Overview
Airports, utilities, energy companies and developers all turn to TJ for his experience and insights on airport and environmental issues.
His areas of focus are:
- Airport law: TJ has represented airport owners and operators since he began practicing law in 2005. TJ’s primary expertise is airline use and lease agreements. For the last decade, TJ has advised airports across the country on these critical documents and related issues, including airline rates and charges, rates by ordinance, DOT “rocket docket” litigation and federally required competition plan updates. TJ has also worked on new or significantly revised airline agreements for many of the largest airports in the United States. TJ also advises airport owners and operators on a broad array of federal compliance issues, including airport revenue diversion and AIP grant assurance compliance, has led numerous airport responses to compliance audits by the FAA and the Departments of Transportation and Homeland Security Offices of Inspector General and represents airports in both Part 16 and Part 13 compliance proceedings.
- Environmental Permitting: TJ also represents clients on environmental issues, including federal (NEPA) and state (MEPA) environmental review and the permitting of complex energy infrastructure projects including electric transmission facilities and gas pipelines and offshore energy facilities. His permitting expertise includes both federal permitting requirements (Army Corps Section 404/Section 10 permits, NPDES, Clean Air Act, Section 106 consultation and Endangered Species Act consultations) and Massachusetts state permitting requirements (Chapter 91, Water Quality Certification and Massachusetts Historical Commission reviews).
- Environmental Clean-up: TJ counsels clients on the design and implementation of complex hazardous waste clean-up projects and federal and state regulatory compliance. He developed and executed a comprehensive permitting, access and settlement agreement strategy for a major cleanup project in Gloucester Harbor.
TJ is recognized by his peers as one of the leading lawyers in airport law and is consistently asked to speak at the Airports Council International – North America Conferences.
Credentials
Education
Boston University School of Law, J.D. 2005 magna cum laude
Boston University, B.A. 2000 summa cum laude
Phi Beta Kappa
Admissions
Massachusetts
U.S. District Court, District of Massachusetts
Recognition
The Best Lawyers in America©, Environmental Law, 2022-2023
Experience
- Negotiated and drafted numerous airline use and lease agreements at large and medium hub airports addressing complicated rates and charges, gate accommodation and majority-in-interest issues.
- Worked with medium hub airport to develop creative solutions to address environmental risk in an airport fueling system lease.
- Advised an international energy company on the successful permitting of an offshore energy facility.
- Successfully worked with a major utility and the Army Corps of Engineers to develop comprehensive approach to Section 106 consultation on linear utility projects.
- Developed and executed a comprehensive permitting, access and settlement agreement strategy for a major cleanup project in Gloucester Harbor.
- Negotiated a favorable settlement for a major airport in an FAA enforcement action over the use of airport revenue for marketing.
- Favorably resolved a Department of Homeland Security OIG compliance audit concerning in-line baggage system contract.
- Successfully defended the Commonwealth Ports Authority against a complaint, brought under the Department of Transportation’s expedited “rocket docket” procedures, challenging airport rates and charges at three airports in the Northern Mariana Islands.
Insights
- Panelist, "Changed Circumstances," Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA)Annual Conference (September 2022)
- Speaker, "Aviation Legal Issues: Impacting Airports," New York Aviation Management Association (NYAMA) (September 2022)
- Panelist, "The Challenges to Achieving Climate Change and Energy Infrastructure Goals in New England: Different Perspectives," Northeast Energy and Commerce Association (NECA) Webinar (June 2022)
- Panelist, "Litigation Update," Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) Spring Legal Affairs Conference (May 2022)
- Panelist, "COVID-19 Impact on Airport-Airline Business Relationships," Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) Webinar (December 2021)
- Panelist, “Key Issues Emerging in Airline Use and Lease Agreements (AULAs) and Other Major Airport Agreements,” Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA)Annual Conference (October 2019)
- Panelist, “Airport Law Roundtable,” Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) Spring Legal Affairs Conference (May 2019)
- Panelist, “Negotiating Airline Lease and Use Agreements or Imposing Fees by Ordinance: What Do Airport Lawyers Need to Know?,” Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) Annual Conference (September 2018)
- Moderator, “Regulatory and Practical Considerations in NEPA Processing,” Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA)Annual Conference (September 2018)
- Moderator, “Consortiums at Airports: Beyond Fuel Systems,” Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) Spring Legal Affairs Conference (2018)