheld by unanimous decision of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court or, in coordination with other affordable housing industry leaders, the Massachusetts housing preservation law (Chapter 40T). John continues to serve on the advisory committee that provides advice and recommendations relative to the implementation of Chapter 40T.
At Sullivan, John has immersed himself in the firm's Opportunity Zones practice area, moderating and speaking on panels relating to opportunity zone investments. In doing so, John is once again focusing his talent on creative solutions to benefit communities often ignored by investment capital.
Most recently, John has been named as the NH&RA Affordable Housing Vision Award designee for 2018 "in recognition of (his) stewardship and expansion of affordable housing opportunities for low income families around the country."
Representative Client Work
- Represented developers of housing in transactions involving over a billion dollars
- Represented Winn Development Company in a joint venture with a resident organization (Castle Square Tenants Organization) in restructuring ownership and a re-financing recapitalization
- Represented a developer of a private sanitary landfill who co-ventured with the City of Peabody, Massachusetts in private/public partnership to create a state-of-the-art environmentally-safe landfill
- Represented Virginia-based non-profit in multiple “exits” from tax credit partnerships which involved the IRS Code sanctioned right-of-first refusal
- Represented restaurant chains and supermarkets in multi-million dollar (excess of $100M) sales of assets and real property
- Represented national theater business in permitting expansions of business in various municipalities (including several matters successfully handled in court proceedings)
Bar & Court Admissions
- Massachusetts
- U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts
- U.S. Supreme Court
Education
- J.D., Boston University School of Law
- B.A., Yale University
Community Engagement
- Director, National Rehabilitation and Housing Association
- Chair, Preservation Massachusetts
- Director and Treasurer, Yale Basketball Association
- Boston Bar Association
Awards & Honors
- National Law Journal Trailblazer, Real Estate/Construction Law (2021)
- The Legal 500 U.S. (2019)
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Client AlertApril 13, 2022
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Bisnow Boston, QuotedDecember 22, 2021
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WealthManagement, QuotedSeptember 9, 2021
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Press ReleaseSeptember 1, 2021
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Client AlertMay 17, 2021
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Client AlertApril 22, 2021
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Sullivan PublicationApril 20, 2021
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Forbes, QuotedMarch 15, 2021
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Internal Revenue Service Provides Additional COVID-19 Related Relief for Opportunity Zones InvestorsClient AlertJanuary 20, 2021
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Client AlertJune 17, 2020
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Client AlertJune 9, 2020
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Law360, QuotedJune 5, 2020
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Client AlertJune 1, 2020
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Tax Credit AdvisorJune 1, 2020
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Client AlertMay 14, 2020
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Client AlertMay 7, 2020
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May 5, 2020
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Client AlertApril 30, 2020
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Client AlertApril 20, 2020
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Client AlertApril 15, 2020
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Client AlertApril 9, 2020
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Client AlertFebruary 11, 2020
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GlobeSt.com, QuotedDecember 3, 2019
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Affordable Housing Finance, QuotedOctober 21, 2019
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Tax Credit AdvisorAugust 2019
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Tax Credit Advisor, QuotedJuly 18, 2019
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Sullivan Press ReleaseMay 30, 2019
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May 16, 2019
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The Real Deal, QuotedMay 3, 2019
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Opportunity Zones Client AlertApril 19, 2019
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Affordable Housing Finance, QuotedApril 18, 2019
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Tax Credit Advisor, QuotedJanuary 2019
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Affordable Housing FinanceJanuary 11, 2019
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Gemini, QuotedDecember 13, 2018
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Real Estate Weekly, QuotedOctober 23, 2018
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Opportunity Zones AlertOctober 22, 2018
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National Real Estate Investor, QuotedOctober 10, 2018
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Tax Credit AdvisorOctober 2, 2018
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Press ReleaseSeptember 4, 2018
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Real Estate Weekly, QuotedMay 9, 2018
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Client AdvisoryApril 18, 2018
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Client AdvisoryMarch 26, 2018
Seminars & Presentations
- Preparing for Year 15 and Aging Properties
Affordable Housing Live 2021 (November 15, 2021) - The OZ Act After COVID-19: Where We Go From Here
Virtual Program (May 19, 2020) - Best Practices: Effectively Structuring Joint Ventures with Nonprofits and PHA Partners
National Housing & Rehabilitation Association (NH&RA) Annual Meeting & Symposium (February 28, 2020) - 2020 and Beyond: Empowering More Affordable Housing
Affordable Housing Developers Summit (November 18, 2019) - OZones In Action — The Latest Update on How Opportunity Zones are Saving Taxes and Reshaping America
Sullivan Conference Center, Boston, MA (November 13, 2019) - Opportunity Zones: Case Studies & Lessons Learned from Early Transactions
National Housing & Rehabilitation Association (NH&RA) Summer Institute (July 19, 2019) - The Opportunity Zone Investment Tax Regime: Recent Legislative and Regulatory Developments You Should Know
The Knowledge Group (April 11, 2019) - What You Need to Know About Opportunity Zones
AHF Live Housing Developers Forum (April 2, 2019) - Preparing for Year 30: Navigating Strategies, Resources and Solutions for Aging LIHTC Properties
National Housing & Rehabilitation Association (NH&RA) (March 1, 2019) - Affordable Housing’s New Tool: Opportunity Zones/Funds
National Leased Housing Association (January 30, 2019) - Webinar Replay: Qualified Opportunity Funds
Gemini (December 5, 2018) - The Land of OZ Explained – Understanding the New Opportunity Zone Proposed Regulations
Sullivan & Worcester Conference Center (November 8, 2018) - Structuring Opportunity Zone Funds and Transactions
National Housing & Rehabilitation Association (July 20, 2018)