Services provided include:

For Landowners

• Counsel in all aspects of real estate transactions, including negotiating and preparing purchase and sale agreements, conveyance and loan documents, and leases; and conducting closings;
  
• Estate planning, including minimizing the impact of federal and state estate and inheritance taxes, planning for the transfer of family lands, and charitable giving.
  
• Negotiating and drafting conservation easements and land use agreements;
  
• Representation in environmental compliance, zoning and land use matters;
  
• Title research and preparation of title abstracts;
  
• Representing taxpayers in proceedings before the Internal Revenue Service and state tax authorities, including audits of land conservation transactions.

For Land Trusts:

• Counsel on organizational matters, tax exempt status and related issues;
  
• Negotiating and drafting conservation easements and land use agreements.
  
• Negotiating and litigating easement enforcement matters.

Municipal Law:

• Representation of businesses and individuals before municipal zoning boards of adjustment and planning boards;
  
• Representation of municipalities with respect to land use and local government law;
  
• Litigation concerning municipal real estate taxation.

ATTORNEYS OF THE CONSERVATION LAW GROUP

Paul H. MacDonald. Paul has been practicing law in New Hampshire since 1991. Paul has wide-ranging experience in land use, real estate, conservation law and municipal law matters. He is Vice-Chair of the Concord Conservation Trust Board.
E-mail: paul@ranspell.com

Thomas N. Masland. Tom has been practicing law in New Hampshire since 1978 and joined Ransmeier & Spellman in 1992. Tom is a frequent lecturer and workshop leader on estate planning techniques for protecting family real estate holdings and on conservation law. He is on the Boards of the Concord Conservation Trust and the Turkey River Basin Trust.