Experience

Attorney Kathleen O'Donnell has nearly 30 years of experience as a real estate practitioner and is one of the leading experts in the Commonwealth in Chapter 40R. She is a past President of the Real Estate Bar Association and has served as chair of the Property Law Section Council of the Massachusetts Bar Association. Her experience includes counseling municipalities on the purchase and sale of real property, particularly the acquisition of conservation land and restrictions with community preservation act funds; serving as tax title counsel handling the foreclosure of tax takings through the Land Court and the sale of tax title parcels through public auction; and providing assistance to municipalities considering the adoption of smart growth zoning overlay districts under c. 40R. Attorney O’Donnell is a frequent lecturer on real estate issues for MCLE, REBA and the MBA.

Attorney O’Donnell also represents cities and towns on a variety of general municipal law issues, including town meetings, municipal charters and by-laws, conflict of interests, public records, the Open Meeting Law, and municipal finance.

Representative Matters

• Served on the Governor’s Task Force on Chapter 40B and worked on the legislation creating municipal affordable housing trusts which gives greater flexibility to municipalities seeking to use community preservation facts for the creation of affordable housing.
• Served on the advisory committee that drafted Chapter 40R legislation and on the advisory committee that drafted the subsequent regulations adopted by DHCD.
• Assisted in the approval of two of the first three Chapter 40R Smart Growth overlay districts in the Commonwealth

Prior Experience

Lawyers Title Insurance Corporation, Boston, MA
Title Attorney (1979-1982)
Senior Title Attorney (1982-1985)
Negotiated title insurance coverages on commercial and residential real estate, resolved title issues arising in connection with the insurance of air rights parcels, waterfront property, ground leases, condominium projects, and environmental risks.

Real Estate Law, Boston University Metropolitan College, Boston, MA
Adjunct Professor (1988-1997)

Memberships & Affiliations

• The Abstract Club
• Real Estate Bar Association for Massachusetts; President (2001); Board of Director (1993-2003)
• Chair, Property Law Section, Massachusetts Bar Association (2003-2006)
• Public Law Section Council, Massachusetts Bar Association
• New England Women in Real Estate
• President, Dedham Choral Society (2005-2008)

Bar & Court Admission

• Massachusetts Bar

Education

University of Miami School of Law
Juris Doctor, 1977
Specialization: Ocean and Coastal Law

Boston College
Bachelor of Arts, magna cum laude, 1974

Publications

• Editor, Massachusetts Real Estate Law Sourcebook & Citator, Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, 2007
• Author, Examining and Evaluating Title to Real Property in Massachusetts, PESI, 2003
• Editor, Handling Residential Real Estate Transactions in Massachusetts, Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, 1996 and subsequent editions

Speaking Engagements

• “Complex Title Issues,” Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, 1986-present
• “Real Estate Issues for Boomers and Seniors,” Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, September 24, 2007
• “Current Topics in Municipal Affordable Housing,” Boston Bar Association, September 6, 2007
• “Recent Real Estate Cases,” Massachusetts Bar Association Annual Meeting, March 2, 2007

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