Donovan Hatem: John McDonnell

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John McDonnell practices in:
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John McDonnell

Of-counsel

617-406-4536 Direct Telephone
617-406-4501 Facsimile

Experience

Since joining Donovan Hatem’s Professional Practices Group in April 2005, John has been representing architects, engineers, and surveyors in complex insurance defense matters. He has more than 27 years of experience in the design and construction field. In addition to being a practicing attorney for the past 14 years, he is also a licensed professional civil engineer in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, and a professional land surveyor and licensed construction supervisor in Massachusetts. John has managed the defense of complex construction claims prior to litigation, handled complex civil litigation matters through the litigation process, and has defended multi-million dollar claims brought by contractors and owners against design professionals through the alternative dispute resolution (ADR) process of mediation. John has successfully resolved numerous claims through the mediation process prior to arbitration phase. Several of John’s insurance defense matters involve design-build projects where, in working with the design professional to defend the claims, he has been able to apply his past design-build experience as an attorney for the Route 3 North Design/Build Project.

John also practices in the area of land use and environmental permitting, where he provides advice to clients on permitting for all types of construction projects. His work on permitting experience ranges from securing residential construction to certain permits necessary for the Route 3 Design/Build project. As a member of the Town of Andover Planning Board since 2001 and as one of Andover’s representatives to the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission (MVPC), John has gained valuable experience in the area of land use law and is also working with the Planning Staff on Smart Growth Initiatives, Low Impact Development, and Form Based Zoning for the Town.

Along with his law degree, John’s undergraduate and master degrees in civil engineering have given him the ability to handle complex, technical, claim and litigation matters. Another aspect of John’s past experience relates to his involvement with Design-Build construction projects. He has been involved at all levels, from the earliest stages of the project small projects where he has developed a multi-family residential projects and also has been involved in the delivery of the Route 3 North project, a 21 mile highway reconstruction project from the earliest stages through substantial completion. From 1999 to 2003, John was the legal counsel and project manager for the Executive Office of Transportation. He worked with a team of engineers and attorneys who developed contract documents and secured various environmental permits for the Route 3 North Design/Build project.

Prior to joining Donovan Hatem LLP in 2005, John was an Administrative Law Judge with the Massachusetts Highway Department (“MHD”). In this position, he heard and decided construction and design claims brought by contractors and consultants against MHD. The matters he handled included several complex differing site condition claims, as well as, complex claims related to consultants’ design fees.

Admitted to Practice

Massachusetts

Business and Professional Associations

Massachusetts Bar Association
Massachusetts Association of Land Surveyors and Civil Engineers
Design Build Institute of America

Education

New England School of Law (J.D., 1994)
University of Massachusetts, Lowell (M.S., Civil Engineering, 1990)
University of Massachusetts Amherst (B.S., Civil Engineering, 1981)

Recent Articles and Publications

John’s Master’s degree work/research on the behavior of pile foundations during driving is incorporated into FHWA Publication, DTFH61-92-6-00038, “A Simplified Field Method for Evaluating the Capacity of Driven Piles.”

Speaking Engagements

He lectures on design build construction, at forums including the AASHTO, DBIA, ACEC, BSCE, American Association of Cost Engineers, and the University of Massachusetts, Lowell.

Additional Information

John has also been a member of the Town of Andover Planning Board since 2001, and is one of Andover’s representatives to the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission (MVPC). John is a youth sports coach in Andover where he coaches his sons’ hockey, baseball, and soccer teams. He was also an ice hockey referee for more than 25 years, including 10 years as a Division I College ice hockey referee.