Adam Joseph Costa

Adam J. Costa is an attorney with the firm of Mead, Talerman & Costa, LLC, with offices in Millis and Newburyport, Massachusetts.

Adam works with a varied clientele including municipalities, private developers and other individuals. He advises municipal clients on a wide range of topics, from substantive matters such as bylaw enforcement and property sales/acquisitions to procedural matters such as procurement and Open Meeting Law compliance. Representing both municipal and private clients, Adam has extensive experience with Chapter 40B development, the adoption of Chapter 40R smart growth zoning and expedited permitting under Chapter 43D. Adam is also well-versed in all aspects of residential and commercial real estate law.

Adam frequently represents clients in the District Courts, Superior Courts, Housing Court and Land Court, as well as before administrative agencies including the Housing Appeals Committee (HAC), the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the Appellate Tax Board (ATB) and the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission (ABCC). Adam has successfully argued before the Massachusetts Appeals Court on multiple occasions. Representing a municipal client, Adam defended its denial of the protections afforded nonconformities to a structure that was not lawfully in existence at the time of its creation. See Godfrey v. Board of Appeals of Lancaster, 71 Mass. App. Ct. 1118 (2008). Adam also rebuffed an effort by a group of residents in a different municipality to prevent the sale of property for the development of an age-restricted affordable housing project. See Baun v. Board of Selectmen of Ashland, 87 Mass. App. Ct. 1130 (2015).

Specialties: Adam’s practice includes municipal, land use/zoning and real estate law. Adam is admitted to the practice of law in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the State of New Hampshire, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts and the U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire.