Cowles, Richard J.

Bob Fitzpatrick is a special counsel in the firm's Corporate and Transactional and Regulatory and Government Affairs Departments, and a member of the Environmental and Real Estate Practice Groups. He joined the firm in 1993.

Practice

Mr. Fitzpatrick’s practice includes managing environmental risk in the context of real estate and corporate transactions, as well as land use and environmental permitting. Mr. Fitzpatrick has extensive experience in matters involving enforcement defense and regulatory litigation the handling and disposal of solid and hazardous waste, surface and groundwater quality, domestic and industrial wastewater disposal, hazardous material management and remediation of contaminated land. Coupled with his seven years of experience as a consulting environmental engineer, Mr. Fitzpatrick has advised and represented a broad range of clients, including private and public companies and municipalities.

Recent Highlights

Representation of a national retailer in connection with the permitting and development of new store sites and expansion of stores at existing locations.

Representation of a solid waste management company in connection with the permitting of a transfer station for solid waste and construction and demolition debris.

Defense of a national retailer against a state-wide enforcement action brought by a state environmental protection agency.

Defense of a $5 million environmental cost recovery claim pressed against a utility provder by two state agencies.

Professional Activities

Adjunct professor at Suffolk University Law School, 1995-2007.

Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection’s Task Force on Groundwater Permitting (2007-2008)

Co-Chairman of the Environmental Litigation Committee of the Boston Bar Association

Chairman of the Town of Duxbury Zoning By-Law Review Committee

Member and Past Chairman of the Town of Duxbury Cable Advisory Committee.

Having worked as a consulting civil and environmental engineer, Mr. Fitzpatrick is a registered professional engineer in Massachusetts. He is also a member of the environmental sections of the Boston Bar Association and the American Bar Association.

Publications

Annual Supplement to Massachusetts Administrative Law & Practice. West Publishing 1985 (1996-2007).

Contributor to New England Environment (1999-2003).

Politics and Impeachment, 26 Suffolk U.L. Rev. 1237 (1992).

Review of Product Liability Law for Engineers by Enghagen, 26 Suffolk U.L. Rev. 583 (1992).

Development of Massachusetts Law Governing the Disposition of Evicted Tenants’ Property, 25 Suffolk U.L. Rev. 1109 (1991).

“On-Site Wastewater Management in a Utility Framework.” Paper, New England Water Pollution Control Federation, 1989.

“Wastewater Management Alternatives Study: Bonnie Brier Area.” University of San Francisco Master’s thesis, 1985.

Honors and Awards

Named a "New England Super Lawyer" (formerly Massachusetts Super Lawyer") in environmental, land use/zoning and administrative law in the 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 issues of Boston Magazine.

Selected by his peers for inclusion in the 2012 edition of The Best Lawyers in America in the area of real estate law.