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Stephanie Kiefer focuses her legal practice on environmental, land use and zoning law, including permitting and appeals. Over the past fifteen years, Ms. Kiefer has been involved in broad ranging projects and associated permitting of wetlands, waterways, sewer and septic, endangered species and MEPA, traditional zoning and subdivision permitting as well as alternate zoning schemes, such as Chapter 40B and Chapter 40R. Stephanie has been active in the permitting of one of the first smart growth zoning developments in the Commonwealth and likewise was a part of the permitting team for the first Tax Credit Exchange program development with funding through the ARRA, reviving developments which faltered with the collapse of the tax credit market.
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AREAS OF EXPERTISE
Land Use and Development Law
Environmental Permitting and Appeals
Zoning and Subdivision Law and Appeals
Affordable Housing and Smart
Growth Zoning
BAR ADMISSIONS
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
U.S. District Court, Massachusetts
EDUCATION
Vermont Law School,
M.S.E.L., magna cum laude, 1995
Boston University,
J.D., 1994
Ohio University,
B.S./B.A. in Journalism and French,
summa cum laude, 1991
MEMBERSHIPS
Massachusetts Bar Association
American Bar Association
Real Estate Bar Association
Boston Area Vermont Law School Alumni Association
| Stephanie Kiefer focuses her legal practice on environmental, land use and zoning law, including permitting and appeals. Over the past fifteen years, Ms. Kiefer has been involved in broad ranging projects and associated permitting of wetlands, waterways, sewer and septic, endangered species and MEPA, traditional zoning and subdivision permitting as well as alternate zoning schemes, such as Chapter 40B and Chapter 40R. Stephanie has been active in the permitting of one of the first smart growth zoning developments in the Commonwealth and likewise was a part of the permitting team for the first Tax Credit Exchange program development with funding through the ARRA, reviving developments which faltered with the collapse of the tax credit market.
Ms. Kiefer has also served as special environmental counsel in real estate conveyancing, involving hazardous waste releases and clean-up, brownfields redevelopment and rehabilitation of existing developments.
In addition to permitting work, Stephanie represents clients in both administrative forums and before the trial and appellate courts in pursuing permits and defending permit challenges, resolving land use disputes and zoning compliance, and resolving land ownership disputes.
Prior to joining Smolak and Vaughan, Stephanie had served of counsel to Freeman Davis LLC in its Boston office and had been both an associate and partner at Rubin and Rudman LLP in its Environmental and Land Use Department.
In addition to her practice, Stephanie has presented seminars to commercial and residential real estate brokers through the Greater Boston Real Estate Board/Commercial Brokers Association continuing education series on the topics of zoning and building code as well as wetlands regulation. Ms. Kiefer has also authored several articles on changes to wetlands regulations, standing in environmental appeals, brownfields redevelopment and environmental issues in lending, appearing in Banker and Tradesman, Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly and the Association of Massachusetts Wetlands Scientists newsletters.
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