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Chris is client-focused counselor and trusted advisor in the truest sense. With over 25 years’ experience, he has a substantial depth of knowledge of the industries in which he works. His consultative style includes solving problems and reaching practical solutions that make the most business sense for his clients. Chris is a savvy negotiator and a passionate advocate and litigator for his clients. His hands-on approach enables him to understand the nuances of his clients’ needs and meet them head on. Chris’ ability to anticipate potential issues at the start of a matter optimizes his efficient approach to client representation. Chris has a long track record of achieving successful results for his clients over a span of decades.
Chris is based in Boston but serves clients throughout New England and beyond. His practice deals primarily in the areas of construction law and litigation, private projects and public procurement, general litigation, government investigations including white collar defense, OSHA, Department of Labor and prevailing wage investigations. Chris represents general contractors, transportation clients, large distributors, service providers, vendors, owners and subcontractors alike in various capacities, from contract negotiation to bid protests, to claims to all forms of dispute resolution. Chris regularly advises clients on State and Federal procurement issues, small business and MBE/WBE/DBE compliance issues, and false claims avoidance, and routinely drafts and negotiates complex agreements regarding public and private construction as well as service contracts. Chris is a highly valued and versatile member of Hinckley Allen’s nationally ranked construction practice.
Credentials
Work Experience
- Hinckley Allen
- Partner (2001-Present)
- Associate (1996-2000)
- Office of the Attorney General, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
- Trial Division
- Assistant Attorney General (1992-1996)
Professional Affiliations
- American Bar Association
- Boston Bar Association, Construction Law Committee Co-Chair (2006-2008)
Bar Memberships
- United States Court of Appeals, First Circuit, 1992
- United States District Court, Massachusetts, 1992
- Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, 1991
News & Insight
The Problem of Bad Actors in Construction
March 1, 2019In any given week, you could run a few searches and find recent news articles about fraudulent or criminal contractor conduct in the world of construction. For example, in April of 2019, a branch manager for an insulation contractor pleaded guilty to bid-r…
Massachusetts High Court Bars Chapter 93A Claim as Untimely
September 5, 2018The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court (“SJC”) closed out August with a decision concerning contractor exposure to Chapter 93A claims for unfair and deceptive trade practices. A divided court concluded that a Chapter 93A claim was subject to the 6-…
Minding Your Manners: Personality Issues and Bidder Responsibility
August 3, 2018In May’s issue, we discussed a bidder responsibility decision of the Bid Unit of the Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General (the “Bid Unit”). In that case, the awarding authority rejected the low bidder as allegedly “difficult to work with.
The SJC Weighs in on Termination for Convenience
June 5, 2018Despite the prevalence of termination for convenience clauses in construction contracts, there has been little caselaw in Massachusetts addressing such provisions. That needle moved on May 2, 2018, when the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court discussed …
The Bid Unit of the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office Releases Decision on Bidder Responsibility
May 3, 2018The competitive bidding statute for public works projects (M.G.L. c. 30, § 39M) generally requires an awarding authority to award to the lowest eligible and “responsible” bidder on large projects. Because awarding authorities have discretion when …
The Bid Unit of the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office Issues a Bid Protest Decision Concerning MassDOT’s Mobilization Cap
February 1, 2018In 2015, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (“MassDOT”) issued Supplemental Specifications to its Standard Specifications for Highways and Bridges. One of the changes in the Supplemental Specifications was the addition of a percentage cap t…
Minimum Experience Requirements
January 3, 2018An awarding authority has discretion when it comes to waiver of non-statutory bidding requirements. However, as illustrated in a recent decision of the Bid Unit of the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office (the “AGO”), that discretion does not en…
Bid Protest Decision Invalidates Mandatory Minimum Unit Prices
August 16, 2017On August 1, 2017, the Bid Unit of the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office (the “AG”) issued a first-of-its-kind decision concerning MassDOT’s use of minimum unit price requirements. The AG’s well-reasoned opinion invalidates MassDOT’s mini…
False Claims Act Liability: Deviation from Project Specifications
March 8, 2017The Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office (“AGO”) closed out February 2017 by announcing substantial False Claims Act penalties against two contractors. In addition to damages and civil penalties, the AGO barred the contractors from bidding on …
Front-Loaded and Inflated Pay Apps
March 1, 2017On February 24, 2017, the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office (“AGO”) announced sweeping penalties against two contractors for violations of the Massachusetts False Claims Act. According to the AGO, a General Contractor (GC) and its subcontract…