Attorney Matthew Dunn

Trusted Boston Real Estate Attorney

Matthew J. Dunn is the founder of The Dunn Law Group, P.C. He is an experienced transactional attorney and litigator, with a concentration in land use, zoning and complex civil disputes. Mr. Dunn has represented landlords, tenants, buyers, sellers, and lenders in numerous commercial and residential real estate transactions. He has also represented individuals, small businesses, lending institutions, insurers, privately held corporations, and large companies before administrative agencies and in state and federal courts.

Prior to forming The Dunn Law Group, P.C., Mr. Dunn served as counsel at a downtown Boston law firm where he represented businesses, corporate officers and directors, employers and individuals in complex civil disputes, zoning matters and real estate-related disputes. He has also acted as in-house associate counsel for a major real estate development and property management company advising senior management on matters involving eminent domain, zoning, commercial disputes, mechanic’s liens, collections, and landlord/tenant matters.

Mr. Dunn is a former prosecutor who worked as an Assistant District Attorney with the Cape and Island’s District Attorney’s Office, and as a clerk at the United States Attorney’s Office in Boston.

Representative Engagements

• Secured a preliminary injunction in U.S. District Court in Boston ordering multinational corporation to escrow $1.7 million for two former directors of an India-based subsidiary of a Massachusetts corporation for indemnification against potential personal liability for corporate tax obligations in India.
• Successfully obtained dismissal, on personal jurisdiction grounds, of all trademark infringement and related claims brought in the US. District Court for the Northern District of Iowa against a Massachusetts-based Consumer products company.
• Defended private equity firm in action brought by U.S. bankruptcy trustee seeking to set aside a sophisticated corporate restructuring and multimillion dollar sale of debtor’s business.
• Attained dismissal in Massachusetts Superior Court of commercial tenant’s 93A and tort claims against landlord.
• Obtained summary judgment for employer in wage & hours dispute brought by former employee in Massachusetts Superior Court.
• Prevailed in action before the Appeals Court involving a judgment for contempt entered by the Land Court following its entry of judgment for client in a zoning appeal brought pursuant to M.G.L.ch. 40A, § 17.
• Successfully defended a developer of a suburban subdivision in a lawsuit brought by a prospective purchaser of a lot against claims for breach of contract and violations of the Massachusetts Consumer Protection Statute (M.G.L.ch. 93A).
• Successfully represented an abutter in a Land Court action brought to overturn a variance issued by a municipal zoning board to an operator of a commercial venture in a residentially zoned district.
• Successfully represented landowners in Superior Court lawsuits contesting the sufficiency of monetary awards paid by a State agency for eminent domain takings.
• Successfully represented the owner of a historic property in an action brought in Superior Court to enjoin the developer’s destructive construction practices.
• Represented a commercial landowner in a Superior Court action to enjoin a municipality’s wrongful use of its eminent domain power.
• Represented the lead defendant in multimillion dollar wrongful death actions involving employer liability in parallel cases brought in Illinois state and federal courts.
• Obtained cease and desist orders from municipal zoning board enjoining operation of commercial ventures in a residentially zoned district, and successfully opposed civil actions brought pursuant to M.G.L.ch. 40A, § 17 in Land and Superior Courts seeking reversal of same.
• Prosecuted a “spot” zoning challenge to the validity of an amendment to a municipal bylaw pursuant to M.G.L.ch. 240, § 14A.

Distinctions & Significant Matters

• Selected by Super Lawyers® Magazine as a Massachusetts Rising Stars℠ in the field of Real Estate Law (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015).
• Cum laude graduate of Suffolk University Law School where he served as Managing Editor of the school’s Transnational Law Review.
• Played on Boston College’s men’s soccer team where he was awarded the Tom McElroy Memorial Scholarship – the school’s largest memorial grant provided annually to one student-athlete who best exemplifies the qualities of courage, dedication, sincerity, and determination.

Memberships, Affiliations, & Personal Interests

• Massachusetts Bar Association
• Boston Bar Association
• South Shore Chamber of Commerce
• Boston College Alumni Association
• Suffolk University Law School Alumni Association
• New England Over-the-Hill Soccer League
• New England Senior Hockey League

Education

• J.D., Suffolk University Law School, 2002
• B.A., Boston College, 1998