James G. Ward is a partner in the Real Estate and Finance Department, and a member of the Land Use group. Formerly the environmental and permitting counsel for a large Massachusetts developer, he has extensive experience in dealing with local, state and federal permit-granting authorities in all aspects of land use and environmental matters.
Jim's land use practice includes obtaining permits and approvals under subdivision and zoning laws and regulations, affordable housing laws, “Smart Growth” bylaws and regulations, historic and open space preservation laws, MEPA, laws regulating access to state highways, laws regulating access to municipal sewer and water service and architectural access for the physically challenged.
His environmental practice includes navigating federal and state laws regulating development in wetlands, waterways and endangered species habitats. Jim’s experience also includes federal and state hazardous and solid waste siting, compliance and, in particular, reuse of “Brownfield” sites. He also has experience in permitting and compliance for on-site private waste water treatment plants and water supplies.
Jim has comprehensive experience representing developers, and has been involved in projects ranging from redeveloping contaminated sites for industrial, retail shopping center, and transportation center uses, to the permitting of a convent in Boston's inner city, to restoring/modernizing one of America's oldest private secondary schools, to permitting hotels, housing developments and other commercial, retail and office projects.
Active nationally and locally in the real estate industry, Jim is a member of the International Council of Shopping Centers and currently serves on the planning committee for the annual ICSC Boston Conference.
Jim is a former chair of the Land Use Subcommittee of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties. He served on the organizing committee for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's first region-wide conference on "Smart Growth.” He is a member of the Massachusetts and Boston Bar Associations.