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
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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).
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Cum laude graduate of Suffolk University Law School where he served as
Managing Editor of the school’s
Transnational Law Review.
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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