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Charles N. Le Ray
Direct Dial: 617.542.4880
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Charles N. Le Ray is a founding partner of Brennan, Dain, Le Ray, Wiest, Torpy & Garner, P.C. His practice focuses on representing real estate developers and property owners with complex land use, development, regulatory compliance, and environmental matters. His areas of concentration include zoning, wetlands, MEPA, and site remediation. He also maintains an administrative law and land use litigation practice, and is experienced in negotiating project agreements, modifications and settlement agreements with municipalities, neighbors, project opponents, and regulators. Before co-founding Brennan, Dain, Le Ray & Wiest, Mr. Le Ray was an attorney with Goodwin Procter LLP for over eleven years, most recently in its Real Estate Development and Permitting Practice Group. He is a LEED Accredited Professional.
Recent Representative Matters:
ADD Inc., 311 Summer Street, Boston
Drafted and obtained Boston Redevelopment Authority and Zoning Commission approval for PDA Development Plan to rehabilitate and expand circa 1904 mercantile building into worldwide headquarters of award-winning architecture firm. (2007 - 2008)
The Bulfinch Companies, Inc., Cambridge Discovery Park
Obtained approvals for multi-phase redevelopment of former Arthur D. Little campus in Cambridge, including fifteen-year master plan special permit, multiple orders of conditions, demolition delay, and MEPA review (with Phase I Waiver to allow construction of new facility for the Smithsonian Institution Astrophysical Observatory to proceed in advance of full project review). (2003 - Present)
DSF Advisors, Smithfield, RI
Environmental counsel for redevelopment of former mill/manufacturing site into multi-family housing. (2006 - 2008)
DSF Advisors, LLC, NECCO Building, Cambridge
Advised client on permitting and environmental remediation issues for project to redevelop former NECCO candy factory into a biotechnology research and office facility for Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research. (2003 - 2005)
Madison Properties, Congress Street Hotel, South Boston
Permitting counsel on the development of the 500-room, 535,000 square foot hotel proposed for the "sausage parcel" opposite the Boston Convention & Exposition Center in the South Boston Waterfront; obtained MEPA waiver of mandatory Environmental Impact Report. (2006 - 2007)
New Seabury Properties/Icon Enterprises LP - Mashpee, MA
Assisting with range of land use and permitting matters including obtaining Land Court approval of subdivision and other plans; drafting village declarations and homeowners association bylaws, easements and related documents; private way realignment; wetlands protective act compliance; and MEPA. (2006 - Present)
Pine Brook Country Club, Weston, MA
Obtained site plan approval, special permit, and order of conditions for project to redevelop support buildings and upgrade stormwater management systems. (2006)
Gasoline station site, Weymouth, MA
Environmental and litigation counsel for owner of gasoline station with historic UST release issues. (2006 - Present)
Publications/Presentations:
Mr. Le Ray has written and lectured in the areas of land use permitting and environmental topics. His publications include:
- "DEP seeks control over stormwater discharges", Real Estate Bar Association News (Spring 2009)
- "State Wetlands Regulations Recently Amended", Real Estate Bar Association News (Spring 2005)
- Contributing author to Massachusetts Zoning Manual, MCLE, Inc., (1999, 2002, and 2005 supplements)
- Contributing author to Drafting Commercial Real Estate Documents, MCLE, Inc. (2004)
- Contributing author to Massachusetts Environmental Law Handbook, Government Institutes, 3rd ed. (1999)
- "Implications of DNA Technology on Posthumous Paternity Determination: Deciding the Facts when Daddy Can't Give His Opinion", 35 Boston College Law Review 747 (1994)
Professional Activities and Honors:
- Member of Board of Director of Real Estate Bar Association for Massachusetts (REBA)
- Co-Chair and a founding member of REBA's Land Use and Zoning Committee
- Member of the Steering Committee for the Boston Bar Association's 2010 Annual Meeting Luncheon
- Each year from 2006 through 2011, Charles has been named one of the top lawyers in New England in the Land Use/Zoning category by Super Lawyers, a joint publication of Boston Magazine and Law & Politics. The Super Lawyers comprise the top 5% of lawyers in the state.
- City Solicitors and Town Counsel Association
Bar and Court Admissions:
Mr. Le Ray is admitted to the bars of Massachusetts and the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.
Education:
J.D., Boston College Law School, 1994 (summa cum laude)
Managing Editor of Boston College Law Review (1993-1994)
M.B.A., Northeastern University (1987)
Beta Gamma Sigma National Business Honor Society
B.S., Computer Science, University of New Hampshire (1981)