Jeffrey P Allen | Attorney

Jeffrey P. Allen, who joined Denner Pellegrino, LLP in 2009,  is a member of the firm's executive board and chief of the firm's Civil Division.  Mr. Allen has thirty years experience in litigating complex matters in Massachusetts courts, as well as other state and federal courts throughout the United States. Recognized by his colleagues as a trial lawyer whose courtroom skills and presence give his clients a tremendous advantage, he succeeds in both the conference room and in the courtroom. Mr. Allen has appeared before countless judges and juries not only in every Massachusetts County but in Land Court, the Massachusetts Appeals Court, the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, the Supreme Court of New Hampshire, and the First Circuit Court of Appeals. His representation has taken him to courts in Vermont, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Colorado and Florida. He regularly appears before local boards and commissions, representing national corporations, real estate developers and builders and homeowners in land use regulatory matters. He has traveled to places as disparate as Costa Rica and Sweden in furtherance of his client's interests. It is also not uncommon for Mr. Allen to be found in Washington D.C., helping clients achieve their goals by formally and informally pleading their case with federal agencies and regulatory authorities. Deeply committed to his clients' lives and businesses, he is satisfied only when he has achieved a result satisfactory to his clients.

Jeffrey graduated from Boston University in 1973 and New England School of Law in 1976. He began his career as an associate in a small litigation "boutique," where he spent the first ten years of his career working alongside one of Boston's best known trial attorneys. Later, he was a partner at a premier medium-sized Boston firm, where he was soon elevated to the position of Chairman of the Management Committee. Thereafter, he joined a widely respected national firm with over three hundred lawyers. Mr. Allen joined Denner Pellegrino because his goals and those of Denner Pellegrino were so similar; namely, clients deserve the best possible legal services delivered by counsel who is a zealous advocate, a trusted counselor, and perennially aware of a clients' business goals and objectives.

Mr. Allen has handled almost every type of civil litigation. He is in the unique position of having handled complicated personal injury cases - through a jury verdict - both as plaintiff's counsel and as defense counsel. Thus, he truly understands how to win from either side of the courtroom. Mr. Allen's experience in the personal injury field includes medical malpractice, premises liability, construction accidents, product liability, and significant automobile accidents. Mr. Allen has several verdicts and settlements that have exceeded $1,000,000.00, including a fire injury case that exceeded $7,000,000.00. As defense counsel, Mr. Allen has defended a national forestry product manufacturer in numerous product liability claims and currently acts on behalf of a global travel company.

Mr. Allen's experience in business litigation is wide-ranging. He has extensive experience in litigation arising out of the termination of business relationships. Mr. Allen frequently litigates partnership disputes and, in fact, was counsel in a matter before the Supreme Court of New Hampshire in what is the country's leading case on the interpretation of key provision of the Model Business Corporation Act in the area of corporate dissolution in a shareholder dispute. Mr. Allen's practice has included the resolution of numerous contractual disputes and participation in one of Massachusetts's largest civil RICO trials.

On land use and zoning matters, Mr. Allen frequently appears in Land Court, as well as in front of numerous municipal boards, authorities and commissions. His experience includes obtaining special permits and variances, successful challenges to the denial of permits by local boards, the defense of enforcement and regulatory actions and challenges to the validity of zoning ordinances. Mr. Allen handled one of Massachusetts's leading cases on the proper method to challenge an alleged "illegal" building. In that case, Mr. Allen successfully challenged a local board's order that would have forced his client to remove the second floor of his commercial building.

Mr. Allen strongly believes that the best strategy for favorable settlement is thorough and aggressive preparation for trial. He has a passion for litigation and strongly believes that the best result is achieved by promptly analyzing a case and then designing and implementing innovative and cost-effective courtroom strategies.

Mr. Allen's thirty years of success in the courtroom have earned the respect of his clients, peers, and adversaries. He has been selected as a Super Lawyer, and so recognized by Boston Magazine.