Douglas M. McGarrah

  • Partner
  • Boston
  • 617 832 1217 direct
  • 617 832 7000 fax

As Co-Chair of Foley Hoag’s Real Estate/Land Use and Development Practice and past Chair of the firm’s Administrative Law Department, Douglas McGarrah has more than 20 years of experience helping clients complete major development and infrastructure projects. He leads multidisciplinary teams focused on expedited permitting and development of large scale retail sites, cultural facilities and office campuses and crafts and implements strategies to secure regulatory approval at all levels of government for highway and other transportation infrastructure projects.

Permitting matters on which Doug provides counsel and advice for large-scale development projects include MEPA, Wetlands, Chapter 91, highway access, transit oriented development, historic preservation and zoning-based approvals. He also helps private parties and public agencies and authorities with creative solutions to address regulatory compliance and implementation of design/build and finance techniques for more effective project completion.

Doug had substantial senior-level public experience in infrastructure development before joining Foley Hoag. From 1989 to 1991 at the Massachusetts Executive Office of Transportation and Construction, he served as Chief of Staff and Chief Legal Counsel for the Central Artery/Tunnel Project. He also served for six years as Legislative Assistant/Director of Economic Development in the office of U.S. Senator Paul E. Tsongas, and for two years was a legislative assistant to Massachusetts State Senator (now Congressman) John W. Olver.

Bars and Court Admissions

  • Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts
  • U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, First Circuit

Representative Experience

The following is a brief summary of Douglas's experience and accomplishments:

  • Drafted legislation creating the Metropolitan Highway System in Massachusetts and led original permitting of the Central Artery/Tunnel project
  • Developed and implemented a successful strategy to modify alignment of a proposed transit project, avoiding potential serious institutional disruption
  • Devised and implemented a model telecom regulation for national carriers to gain required approvals to build fiber optic networks in the City of Boston
  • Secured all approvals for two museum projects on Boston’s waterfront
  • Assisted national air carrier on all environmental and regulatory approvals for a new terminal facility at Logan International Airport

professional / civic involvement

  • Department of Environmental Protection, Commissioner’s Administrative Hearing Reform Advisory Committee (2004-2007)
  • Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, Board of Trustees (2003-present); Executive Committee (2008-present) 
  • Associated Industries of Massachusetts, Board of Directors (2002-present)
  • Boston Harbor Island Alliance, Founding Board Member; Trustee (2002-present)
  • A Better City, Member (1995-present)
  • Environmental League of Massachusetts, Director (1992-2001)
  • Greater Boston Chamber, Environment and Transportation Committees (1991-present)
  • Boston Bar Association, Member (1986-present)
  • New England Baptist Hospital, Board of Visitors (2007-present)
  • The Cape Ann Waldorf School, Board of Trustees (2000-2006)
  • Marblehead Conservation Commission, Chair (1992-2000)

SPEECHES AND CONFERENCES

  • Law Seminars International Advanced Workshop "MEPA and NEPA - New developments in implementation, litigation and legislation"
  • American Conference Institute Panel “Finding the Best Use for Your Brownfields Site and Getting it Approved”
  • Massachusetts Technology Collaborative Forum on “Building the Information Superhighway in Massachusetts: Municipalities and the Broadband Revolution”
  • American Public Works and Right-of-Way Summit on “Telecom Deployment”
  • NAIOP Conference on “Innovative Infrastructure Financing Opportunities”
  • Boston Bar Association Environmental Update-Land Use Regulation
  • Build Boston 2005, Panelist on Smart Growth and Economic Prosperity

publications

  • Mobility: The forgotten link in Mass.'s economic DNA, BOSTON BUSINESS JOURNAL (February 2008)
  • Co-author, Development Reform in Mass. Hinders New Commercial R.E., BANKER AND TRADESMAN (August 2004)
  • Time to Rethink Rules for Development in Bay State, BOSTON BUSINESS JOURNAL (November 2002)
  • Co-author, In Downturn, Municipalities Hold Key to Telecom Expansion, BANKER AND TRADESMAN (November 2001)
  • Named Massachusetts “Super Lawyer” by BOSTON MAGAZINE in 2004-2007