DUNNING - Key Persons
Brian F. Garner was born in Brookline, Massachusetts in 1957 and presently resides in Sandwich, MA. He graduated from Framingham South High School in 1974. Brian was awarded a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the College of the Holy Cross in 1980.
He graduated from Northeastern University Law School in 1985 and was admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the United States District Court, Boston District, in 1986. He joined the Worcester firm of Bowditch & Dewey in 1985 and joined this firm in 1987.
Brian has sat on several municipal boards and was elected to the Sandwich Planning Board. Brian presently counts among his clients a number of local banks, small businesses and municipal housing authorities. His areas of concentration are real estate, banking, business, commercial loan transactions and bankruptcy.
Christopher A. Veara was born on Cape Cod and presently resides in Brewster. A graduate of Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School in 1992, he went on to obtain a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science and Criminal Justice from Florida Atlantic University in 1999 and a Juris Doctorate from the Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law in Fort Lauderdale, FL in 2002.
Between the years of 2002 and 2016, as an associate with the law firm Zisson & Veara, P.C. in Dennis, Massachusetts, Mr. Veara litigated a wide range of cases in both state and federal courts including private contract disputes, criminal defense, personal injury claims, divorces, custody disputes, restraining orders, landlord/tenant matters, probate of wills, boundary disputes, easement and restrictive covenant enforcement, permitting, zoning, and condominium law. Additionally, he managed municipal issues within the Office of Town Counsel for the Towns of Brewster and Truro, Massachusetts.
From 2016 to 2019, Mr. Veara practiced law in the southeastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey region with a primary focus on personal injury litigation.
Christopher J. Kirrane was born in Sandwich, Massachusetts and presently resides there. He graduated from Sandwich High School in 1997. He attended The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. where he received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the Elliott School of International Affairs in 2001.
He received his Juris Doctor Degree from The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law in 2004. He was an editor of the Columbus School of Law's Journal of Contemporary Health Law and Policy. While in law school he worked for Congressman William Delahunt in the Congressman's Washington, D.C. office and for the National Association of Home Builders. He is admitted to practice in Massachusetts, in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces and for the United States Tax Court. He is a former member and Chairman of the Town of Sandwich Conservation Commission. He is also Current President of the Board of Directors of Community Connections, Inc. He was admitted to practice law in the Commonwealth in 2004 and is a member of the Massachusetts and Barnstable County Bar Associations.
Attorney Kirrane's practice includes civil litigation, residential and commercial real estate, employment, landlord/tenant and condominium association law.
Elizabeth A. McNichols was born in Washington, D.C and presently resides in Barnstable. She attended high school in San Diego, California, where she graduated in 1973. She attended Dartmouth College and the University of California at San Diego, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, graduating Magna Cum Laude in 1977.
Liz then attended law school at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., where she graduated with Honors. During the period she was attending law school, she worked full-time for the Senate Judiciary Committee Staff of Senator Charles "Mac" Mathias, (R. Maryland.)
Liz was admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 1981, and joined the firm in 1982. She has been a board member of various educational and charitable organizations. Liz is currently the Chair of the Board of Cape Symphony and Conservatory, and was formerly Chair of the Board of Cape Cod Academy, where she continues as a Life Trustee of the school. She concentrates in commercial and residential real estate, asset based lending and general business.
Jessica C. Sommer was born in Pittsburgh, PA and presently resides in Sandwich. She attended high school in Pittsburgh, where she graduated in 1996. She was awarded a Bachelor of Arts in History and English from Wesleyan University in 2000. Jess then attended law school at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law where she graduated cum laude in 2005. While at law school, Jess was an editor of the Law Review, and received numerous academic awards including the Robert DeBroff Prize, for the highest achievement in corporate law. She was admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 2005, and joined the firm in 2014. Prior to joining DKM&G, Jess worked at Ropes & Gray in Boston as a corporate associate and later at the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights and Economic Justice as the Director of the Economic Justice Project. She concentrates in real estate and general business.
Kevin M. Kirrane was born in Boston (Jamaica Plain), Massachusetts and presently resides in Sandwich. He is a graduate of Boston Latin and University of Massachusetts, Boston where he was President of his graduating class and earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History. He received his J.D. Degree, Cum Laude from Suffolk University Law School. Thereafter, he served as an Assistant Attorney General, under Francis X. Bellotti between 1976 and 1982, when he joined the firm.
He has served his community as a member and Chairman of the Sandwich Zoning Board of Appeals, member of the Sandwich Master Plan Committee and Cable Access Committee. He is a member of the Barnstable County Bar Association and has served as a member of its Executive Committee. He is a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association and a fellow of the Massachusetts Bar Foundation. He is a member of the Real Estate Bar Association and a member of its Zoning and Land Use Committee. He formerly served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Sandwich Area Cable Access Television Corporation as a member of the Board of Directors of the Boys and Girls Club of Cape Cod. He currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Mashpee Chamber of Commerce. He is a past President of the Pocasset Golf Club and currently serves as a member of its Board of Governors.
He is admitted to practice before all Courts of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the United States District Court, Boston District and the United States Supreme Court. His practice emphasizes real estate conveyancing, both residential and commercial, zoning and municipal permitting work, and civil litigation.
Michael A. Dunning was born in Weymouth, Massachusetts, and presently resides on Cape Cod in the town of Barnstable. He graduated from Weymouth High School and from the University of Notre Dame, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. He received his law degree from the University of Chicago Law School.
After admittance to the Illinois Bar in 1966, Dunning practiced with the Chicago firm of Mandel & Lipton, and acted as general counsel to Miller-Davis Construction Company, a large Mid-West commercial and institutional contractor. He was a co-founder of the law firm in 1974. He has served on the Board of Directors and as Corporator of local financial institutions. He has also served on The Board of Directors of Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce and the Cape Cod YMCA. He currently is a commissioner of the Barnstable Municipal Airport Commission and served as Chairman for four years. Dunning is a member of the Barnstable County Bar Association and the Massachusetts Bar Association and has served on the Board of Directors of Real Estate Bar of Massachusetts (REBA), where he served as Chairman of the Title Insurance and National Affairs Committee. Dunning was admitted to practice in State and Federal courts in Illinois, and in Massachusetts since 1970. He concentrates on real estate, zoning, bank and business matters.
Patricia McGauley was born in Hartford, Connecticut. She is a graduate of South Catholic High School in Hartford, CT and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Fairfield University in 1994.
Patty received a Juris Doctor degree from the Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law in 1997 and was admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 1997. While in law school, Patty worked as a legal intern for the Honorable Judge Kaye K. Christian of the District of Columbia Superior Court. Prior to joining the firm as an associate, Patty was a law clerk for the firm in 1995 and 1996 as well as an associate from 1997 to 2002. Patty serves as a member of the Fairfield University College of Arts and Sciences Advisory Board.
In 2006, she rejoined the firm as Of Counsel practicing in the areas of estate planning, probate matters and the general representation of Spanish speaking clients. She is currently a member of the Massachusetts Bar Association and the Barnstable County Bar Association. She resides in Newton and Orleans, Massachusetts with her husband and two children.