Tristan P. Colangelo

Biography:

Tristan assists individuals and companies to resolve disputes, including litigating matters through trial and on appeal. He represents clients in state and federal courts, as well as clients appearing before administrative and municipal boards. Tristan regularly litigates commercial and business disputes, breach of contract claims, employment agreements, including covenants not to compete or solicit, real estate and land use issues, consumer protection actions brought pursuant to Chapter 93A, and abuse prevention hearings (commonly known as restraining orders). He also represents contractors and landowners in disputes involving real estate development and landlord/tenant disputes. Tristan defends attorneys charged with ethical violations by the Office of Bar Counsel, and vigorously litigates matters seeking access to public documents under the Massachusetts Public Records Law, open meeting law and conflict of interest law.

In addition to his civil litigation practice, Tristan represents indigent defendants appealing their criminal convictions as a member of the CPCS Post Convictions and Appeals Unit. At the trial level, Tristan also represents defendants facing criminal charges and has successfully argued at pre-trial bail hearings and clerk-magistrate hearings.

Before joining KCL, Tristan worked at two boutique litigation law firms in Boston. Immediately after law school Tristan clerked in the United States District Court in Puerto Rico for then-United States District Judge Gustavo A. Gelpí. In 2021, Judge Gelpí was elevated to serve as Judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. Tristan’s extended family resides in Puerto Rico, as do many of his professional contacts. Tristan is admitted to practice in the federal court in Puerto Rico and is well situated to assist parties bringing or defending suits in federal court in Puerto Rico.

 

Honors & Awards:

  • Massachusetts Super Lawyers (General Litigation), 2022
  • Massachusetts Super Lawyers “Rising Star” (General Litigation), 2016-2021

Publications

  • “Practices in the District of Puerto Rico,” Federal Civil Litigation in the First Circuit, 3rd Edition, Chapter 21, MCLE (author), 2017

  • “Splitting the District: Whether Puerto Rico’s Succession Law Requires Joinder of All Heirs to Assert a Survivorship Claim,” University of Puerto Rico Law Review, 87 Rev. Jur. UPR 182 (author), 2018

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