John J. Griffin, Jr.
John Griffin Jr. joined Edwards Angell Palmer & Dodge in the fall of 2002, bringing with him over 34 years of experience in the field of real estate law. During the course of his career, he has represented real estate developers, lending institutions and educational institutions. John has represented either the lender, developer, or institution in such varied projects as Copley Place, Natick Mall, Shopper's World, the expansion of the Boston College football stadium, Point West Office Center and Point West Place in Framingham, Massachusetts and University Place, University Green, Cambridge, Massachusetts. In addition, John recently represented Parametric Technology Corp. in connection with the development and sale-leaseback of its new corporate headquarters in Needham, Massachusetts. For more than 20 years, John has been listed in the Real Estate section of The Best Lawyers in America.
John recently represented Parametric Technology Corp. in connection with the development and sale-leaseback of its new corporate headquarters in Needham, Massachusetts.
In addition to his development and lending experience, John supervised, strategized and successfully argued before the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts the case which secured the development permits for the quarry site on Route 128 in Weston, Massachusetts. Massachusetts Broken Stone Company v. Weston, Mass. (2000). This case was probably the longest running land-use battle in the history of the Commonwealth.
As a result of this victory and the successful completion of the controversial expansion of the Boston College football stadium, John is currently involved on behalf of the developer or land-owner in connection with a number of land-use disputes arising from zoning and planning board decisions of local municipalities.
John’s Recent Speaking Engagements and Publications include: "Legal Aspects of the Development Process," Urban Land Institute Real Estate School, 1986-2001; "Professional Service Firms and the Real Estate Economy in Boston," National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP), February 2003.
John began his career at Herrick, Smith, Donald, Farley & Ketchum and moved to Bingham, Dana & Gould. After Bingham, Dana, John spent 18 years as a Partner, member of the Executive Committee, and three years as Managing Partner of Rackemann, Sawyer & Brewster in Boston. John then spent nine years as a Partner at Hutchins, Wheeler & Dittmar before coming to Edwards & Angell.
John has been Chairman of the Greater Boston Board of Catholic Charities and a Trustee of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Boston. He currently serves as a member of the Investment Committee of Catholic Charities.
John was previously Vice President/President Elect of the Boston College Alumni Association. His term as President of the Alumni Association began on June 1, 2003.
John serves as co-chair of the Urban Edge sponsored fundraising activity for a youth center in Eggleston Square, Boston. He also serves annually on the Dinner Committee for the American Ireland Fund. John is a member of the Development Committee of the New England Province of the Jesuits and co-chaired its recent fund-raising dinner. He has also served on the Board of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
John has been listed in Best Lawyers of America since its initial publication.
John has been very active with Urban Land Institute (ULI) on a national level. He has served on various councils and has served as Chairman of one of the ULI's councils. He has spoken frequently at ULI meetings. John is also Program Chair of the ULI District Council for Boston.
John has served on the Executive Committee of NAIOP and currently serves on the Programs Committee, which he has previously chaired.
