Kenneth P. Brier, who was most recently a member of the estate planning department of Bingham McCutchen LLP in Boston, is opening Brier & Associates, a boutique law practice focusing on tax and estate planning matters, as well as trust and estate administration and executive benefits. Brier's new office is located in Needham.
Brier is past co-chair of the Boston Bar Association Estate Planning Committee and a past member of the Board of the Boston Estate Planning Council. He is also a fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, a national elective organization of the country's most distinguished trust and estate attorneys, and he has received a listing in the selective and highly regarded publication, The Best Lawyers in AmericaÇ. In addition, he is a frequent speaker and writer on tax and estate planning topics and has been featured and quoted many times in local and national publications. He has also been licensed as a certified public accountant.
MCA The Real Estate Bar Association for Massachusetts has elected attorneys E. Christopher Kehoe as president and Daniel J. Ossoff as president-elect for the 2004 term. Virginia Stanton Smith was reelected clerk and Robert J. Moriarty Jr. was elected treasurer.
A partner in the Boston office of the Hartford-based law firm Robinson & Cole LLP, Kehoe's practice emphasizes real estate and finance law and the representation of national and local developers and lenders in the acquisition, financing and development of a variety of projects. This includes condominium construction and conversion, residential subdivisions and shopping centers.
Ossoff chairs the real estate practice group of the Boston law firm of Rackemann, Sawyer & Brewster PC. His practice concentrates on all aspects of commercial real estate development and finance with an emphasis on land acquisition and disposition, leasing, title and land use planning matters. Ossoff represents national corporations, nonprofit institutions, private developers, institutional lenders and governmental agencies in a wide variety of commercial real estate projects.
Smith is a partner in the Berkshire County firm of Grinnell, Dubendorf & Smith LLP. Her practice includes estate planning, estate administration and all aspects of real estate. She has represented real estate developers in commercial projects, including acquisition, financing, development, zoning and leasing. Smith is active in Berkshire County's philanthropic community, serving as president of the Berkshire Fund Inc., an affordable housing group.
A founding partner of the Boston-based law firm Marsh, Moriarty, Ontell & Golder PC, Moriarty concentrates in commercial and residential title matters including the review of title abstracts, title reports, title insurance commitments, title certifications, title insurance policies and the resolution of title issues on behalf of title insurance underwriters, law firm clients, developer clients and institutions lenders. A resident of Topsfield, he currently chairs the Topsfield Board of Appeals.
Posternak Blankstein & Lund LLP has signed a lease with Boston Properties Inc. for 36,500 square feet at the Prudential Tower, a Boston landmark situated within the company's Prudential Center complex. The lease represents the entire 32nd floor and a portion of the 33rd floor in the high rise of the 52-story Prudential Tower.
"The Prudential Tower is a superb platform for us and our clients. Our new offices and systems allow us to continue meeting the expanding needs of our clients. And the proximity to the best Boston has to offer can't be beat," said Lauren Jennings, the managing partner of Posternak.
Posternak Blankstein & Lund LLP will open its doors in The Prudential Tower in December. The firm's new address is Prudential Tower, 800 Boylston St., Boston, MA 02199.
Congratulations to the law firms of Latham & Watkins, Bingham McCutchen and Greenberg Traurig. which were ranked in the top 50 of the nation's top-tier law firms by American Lawyer in September.
Latham & Watkins placed sixth nationally; Bingham McCutchen ranked 17th nationally; and Greenberg Traurig secured the 35th spot for the American Lawyer A-List Law Firm. The magazine ranked the top firms after reviewing firm revenue, pro bono scores, associate satisfaction and diversity.
Lawyers Journal regrets that these firms were not included in the October 2003 issue of Lawyers Journal, in which other firms making the American Lawyer A-List were named.