Tess Edwards

Tess Edwards advises clients on a broad range of land use matters. Tess specializes in zoning and permitting matters — from supporting commercial and residential developers in obtaining local and wetlands permits, to litigating those permits on appeal. She also advises clients on real estate transactions, including acquisitions, leasing, and development of residential subdivisions, multifamily residential, medical, industrial, marina, and hotel properties.

Tess has a passion for renewable energy development and supports utility-scale solar and battery energy storage developers in permitting, financing, and contracting. She has also represented landowners and municipalities in leasing land to energy developers by reviewing leases, PPAs, and PILOT agreements. Tess also regularly advises renewable energy investors by reviewing and advising on existing project portfolios.

Drawing on her prior experience at the Land Court, she also assists individual property owners with complex title matters, affordable housing law, municipal law, and property disputes, including withdrawing land from Article 97, Chapter 61, 61A, 61B, and permitting coastal structures under Chapter 91 and the Wetlands Protection Act.

Prior to joining Pierce Atwood, Tess spent two years as law clerk to the Honorable Robert B. Foster of the Land Court Department of the Massachusetts Trial Court.

During law school, Tess was president of the Environmental Law Society and an instructor at law in Boston College’s Environmental Law Teaching Program. She gained experience in environmental and real estate law through her legal internships with Vineyard Wind, the Land Court (Hon. Michael D. Vhay), the Environmental Protection Division of the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, and the U.S. Department of Interior’s Solicitor’s Office in Boston.

Tess also served as a student attorney with the Boston College Civil Litigation Clinic, representing clients before the housing and family courts.