Amy B. Hackett

Amy Hackett is a Partner in Peckar & Abramson PC’s Boston, Massachusetts office, where she focuses her practice on Litigation – Construction. She represents general contractors, public and private owners, developers, and financial institutions in complex construction, real estate, and commercial disputes throughout New England and in other jurisdictions.

Amy counsels and advocates for clients in matters involving construction contract claims, design and construction defect disputes, payment controversies, mechanic’s liens, warranty claims, and lease and build-out issues. Prior to joining Peckar & Abramson, she served as in-house counsel for a public authority providing water and wastewater services to more than 3.1 million customers in the greater Boston area, where she handled construction litigation, pre-litigation construction claims, and related matters.

Amy regularly appears in state and federal courts across New England and has briefed and argued matters before the Massachusetts Appeals Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. She approaches each matter by developing a thorough, business-oriented strategy designed to address legal risk, project considerations, and cost efficiency from the outset.

Amy’s representative experience includes:

• Representing a Texas-based EPC contractor in more than 11 actions in Maine and Massachusetts state and federal courts involving payment and performance disputes and mechanic’s lien claims on five solar projects, with more than $5 million at issue.
• Representing a design-build contractor in a breach of contract dispute exceeding $70 million arising from the expansion and renovation of manufacturing facilities in Pennsylvania and Iowa.
• Securing an arbitration award for a commercial tenant in a $6 million California lease dispute involving alleged delays in build-out and fit-out of flexible workspace.
• Representing a public authority in litigation alleging defective design and construction of replacement pipelines, with more than $2 million in dispute.
• Successfully opposing an action to stay arbitration of claims alleging violations of the New York Prompt Payment Act in connection with a $26 million construction project on behalf of a general contractor in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
• Representing a real estate developer in Massachusetts Superior Court in a regulatory takings action involving municipal restrictions on access to property valued at more than $15.5 million.
• Handling pre-litigation construction claims for a public authority related to alleged defective work on a hydro turbine generator.
• Defending a commercial landlord in an $8 million breach of lease action brought in Massachusetts Superior Court.
• Defending a general contractor in proceedings before the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts to confirm a $5 million foreign arbitration award related to an overseas construction project.
• Opposing summary judgment on claims alleging misrepresentation and unfair and deceptive trade practices arising from a construction project.
• Representing a real estate developer in insurance coverage and bad faith litigation stemming from the collapse of buildings in Massachusetts.
• Achieving a favorable appellate decision in the Massachusetts Appeals Court involving a dispute over a contract for the sale of commercial property.

In addition to her construction litigation practice, Amy has experience representing residential and commercial lenders, loan servicers, and other business entities in matters involving breach of contract claims, shareholder disputes, intentional torts, real estate title issues, and alleged violations of state and federal consumer protection statutes, including unfair and deceptive trade practices.

Amy is a member of the Boston Bar Association, the Real Estate Bar Association for Massachusetts, AGC of Massachusetts, and Construction Industries of Massachusetts. She has been recognized by Best Lawyers and was previously named to the Massachusetts Super Lawyers Rising Star list. Amy earned her J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law, her M.A. from the University of Massachusetts Boston, and her B.A. from Connecticut College.