Press Release

Well-known environmental and land use lawyers Thomas A. Mackie, John F. Shea,
and Peter F. Durning join the firm along with their entire team

Boston, MA, September 6, 2022 – Burns & Levinson LLP today announced that the members of Mackie Shea Durning PC, the highly-regarded environmental law, land use and related litigation law firm, have joined the firm’s Real Estate and Environmental Groups. The new attorneys include: John Shea and Peter Durning as Partners, Thomas Mackie as Senior Counsel, Peter Vetere as an Associate, and Gail Hire as Of Counsel. With the addition of this team, Burns & Levinson will have one of the largest environmental practices in the region.

Tom Mackie represents businesses and municipalities facing complex environmental issues involving solid waste, recycling and renewable energy facility siting; hazardous waste cleanup; private and public environmental contracting; facility acquisition; environmental due diligence; host community agreements; cost recovery cases under CERCLA and M.G.L. c. 21E; and litigation of permit appeals.

John Shea focuses his environmental and land use law practice on permitting and appeals for wetlands, water (drinking, wastewater, stormwater), air emissions, and hazardous waste cleanup laws. He is recognized for his work securing approvals for complex and controversial projects, developing environmental compliance plans for pro-active and troubled companies, and successfully defending permits and enforcement actions in administrative and court appeals. He has been a Hearing Officer in over 40 solid waste site assignment proceedings.

Peter Durning represents clients in environmental litigation, enforcement defense and land use permitting and appeals, with a specific focus on water and wetlands matters. His experience includes adjudicatory hearings before the MassDEP, zoning disputes, judicial review of administrative proceedings, trials and appellate work.

“We are excited to transition our practices and team to Burns & Levinson,” said Peter Durning. “We have extremely synergistic practices and are looking forward to working with our talented new colleagues and helping to grow the firm’s environmental group.”

Burns & Levinson shares a number of clients, including Clean Harbors, and overlapping industry expertise with Mackie Shea Durning (MSD) in scrap recycling, solid waste and hazardous waste. MSD represents a leading global metals recycler and Burns & Levinson serves as outside general counsel to the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, which is the key trade association for metals recycling. Recently another MSD client, one of the largest solid waste disposal companies in the U.S., purchased JRM Hauling and Recycling Services, represented by Burns & Levinson.

MSD has a Tier 1 ranking in Environmental Law and Environmental Litigation in the state by U.S. News – Best Lawyers, and is ranked among the top Massachusetts Environmental Law Firms by Chambers USA. The MSD partners are also individually ranked by Best Lawyers and Chambers USA as among the best environmental attorneys and environmental litigators in Massachusetts. Shea was selected in 2013 as Environmental Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers. All three lawyers serve important roles in business, bar and non-profit organizations. Durning and Shea have been Chairs and Co-Chairs of the Boston Bar Association Environmental Section’s Hazardous Waste, Solid Waste and Environmental Litigation Committees. Mackie was Chair of the Board of the Directors of the Environmental Business Council of New England (EBC), and in 2018 he received the prestigious Steven G. Lewis Award for Service to the Environmental Industry. In addition, they regularly speak at statewide industry and water supply conferences, and are authors of chapters in the MCLE Environmental Law treatise, and other leading publications.