Matthew Fitzgerald

Represent developers, owners, and tenants seeking various discretionary permits and approvals before local boards, commissions, and regulatory bodies in Boston and other communities. Examples include: 

• The phased redevelopment of a large public housing complex in South Boston into a 1.5 million square-foot mixed-use, mixed-income community 
• The development of two new life science/research and development buildings totaling approximately 742,000 square feet in the Raymond L. Flynn Marine Park in South Boston
• The development of an approximately 200,000 square-foot mixed-use building in East Boston
• Securing the necessary zoning relief for several prospective major retail tenants for the owner of a large mixed-use development in Boston     
• Securing the necessary approvals from a local commission for a leading multinational technology company to perform exterior improvements at its anchor store in Boston

Represented a leading global consulting firm in negotiating construction contracts for several of its office buildouts and expansions in the U.S. and Canada 

Prior to joining DLA Piper, Matt served as Land Use Counsel at the Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA) where he advised the BPDA Director and staff on land use and zoning matters associated with proposed real estate development projects. In this role, Matt reviewed Planned Development Area (PDA) Development Plans, PDA Master Plans, and Institutional Master Plans filed by private developers and institutional applicants to evaluate their compliance with applicable provisions of the Boston Zoning Code. Other responsibilities included regularly negotiating and drafting various legal agreements associated with large development projects, and advising planning and zoning staff on policy initiatives and proposed amendments to the Zoning Code.  

Before joining the BPDA, Matt served as Assistant Corporation Counsel in the City of Boston Inspectional Services Department (ISD) where his responsibilities included representing ISD in all civil and criminal litigation to enforce the Boston Zoning Code, the State Building Code, and State Sanitary Code in Boston Housing Court and Suffolk Superior Court. He also served as the Executive Secretary to the Zoning Board of Appeal (ZBA), providing legal and administrative support to the ZBA, which included drafting zoning decisions and advising the ZBA on land use and zoning matters and open meeting law requirements.