Government Relations

The Government Relations practice at Donovan Hatem LLP assists many clients in their varied relationships and interactions with public entities ranging from the federal government to local boards and commissions.

In addition to representing businesses, institutions and individuals, the Government Relations Group has advised several municipalities and several states in numerous matters. The firm and its members have also served as Town Counselor, and continue to serve as special Town Counsel to several municipalities.

The Government Relations Group has increasingly become involved with a significant percentage of the firm’s clients, especially those whose business dealings regularly bring them into contact with government agencies or publicly funded projects. This has included offering counsel on public procurement and contracting for private goods and services, as well as strategic planning for projects that require government licensing, permitting or other approvals.

When necessary, the firm can bring together attorneys from different practices of law, such as litigation, corporate and environmental, to match a particular client’s specific needs. This allows the client to receive the appropriate legal expertise while maintaining continuity of service within one law firm.

The Government Relations practice includes attorneys with public sector experience who, while working in the public sector, participated in the drafting and enacting of key legislation, and also played leadership roles in establishing the protocols and processes for enforcement of that legislation. Consequently, the firm possesses an especially keen grasp of the details of particular laws, and also the processes that public agencies are obligated to follow.

Donovan Hatem’s experience includes representing clients with matters pending before the Department of Environmental Protection, Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, Alcohol Beverage Control Commission, Department of the Attorney General, State Ethics Commission, and the Department of Labor and Industries. The firm also analyzes and interprets new or pending legislation and regulations.

The firm helps clients in diverse businesses, including architecture, engineering, design, and information technology to prepare proposals or bids to sell goods and services to government entities.

The firm’s public clients are municipalities and government agencies who rely on the firm for comprehensive legal advice and services, including litigation. When asked to serve as counsel or special counsel to cities and towns, Donovan Hatem builds teams of attorneys from different areas of the law to serve these municipalities on issues such as land use and zoning, employment and labor, public health and environmental.