Category Archives: Uncategorized

Short-Term Rental Law Takes Effect July 1st

Posted on January 18, 2019 by

Governor Baker recently signed “An Act Regulating and Insuring Short-Term Rentals”, imposing new taxes, registration and inspection requirements, and other rules governing the short-term rental of homes and residential units through Airbnb, VRBO, and similar platforms. Overview: The new law … Continue reading →

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A Landfill Is Not a “Point Source” Under the Clean Water Act, So Says the 4th Circuit and D.Mass.

Posted on November 30, 2018 by

Two recent rulings address the issue of whether a landfill is a “point source” under the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. § 1251 et seq. (CWA), Sierra Club v. Virginia Electric et al and Toxics Action Center et al v. … Continue reading →

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The New Massachusetts Clean Energy Bill: Solar Advocates Left Waiting for the Next Installment

Posted on August 16, 2018 by

On July 31, 2018, the final day of its formal session, the Massachusetts legislature passed H. 4857, An Act to Advance Clean Energy, which Governor Baker signed into law on August 9. The bill represents several important steps forward in … Continue reading →

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Zoning Appeal Plaintiff Must Prove Standing, Even if Defendant Town Does Not Contest Issue at Trial

Posted on July 27, 2018 by

On Tuesday, the Appeals Court issued its opinion in Talmo v. Zoning Board of Appeals of Framingham.  Massachusetts suffers no shortage of case law on standing (the right to file suit) in zoning appeals.  In this case, the issue was … Continue reading →

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(Reluctantly) Open for Business: Momentum Gathering for Expanded Use of Continuous Operations Clauses

Posted on June 15, 2018 by

Two recent court decisions may embolden commercial landlords to use a familiar lease provision in an unusual way when responding to tenants seeking to close their business operations before the end of the lease term. Continuous operations clauses are common … Continue reading →

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Massachusetts High Court Recognizes Employee Right of Qualified Medical Marijuana Users To Allege Handicap Discrimination For Off-Site Use of Medicinal Marijuana

Posted on July 18, 2017 by

Originally posted on offtheclockemploymentblog:
In a long-awaited decision, the highest court in Massachusetts – the Supreme Judicial Court (“SJC”) – ruled today in Cristina Barbuto v. Advantage Sales & Marketing, LLC, et al. that an employee who used medical marijuana…

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What Does It Mean To Purchase An Additional Insured Endorsement?

Posted on February 8, 2017 by

In the construction industry, it is standard for ‘upstream’ parties to require ‘downstream’ parties to purchase and maintain general liability insurance coverage, at varying limits, and to obtain an endorsement adding all or most ‘upstream’ parties as ‘additional insureds’ under … Continue reading →

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Deadline for Owners of Single Wall Steel Tanks Looming

Posted on December 22, 2016 by

by Joseph S. Campisi, President, Corporate Environmental Advisors, Inc. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (“MassDEP”) promulgated underground storage tank (UST) regulations on January 2, 2015 that replaced the Massachusetts Department of Fire Service (“DFS”) regulations at 527 CMR 9.00. … Continue reading →

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Trump’s Pruitt Pick for EPA Signals Greater Predictability in Environmental Rulemaking, Enforcement

Posted on December 8, 2016 by

President-elect Donald Trump’s team announced yesterday his selection of Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to head the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The Pruitt pick is nearly as polarizing as the election itself. Pruitt describes himself as a “leading advocate against … Continue reading →

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What Massachusetts Employers Should Know About Recreational Marijuana

Posted on November 17, 2016 by

Originally posted on offtheclockemploymentblog:
On November 8, 2016, Massachusetts voters approved a ballot question legalizing marijuana for recreational and commercial use. The Regulation and Taxation of Marijuana Act (the “Act”) provides that – as of December 15, 2016 – persons…

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The Perils of Mobile Communication and Real Estate Negotiation

Posted on October 6, 2016 by

The rapid expansion in mobile communication has stretched the limits of many longstanding legal frameworks, including the Statute of Frauds (“SOF”) (G.L. c. 259 § 1).  This is certainly the case with respect to real estate transactions.  In fact, 97% … Continue reading →

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Upset About Your Easement? Why You Might Reconsider Turning to the Zoning Act for Relief

Posted on July 26, 2016 by

In its recent June 2016 decision in Picard v. Zoning Board of Appeals of Westminster, et al., the SJC held that “a claimed injury to a private easement right [was not] sufficient to confer standing to challenge a zoning determination … Continue reading →

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