About Us

The experience to understand problems and envision solutions.

To our clients we bring an understanding of the needs and nuances of local government, applying private sector analysis to public issues. We take an accessible, cost-effective, hands-on and goal-oriented approach that combines diligence with professionalism, enabling us to envision creative solutions and achieve positive lasting results.

We are knowledgeable, experienced municipal lawyers who understand local government and the operational realities and fiscal limitations of cities, towns and school districts. In addition to our core expertise in municipal law and public construction, we specialize in municipal labor and employment law, municipal real estate, land use and zoning.

Experience. Service. Solutions.
In the public interest.

As specialists in public and municipal law, our ability to effectively get to the heart of problems sets us apart. We are able to quickly understand your challenges and find creative solutions that meet your needs.

MEET THE TEAM

Committed

Chris Petrini founded P&A in 2004 as a boutique firm specializing in municipal law after practicing as a litigation partner at Conn Kavanaugh, a well-respected mid-sized Boston firm. In building P&A, Chris has created a firm that is recognized and respected across the state for its top-notch lawyers, its unwavering commitment to its clients and its excellence in municipal law and public construction counseling and litigation.

Experienced

P&A attorneys collectively possess over 100 years of practice experience. Representative transactions, settlements and litigation outcomes include successful prosecution and skilled handling of well over 400 lawsuits involving cities and towns, providing land use and zoning advice, and defending land use litigation, negotiation and enforcement of intermunicipal agreements governing shared sewer and water infrastructure, evaluation and negotiation of personnel disputes and severances, resolution of multi-million dollar and multiple party complex construction claims through litigation, mediation and arbitration, and municipal real estate transactions.

Award-Winning Attorneys

In recent years, P&A attorneys have been recognized as Top 100 Lawyers in New England, New England Super Lawyers and New England Rising Stars by New England Super Lawyers Magazine on over 20 separate occasions, an unusual accomplishment for a firm of P&A’s size. The publisher, New England Super Lawyers, Thomson-Reuters, selects only 5% of the practicing lawyers in New England for the Super Lawyer honor, and the Top 100 list is an even more selective group chosen from the New England Super Lawyers for that year. Additionally, Chris Petrini has been recognized as a Top Construction Lawyer nationally by American Lawyer Magazine. In 2017, Chris received the Massachusetts Municipal Lawyers Association President’s Award, its highest award, for his commitment and longstanding service to municipal law.

Pre-eminent Public Construction and Infrastructure Practice Group

The attorneys in P&A’s Public Construction and Infrastructure Practice Group have been recognized at the state and national level for their expertise, judgment and savvy in handling a broad variety of public construction disputes and litigation. P&A provides advice and representation to public owners at all stages of vertical and horizontal construction projects. Our clients include cities, towns, school districts, water and sewer districts, and public agencies in this specialized area of practice. Since P&A’s founding in 2004, we have represented dozens of public owners in public construction litigation and infrastructure disputes, including cases involving:

  • Contractual disputes arising from the bidding process, including bid protests

  • Claims alleging differing site conditions

  • Claims in quantum meruit to recover disputed balances

  • Claims seeking liquidated damages for delay

  • Claims for breach of contract arising from default by contractors

  • Intermuncipal litigation over the allocation of shared public infrastructure costs and services

Value Conscious

P&A offers large firm expertise at competitive rates. We are intimately familiar with and committed to working within the budgetary limitations and restrictions faced by our public sector clients. We provide cost-effective and targeted services, with the level of effort and costs calibrated to the relative impact and complexity of the matter, to help achieve your legal goals on time and on budget.

Accessible & Engaged

P&A attorneys are accessible, engaged, and responsive. We leanly staff our cases and our experienced attorneys are available to promptly answer questions and help you make the most informed decision.

 
 

The boundless energy to serve clients and the public interest.

 

When legal issues arise, the nuances of local government demand a specialized approach. That’s why so many municipal entities turn to us. Our public sector background gives our firm a unique ability to understand your problems and find solutions with enthusiasm, commitment, and vision.