James G. Grillo Esq. - a Lexington, United States Construction Litigation Lawyer

Lexington Construction Litigation Lawyer

Updated: 03/18/2026

Areas of Practice

Construction Litigation
Contract Negotiation
Public Project Bid Protests
Mechanic's Liens
Bond Claims
Civil Litigation
Business Formation
Mediation and Arbitration

Attorney Information

Overview

James was born and raised in northern New Jersey. After graduating Rutgers College of Engineering with a Bachelors of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering, he decided to pursue a career in law. The corporate law school at Widener University School of Law in Wilmington, Delaware provided an excellent environment for James to immerse himself in the law following the rigors of engineering school. He excelled in law school, graduating with honors, and, following graduation, accepted a 1 year position in New Jersey Court System as law clerk to the Honorable Gerald C. Escala, Presiding Judge of the Superior Court, in Hackensack, New Jersey. Judge Escala was a friend, mentor and excellent advisor, allowing James invaluable insight and experience not only with regard to legal issues, but also into the proper conduct of a lawyer and the profession in general.

At the conclusion of the clerkship, James made the move to the Boston area and spent 18 months at a firm specializing in medical malpractice defense. Due to the nature of insurance defense and in particular the representation of professionals, the opportunities for a young lawyer to represent clients both in and out of court were particularly important to his continuing development as a lawyer.

Having gotten a proper background in practical litigation skills, James decided to put his engineering degree to work in 2000 by joining Heafitz & Sullivan, an established boutique law firm specializes in complex litigation focused on public and private contracts, construction and engineering related matters. The focused work involved contract disputes, Attorney General Bid Protests, bond claims, mechanic's liens, development, real estate, environmental, health and safety issues as well as traditional general counsel, breach of contract and payment issues and dispute management common in commercial litigation. As part of this practice, James:

Provides general counsel services and legal issue management to a wide range of public and private clients.
Has extensive litigation experience, arbitration, trial and appeals in the Federal and State courts, including the Supreme Judicial Court and the First Circuit Court of Appeals.
Drafts and negotiates contracts for owners, developers, contractors, subcontractors, suppliers and design professionals on public and private projects.
Negotiates and resolve complex payment, breach of contract and scope of work disputes for public and private sector construction.
Has a strong knowledge of construction, engineering, real estate, insurance, environmental and contract law.

Personal Interests

Mountain Biking
Youth Sports Coach (Football and Soccer)
Accomplished Guitar Player

Education

Legal Education
- Widener University Delaware Law School, Wilmington, Delaware, 1997
  Juris Doctor
  Honors: cum laude
Non Legal Education
- Rutgers College of Engineering, New Brunswick, New Jersey, 1994
  B.S., Bachelor of Science
  Major: Civil Engineering

Current Employment Position(s)

```
Partner
```

Past Positions

Heafitz & Sullivan, LLP, Senior Associate and Attorney, 2000 - 2015
Ficksman & Conley, LLC, Litigation Associate, 1998 - 2000
Regional Administrative Judge, Bergen County Superior Court, Hackensack, NJ, Judicial Clerkship – Family and General Equity Division, 1997 - 1998

Representative Cases

Fordyce v. Town of Hanover, 457 Mass. 248 (2010): Filed an Amicus Brief on behalf of an interested third-party which was ultimately followed by the Supreme Judicial Court concerning the definition of "fraud" and its application in the public construction arena.
TLT Construction Corp v. Office of the Attorney General, Suffolk Superior Court Civil Action No. 07-05460: Successfully obtained Summary Judgment against the Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, vacating a bid protest decision which purported to find fraud by a general contractor as part of the Contractor's bid filings under M.G.L.c. 149, § 44D1/2.
Atlantic Mechanical v. Vallance, Suffolk Superior Court Civil Action No. 12-4403 - Represented a client through trial and obtained a large judgment against a former commission employee who had significantly overstated his performance in making weekly salary draw requests to the client.
Caron Building Corporation v. Permabit Technology Corporation, Middlesex Superior Court Civil Action No. 09-1296
Trace Construction v. Dana Barros Sports Complex LLC, 459 Mass. 346 (2011): Represented a subcontractor against an Owner in a matter of first impression before the Supreme Judicial Court regarding mechanic's liens and leasehold interests.

Bar Admissions

Massachusetts, 1998
U.S. Court of Appeals 1st Circuit, 1999
New Jersey, 1997
Federal District Court of New Jersey, 1997

Fraternities and Sororities

Phi Delta Phi
Nu Beta

Be the first to write a review!

There are currently no reviews for James G. Grillo Esq.. Be the first to share your experience.

Write a Review

Contact

Lexington, MA

80 Hayden Ave.
Suite 110
Lexington, MA 02421

Directions

Phone: 978-791-3750

Email: Send a message

Website: https://www.dgslawllp.com

Disclaimer

Your Profile? Update Now

When viewing a listing, consider the state advertising restrictions to which lawyers and law firms must adhere, as well as our FindLaw.com Legal Directory disclaimer. Some lawyers publish comparative information regarding the services that they provide which may be subject to specific comparative communications restrictions.

How do I choose a lawyer?

Consider the following:

Comfort Level – Are you comfortable telling the lawyer personal information? Does the lawyer seem interested in solving your problem?
Credentials – How long has the lawyer been in practice? Has the lawyer worked on other cases similar to yours?
Cost – How are the lawyer's fees structured — hourly or flat fee? Can the lawyer estimate the cost of your case?
City – Is the lawyer's office conveniently located?

Not sure what questions to ask a lawyer?

Here are a few to get you started:

How long have you been in practice?
How many cases like mine have you handled?
How often do you settle cases out of court?
What are your fees and costs?
What are the next steps?

Want to check lawyer discipline?

It is always a good idea to research your lawyer prior to hiring. Every state has a disciplinary organization that monitors attorneys, their licenses, and consumer complaints. By researching lawyer discipline you can:

Ensure the attorney is currently licensed to practice in your state
Gain an understanding of his or her historical disciplinary record, if any.
Determine the seriousness of complaints/issues which could range from late bar fees to more serious issues requiring disciplinary action.

James G. Grillo Esq. - Lexington, MA