Hackett Feinberg P.C.

Scope, clients and case mix

More than 30 lawyers work across seven stated practice groups at this Boston firm. Hackett Feinberg P.C. handles business and personal legal matters for local and national clients. Its work includes transactions, negotiations and litigation in the Northeast and other regions.

The practice groups cover banking and commercial finance, bankruptcy and creditors' rights, business and corporate law, commercial real estate, employment law, estate planning, and litigation and dispute resolution. That mix connects legal fields that often meet in the same matter. A business purchase, for example, may involve entity documents, financing, property rights and employment terms.

The firm identifies a varied client base. It works with financial institutions, public companies, privately held businesses, family businesses, government and quasi government agencies, nonprofit organizations and individuals. In my opinion, this client list gives useful context for the firm's blend of commercial and personal services.

Finance and corporate services

Credit facilities and creditor remedies

Financial institutions form a stated part of the client base. The banking and commercial finance group handles acquisition financing, asset based loans, commercial real estate finance and small business lending under SBA programs. The firm also lists subordination and intercreditor arrangements.

These matters usually require close attention to loan documents, collateral, repayment duties and the rights of other creditors. Intercreditor arrangements set the order and limits of competing claims. Acquisition loans may also depend on the purchase agreement, the borrower's ownership structure and conditions that must exist when the parties close.

The firm's related creditors' rights work includes commercial mortgage foreclosures, restructurings and workouts. In general, a workout may change payment dates, collateral terms or reporting duties after financial trouble arises. A foreclosure follows a more formal path tied to the loan documents, applicable law and the secured property.

Business formation and ownership changes

Entity formation and mergers and acquisitions appear within the business and corporate group. Formation work often begins with a choice of entity and ownership terms. Governing documents then address voting, management authority, transfers of ownership and the treatment of future disputes.

A merger or acquisition commonly involves a term sheet or letter of intent, due diligence, a purchase agreement, required approvals and closing documents. Lawyers may review corporate records, contracts, financing obligations and real estate interests during that process. The firm's finance and commercial property groups give its corporate work a clear connection to those related issues.

The client list places this work in several settings. Public companies have formal governance and disclosure duties. Privately held and family businesses may place greater weight on ownership control, succession and transfer terms. Nonprofits and public agencies operate under their own approval rules and statutory limits.

Real estate, zoning and disputes

Commercial property transactions

Purchase and sale work, leasing, condominium law and title matters sit within the commercial real estate group. Commercial purchases usually call for review of the contract, title, financing terms and property conditions. Leases set duties concerning rent, use, repairs, insurance, assignment and default.

Condominium matters add another set of governing documents and shared property rights. Title questions may affect ownership, lender security or a planned transfer. The firm's stated work in commercial real estate finance connects those property issues with loan structure and collateral rights.

Land use and zoning

Development plans often depend on local rules and public approvals. Hackett Feinberg lists land use and zoning among its subpractices. Partner Brian J. Hughes focuses on real estate, land use and zoning, appeals, construction and development matters.

A zoning matter may require an application to a municipal board, supporting plans, a public hearing and a written decision. Some projects also raise questions about permitted uses, dimensional rules or prior approvals. Appeals turn on the governing statute, the local record and the deadlines that apply after a decision.

Hughes is also associated with the Law Offices of Brian John Hughes. The firm's other real estate lawyers include Matthew D. Ray, whose work focuses on banking and real estate, and Christopher M. Sacht, whose practice covers banking, business and real estate law. James M. Liston handles creditor debtor rights, business litigation and real estate matters.

Business and property litigation

Commercial disputes can arise out of ownership terms, contracts, loans, title rights and insurance coverage. The litigation and dispute resolution group includes business litigation. Thomas M. Looney focuses on commercial litigation, real estate and title insurance litigation, insurance coverage, business litigation and appellate matters.

Jonathan M. Hixon also focuses on business litigation. A civil case generally moves through pleadings, motions, discovery and a resolution by agreement or court decision. An appeal centers on the existing record, claimed legal errors and written arguments submitted under strict procedural rules.

Litigation also overlaps with the firm's other groups. A loan dispute may turn on security documents and creditor priority. A property case may require review of title records, purchase documents or zoning decisions. Those connections arise directly from the practice areas the firm names.

Employment and private client work

Workplace advice and investigations

Employers face recurring questions about policies, legal compliance and employee concerns. The employment group provides advice and compliance work. The firm also lists employment investigations, which may address workplace complaints and the facts surrounding them.

A workplace investigation usually begins by defining the issue and preserving relevant records. The investigator may review policies, messages and other documents, then interview people with direct knowledge. The final work may include factual findings and advice about the employer's next steps.

Co-Managing Partner Lauren A. Solar provides legal services in real estate, employment and labor, and bankruptcy matters. She graduated from St. Thomas University School of Law in 2003. Her listed fields add employment experience to a leadership team that also covers finance and property work.

Estate planning and probate

Individuals also appear among the firm's stated clients. The estate planning group covers wills, trusts and estate planning, along with probate and estate administration. The firm lists probate litigation as well.

Estate planning commonly involves decisions about asset distribution, fiduciary appointments and the use of trusts. Probate administration addresses court filings, estate assets, creditor claims and distributions under a will or applicable law. Probate litigation may concern the validity of documents, fiduciary conduct or disagreements among interested parties.

This work gives the firm a personal legal service alongside its commercial groups. It may also connect with closely held and family businesses when ownership interests form part of an estate. The published practice list supports both planning and dispute work in this field.

How the lawyer roster is built

Management and finance lawyers

Two co-managing partners lead the named team. Lauren A. Solar brings the mixed practice described above. Brian F. Plunkett covers creditor debtor rights, banking, business and corporate matters, and real estate.

Plunkett attended the University of Pennsylvania Law School and earned his juris doctor degree in 1988. Matthew D. Ray is a partner focused on banking and real estate. Their listed work aligns with the firm's services for financial institutions and commercial property clients.

Kimberly L. Martin-Epstein focuses on banking, commercial real estate and affordable housing finance. She earned a Bachelor of Arts from Cornell University in 1991 and a Juris Doctor from the University of Wisconsin Law School in 1996. Before joining the firm, she worked as a Loan Program Manager at Boston Community Capital.

Corporate, real estate and litigation partners

Christopher M. Sacht works across banking, business and real estate law. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from Cornell University in 1995 and a Juris Doctor from Boston College Law School in 2000. His listed fields match three of the firm's main commercial groups.

Thomas M. Looney earned a Bachelor of Arts from Harvard University in 1983 and a Juris Doctor from Boston College Law School in 1989. Jonathan M. Hixon graduated from the University of Miami School of Law in 2012. Hixon's stated focus is business litigation.

The partner list also includes Lauren M. Ruggles, Richard W. Kraft and Joseph E. Brooks. Ruggles lists general practice as her area of work. The wider roster includes partners, of counsel lawyers, associates and paralegals, along with a chief operating officer.