Robert E. McDonnell concentrates on environmental, land use, and real estate matters. He counsels clients on compliance and permitting, defends them in enforcement cases, and represents them in trials in the state and federal courts and in hearings before administrative agencies and boards. Bob has also represented fiduciaries in trust disputes and will contests, and has tried commercial and maritime cases involving breach of contract and tort claims.
Bob’s environmental compliance and permitting work has involved the full range of environmental media: clean water, wetlands, stormwater, clean air, noise, solid waste, oil pollution, hazardous waste, pharmaceutical waste, and radioactive materials. He regularly advises clients about compliance matters and helps them to develop efficient approaches to inspection, training, and reporting. He has also, over the years, represented ship owners and waterfront businesses in marine oil spills. This work included providing admiralty and maritime advice to the firm’s Deepwater Horizon team. He has a significant amount of experience involving the planning, permitting, construction and operation of marine terminals and other waterfront facilities. In addition to defending environmental enforcement matters or pursuing permits and appeals, Bob has worked with others in the firm to complete due diligence investigations for complex energy and commercial development projects.
Bob’s land use and real estate work includes the trial of zoning and real-estate development cases, and the litigation of permit disputes and appeals. On more than one occasion, he has obtained injunctive relief against municipal enforcement orders. His clients in the real estate field include commercial real estate developers, privately held companies, family-owned businesses, and fiduciaries with significant real estate holdings in their portfolios.
Bob has also defended trustees against breach of fiduciary duty claims, and against commercial claims alleged by third parties. He is sensitive to the dynamics of the trustee-beneficiary relationship and has successfully guided complex disputes to resolution through mediation and other means of private dispute resolution.
Before joining Morgan Lewis, Bob was a partner in the environmental, land use, and natural resources practice at another international law firm. He served as the co-chair of that firm’s national pro bono practice committee, and from 2006 to 2014 managed the pro bono practice in the Boston office. Bob was also a member of the Wetlands Protection Committee in the Town of Wellesley, Massachusetts from 1995 to 2007, and served two terms as chair of the committee.
Environmental
Land Use
Counseling and Permitting
Member, Practice Group of the Year, Environmental, Law360 (2017, 2019)
American Bar Association
Massachusetts Bar Association
Boston Bar Association
Real Estate Bar Association
Maritime Law Association
Two-term chairman, Town of Wellesley Wetland Protection Committee (1995–2007).
Board of Trustees, The Boston Harbor Association (2006–2008). Currently provides pro bono legal counsel to this nonprofit NGO.
Super Lawyers, Massachusetts (2004, 2007–2012)
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