News
Perkins Thompson is excited to announce that Anthony J. Manhart has joined the firm as a Shareholder in the firm’s Creditors’ Rights and Bankruptcy, Construction Law, Litigation, Banking and Financial Services, and Business and Corporate Law practice groups.
Tony represents Chapter 7 trustees, and various parties in formal insolvency and collection proceedings and out-of-court workouts. Tony has extensive experience in consumer and commercial banking matters in bankruptcy courts throughout New England. He also serves on the Panel of Chapter 7 Trustees for the District of Maine and has acted as trustee in Chapter 11 and Chapter 12 cases.
In addition, Tony assists homeowners, contractors, and subcontractors with contract and collections disputes and issues, helping his clients find efficient and effective resolutions to their problems.
Perkins Thompson is pleased to welcome Andrew D. Hersom as an associate in the Firm’s Government Services, Land Use & Environmental Law, and Real Estate Law practice groups. Drew graduated magna cum laude from the University of Maine School of Law in 2023 with a Juris Doctor and a Certificate in Environmental & Oceans Law. While at Maine Law, Drew was a member of the Environmental & Energy Law Society (EELS) and served as a Managing Editor of the Maine Law Review. In his third year, his law review article about the viability of nuisance claims against grid-scale wind energy facilities in Maine was selected for publication.
Prior to joining Perkins Thompson, Drew interned in a municipal government’s land use and planning department and at a regional environmental non-profit and uses the insights he gained in those positions to better help clients achieve their objectives.
Perkins Thompson is pleased to welcome Camrin M. Rivera as an associate in the Firm’s Litigation Practice Group. Camrin is a cum laude graduate of the University of Maine School of Law and was the Immigration Fellow for his class. Upon graduation, Camrin was the recipient of the Scholastic Achievement Award for Immigration Law, the Student Bar Association Community Impact Award, the Pro Bono Publico Award, and the Clinical Legal Education Association Outstanding Clinic Student Award for his extensive work in the Refugee and Human Rights Clinic advocating for asylum seekers and special immigrant juveniles. Camrin also served as a Comment and Case Note Editor for the Maine Law Review, and his comment addressing the United States’ immigration policies regarding the citizenship rights of children born to same-sex parents using foreign surrogacy was selected for publication in the Maine Law Review journal. Prior to joining Perkins Thompson, Camrin clerked for the Hon. Rick E. Lawrence on the Maine Supreme Judicial Court.
Perkins Thompson is pleased to welcome Nona E. Gillis as an associate in the Firm’s Trust and Estate Practice Group. Nona is a cum laude graduate of the University of Maine School of Law and the recipient of the 2018 Diana DeJesus Student Bar Association Distinguished Service Award for her work on behalf of the student body and her superior service to the Law School community. Prior to joining Perkins Thompson, Nona served as a fiduciary officer for a local bank.
Jim Katsiaficas has been appointed by the Maine Senate President to the “Maine Abandoned and Discontinued Roads Commission” to a three-year term as the attorney member, and has been elected to serve as its chair.
Brandon J. Mazer is the recipient of PROPEL’s 2022 Ignition Award for Community Leader of the Year, which recognizes “a young professional whose volunteerism has left a positive mark on the community and a lasting impact or created change.” Brandon has been an active member of a number of community organizations and nonprofits, including Portland Planning Board, Maine State Music Theatre, and Special Olympics Maine. PROPEL is a division of the Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce that supports networking, development and work-life balance among Maine’s young professionals through networking events, professional development seminars, and various other forms of community engagement.
From left: Brandon Mazer; Melanie Bolduc, RiRa Irish Pub + Restaurant General Manager; Amberlynn Esperanza, PROPEL President
10 Perkins Thompson attorneys have been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America 2023 in their respective practice areas:
- Timothy P. Benoit: Tax Law
- John A. Hobson: Construction Litigation and Construction Law
- Philip C. Hunt: Trusts and Estate Law and Trust and Estates Litigation
- David C. Johnson: “One to Watch”, Banking and Finance, Corporate and Real Estate Law
- James N. Katsiaficas: Administrative/Regulatory and Municipal Law
- David B. McConnell: Commercial Litigation
- Adam T. Nyhan: Business Organizations
- Julianne C. Ray: Business Organizations, Mergers and Acquisitions and Real Estate Law
- William J. Sheils: Corporate and Employment Law
- John S. Upton: Corporate and Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Best Lawyers® bases its listings on a peer review process, in which researchers ask leading attorneys from specific practice areas and geographic regions about the professional abilities of their colleagues.
Perkins Thompson is pleased to welcome Melanie N. Dorn as an associate in the Firm’s Real Estate and Government Services practice groups. Melanie assists clients in real estate transactions and in zoning, land use and environmental permitting matters across Maine. Prior to joining Perkins Thompson, Melanie held an in-house position in deployment of wireless facilities and broadband infrastructure across the U.S. Melanie is a graduate of the University of Maine School of Law, where she was the recipient of the Class of 2020 Environmental Law and Health Care Law awards.
Estate planning attorney Barbara Schlichtman and intellectual property and technology attorney Adam Nyhan will participate in the panel discussion, “Cryptocurrency Demystified“, presented by the Curtis Memorial Library in Brunswick, Maine, scheduled for June 7, 2022 at 6:30 pm. Other panelists include Vincenzo Garganese, a financial planner, and Sebastian Usami, owner of New England Secure. The panelists will discuss their experience with cryptocurrencies, the blockchain and NFTs, answer related questions, and offer insights into how cryptocurrencies will impact the future.
The event is free and open to the public and will be held in the Library’s Morrell Meeting Room.
Perkins Thompson is pleased to welcome associate John E. Belisle as a member of the firm’s Litigation, Business and Corporate, and Government Services practice groups. John represents individuals and businesses with civil litigation needs, and also counsels and assists property owners and organizations in resolving issues arising from zoning, land use and local government action. Prior to joining Perkins Thompson, John served as a deputy city attorney for a mid-size California city, where he represented the city in court and counseled city leaders on procurement, leasing, public works contracting and open records statutes. John is a veteran of the U.S. Navy. He also recently served on the board of directors of the nonprofit National Liberty Ship Memorial in San Francisco, which operates the South Portland-built WWII liberty ship S.S. Jeremiah O’Brien.
Perkins Thompson is pleased to welcome William H. Leete, Jr. as an of-counsel attorney in the Business and Real Estate practice groups. Bill has represented a wide range of businesses and individuals in Maine for over thirty years, including companies owning over 2,000 residential and commercial real estate units, retailers, non-profit corporations, security monitoring companies, real estate agencies, medical and other professionals and many others. Bill received his A.B. degree, cum laude, from Colby College and his J.D. degree, with honors, from the University of Wisconsin. Until 2021 he was the longest-standing board member of Habitat for Humanity of Greater Portland and was a two-time past president.
Perkins Thompson is pleased to announce that David C. Johnson and Adam Nyhan have become shareholders of the firm.
David Johnson joined the firm in 2019 as an associate in the Business and Real Estate practice groups. Since then, Dave has demonstrated a tireless work ethic and knack for developing and growing the firm’s real estate practice.
Adam Nyhan joined the firm in 2019 as an of-counsel attorney in the Business, Software and Startups and Banking and Financial Services practice groups. During his time with the firm, Adam has continued to develop his practice within his practice groups, and has most recently been working to develop an expertise in the legal issues surrounding block-chain and digital assets.
Perkins Thompson is pleased to welcome associate attorney Katherine Skinner to the firm. Katherine is a member of the real estate, business and corporate, and employment law practice groups. Katherine’s practice focuses primarily on corporate and transactional matters, helping clients achieve their business goals and objectives. She graduated from the University of Maine School of Law with honors in 2021. While at law school, Katherine interned at the Maine Human Rights Commission and at a multinational financial services corporation. She also held editorial positions on (and published in) the Ocean and Coastal Law Journal and worked as a Cumberland Legal Aid Clinic student attorney.
Perkins Thompson is pleased to welcome Stephen H. Shea as an associate attorney in the firm’s Litigation practice group. Steve’s practice focuses on a wide variety of civil matters including employment, construction, and general business disputes. Steve also handles criminal and protection from abuse cases. He has tried many serious criminal cases to both judges and juries, and has conducted numerous motion hearings, commitment hearings, and other adversarial hearings. Steve graduated from the University of Maine School of Law in 2016, where he served as co-chair of the Maine Association for Public Interest Law and received the Faculty Award for Trial Advocacy. He interned with the Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office, the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety, and the Cumberland Legal Aid Clinic.
Perkins Thompson is pleased to welcome Emily A. Arvizu as an associate attorney in the firm’s Trust and Estates practice group. Emily’s practice focuses on helping people create and build estate plans around their specific needs and goals. She also has a passion for immigration matters and assists clients in gaining and maintaining status in the United States through employment- and family-based petitions.
Emily is a summa cum laude graduate of the University of Maine School of Law as well as the 2020 Immigration Law Fellow, a Chair of the Multicultural Law Society, and a recipient of both the Scholastic Achievement Award for Immigration Law and the Faculty Award for Community Service.
Jim Katsiaficas will serve as moderator for “E2Tech Talks Trash”, a panel discussion hosted by E2Tech that will focus on the challenges facing Maine cities and towns in solid waste disposal and recycling. Topics include how Maine’s diverse solid waste disposal systems respond to changing markets and regulations. The panel also will discuss the recent closure of Coastal Resources of Maine’s Fiberight anaerobic digester in Hampden.
Visit E2Tech to register for this event, scheduled for September 16, 2020, 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM.
Melissa Murphy and the Perkins Thompson team congratulate our client, BerryDunn, in signing one of the largest new office leases in the Portland area in years. Melissa worked with Robert Moore, BerryDunn’s Director of Operations, and Chris Paszyc and Jessica Estes of the Boulos Co. in negotiating the Lease with UNUM to provide BerryDunn with space for a national headquarters with room to grow its expanding workforce and national presence. Moore notes that “Melissa and Perkins Thompson have been great partners, always keeping the client’s needs and wishes in focus, and working to solve problems instead of creating issues. We’re very pleased with the result that Melissa and Perkins Thompson helped us to achieve.”
Perkins Thompson welcomes Mark A. Woronoff as an attorney in the firm’s Trust and Estates practice group. Mark works primarily in the Kennebunk office at the firm’s Maine Center for Elder Law, where he helps families find solutions for their long-term care planning needs and works with clients to develop individually tailored estate plans. Mark also has extensive experience in probate and trust administration and guardian/conservatorship matters. Mark can be reached by email or by phone at (207) 467-3301.
Perkins Thompson welcomes Whitney Hayre as an Associate in the firm’s Litigation Practice Group. Whitney brings an extensive background in trial work and a track record of successfully representing clients in courtrooms across Maine. Prior to joining Perkins Thompson, Whitney practiced at another Portland firm where she specialized in family matters, including divorce and child custody, and litigated criminal matters.
Adam Nyhan will host a free workshop with SCORE Portland, “Legal Triage for Early-Stage Startups,” where he will give an overview of the critical legal issues for tech startups to understand. Issues covered include intellectual property basics, dealing with co-founders and early employees, when to form a company, how to prepare your startup for outside investment, and common legal pitfalls to avoid. Adam is an attorney in Perkins Thompson’s Software & Startups practice group.
This workshop is sponsored by Perkins Thompson and will be held on Tuesday, March 2, 2020 from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm at the SCORE office at 100 Middle Street, Portland, Maine. Attendance is free, but please RSVP.
Perkins Thompson welcomes attorney Adam Nyhan, who has joined the firm as Of Counsel. Adam is a seasoned technology lawyer and former co-founder of a California software company who will practice in the firm’s Software & Startups group as well as its Business & Corporate Law and Intellectual Property & Technology Law groups. He represents clients in Maine, Silicon Valley and foreign countries in US business-law matters, including software licensing and sales, advertising and privacy law, and forming and financing companies.
Please reach out to Adam or any of the firm’s Software & Startups attorneys for guidance on software and startup matters.
Julie Ray and the Perkins Thompson team represented the Maine Red Claws in the sale of the NBA G League franchise to the Boston Celtics, which was announced publicly on October 15, 2019. Maine Red Claws former Chairman and principal owner, Bill Ryan, Jr., who was instrumental in founding the Portland team in 2009, expressed his satisfaction with the transition to the Celtics. Ryan praised Ray and Perkins Thompson for their work: “Julie and the attorneys at Perkins Thompson did a tremendous job working for over a year on complex negotiations with the Celtics’ attorneys and with the NBA G League. I’m very pleased with the results.”
Perkins Thompson would like to congratulate Christopher Kouza and Joseph Caradonna of Maine Hotel Holdings LLC on the groundbreaking of the Cambria Hotel. John Upton, Brandon Mazer, Pete McDonell and Julie Ray at Perkins Thompson assisted Mr. Kouza and Mr. Caradonna in negotiating the ground lease and financing the construction for the Cambria Hotel and look forward to its addition to the vibrant Portland hotel scene.
Read the full press release here.
Dawn Harmon discusses Wage and Hour Law in MCLE New England’s A Practical Guide to Employment Law in Maine. According to MCLE, this first publication also covers the topics of risk avoidance, employment agreements, workplace privacy, discrimination claims, leave policies, accommodation with regard to disability and religious observance, and pursuing issues before the Maine Human Rights Commission.
Dave McConnell was recently honored for his pro bono trademark work on behalf of Crooked Face Creamery, a family-owned cheesemaker in Norridgewock, Maine. Dave advised Crooked Face in connection with the Legal Food Hub program of the Conservation Law Foundation. The Portland Press Herald chose the Legal Food Hub as a 2019 winner of a Source Maine Sustainability Award, highlighting Dave’s work in a feature-length article in the newspaper.
You can read the full story here.
John Hobson has been appointed to Chair of Governor Mills’ Judicial Nominations Advisory Committee, commonly referred to as the Governor’s Judicial Selection Committee. The Committee is responsible for evaluating and advising the Governor on potential candidates for judicial appointments and reappointments on Maine’s District and Superior Courts as well as for the Maine Supreme Court. John has been a member of this Committee since 2002, spanning both Democrat and Republican administrations. Perkins Thompson congratulates John on his appointment and his service to the State of Maine.
Dawn Harmon has been selected to serve on the United States District Court of Maine’s Civil Discourse Program Committee. The Committee was formed to launch a pilot project, Civil Discourse and Difficult Decisions. For high school and college students, Civil Discourse and Difficult Decisions is a national initiative of the federal courts that brings these students into federal courthouses for legal proceedings that stem from situations in which law-abiding young people can find themselves.
Perkins Thompson is pleased to be a sponsor of the 8th Annual Little Black Dress Event hosted by Goodwill of Northern New England for the benefit of Goodwill’s Veterans Access Fund. This year’s event, which will include a fashion show, live and silent auctions, music, and hors d’oeuvres, will be held on Thursday, April 25th from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Portland’s Ocean Gateway. Click here to find out more about how you can attend and help us to support Goodwill’s Veterans Access Fund.
Dawn Harmon will host a training session, From #metoo to Meaningful Change, where she will discuss methods that businesses can use to successfully handle sexual harassment complaints while protecting their companies.
This free event, sponsored by the Biddeford +Saco Chamber of Commerce + Industry, will be held at the Hampton Inn, 48 Industrial Park Road, Saco, on February 13, 2019, from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. Continental breakfast will be provided.
Dawn Harmon elected to serve on Biddeford + Saco Chamber of Commerce + Industry’s Board of Directors
Dawn Harmon has been elected to serve on the Biddeford + Saco Chamber of Commerce + Industry’s Board of Directors. Dawn, an active member of the York County legal community, looks forward to contributing to the Chamber’s efforts to foster growth and prosperity to more than 400 members, stakeholders and regional partners.
The government shutdown is affecting brewers across the country causing significant delays in issuing of licenses and label approvals. Brandon Mazer tries to help explain what the federal government looks for when it approves labels in this interview with News Center Maine.
On Thursday, November 14, Joe Siviski will present “Training for Trustees: FOAA, Documentation, Governance and Operations” on behalf of the Maine Water Utilities Association at the Waterville Grand Hotel in Waterville, ME.
On Thursday, November 8, Jim Katsiaficas will present “Training for Trustees: FOAA, Documentation, Governance and Operations” on behalf of the Maine Water Utilities Association at the Brunswick Hotel & Tavern in Brunswick, ME.
On Thursday, November 1, Jim Katsiaficas will present “Roads and the New Discontinuance Process” at the Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments Planning Day at the Hilton Garden Inn in Auburn, ME.
During Brandon Mazer’s time as President of the Maine Brewers’ Guild, he worked with the Board and Executive Director, Sean Sullivan, to launch the Maine Beer Box. The Maine Beer Box is a custom-built 40-foot refrigerated shipping container with 78 beer taps and draft system, with the goal of bringing Maine beer to a different country every year. In June 2017, Brandon traveled with the Guild to Reykjavik, Iceland where the Guild hosted the largest beer festival in Icelandic history and lead to a number of collaborations between Maine and Icelandic brewers.
This year, the Maine Beer Box is traveling to Leeds, England where it will be featured at the Leeds International Beer Festival. Brandon will be joining over 65 Maine breweries, including many who are clients of Perkins Thompson, to attend the festival and use his in-depth knowledge of alcohol compliance in the United States to develop business relationships with breweries in the United Kingdom that may be looking to bring their beers to the US, as well as work with Maine brewers who may want to export to the UK.
Upon his return, Brandon will be guest lecturing in Thomas Brems’ course at the University of Maine Law School: Topics in Legal Practice: Import/Export.
The following Perkins Thompson attorneys have been selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© 2019:
- Timothy P. Benoit: Tax Law
- John A. Hobson: Construction Law; Litigation – Construction
- Phil Hunt: Litigation – Trusts and Estates; Trust and Estates
- James N. Katsiaficas: Administrative/Regulatory Law; Municipal Law
- Peggy L. McGehee: Real Estate Law
- Melissa Hanley Murphy: Real Estate Law
- Paul D. Pietropaoli: Real Estate Law
- William J. Sheils: Corporate Law; Employment Law – Management
- Mark P. Snow: Banking and Finance Law
- John S. Upton: Corporate Law
Additionally, John A. Hobson was named the Best Lawyers® 2019 “Lawyer of the Year” for Construction Litigation in Portland, Maine.
Best Lawyers® bases its listings on a peer review process, in which researchers ask leading attorneys from specific practice areas and geographic regions about the professional abilities of their colleagues.
Dawn Harmon will lead a workshop, entitled “From #metoo to Meaningful Change: Sexual Harassment in the Workplace,” at the 2018 Startup Maine conference. An incredibly timely topic in the startup community (and around the country), the workshop will focus on identifying and addressing sexual harassment (or other unhealthy behavior) in the workplace by shifting the focus from legal compliance to meaningful cultural changes.
Dave McConnell and Dawn Harmon will be presenters at “HR as a Data Breach Target: In the Bullseye” on Tuesday, May 8th, 2018 from 2:30 pm – 3:45 pm at the Samoset resort in Rockport.
According to the Maine HR Convention, “Over 90% of cyber-attacks stem from information provided by employees about their organizations! HR departments in Maine have been targeted by thieves seeking to steal employee information. This program aims directly at HR management. How do we prevent employee caused data breaches and how do we plan and implement a legal response to a data breach – inadvertent or otherwise? David McConnell of Perkins Thompson, P.A. and Jane Carpenter of Maine Identity Services, LLC have helped organizations respond to such data breaches. At the Samoset, they will help you avoid common employee mistakes that may cause a breach, and in the event of one, plan for the legal aspects of a breach. The focus will be twofold – looking at people and processes. Discover the specific information desired by thieves, the best practices to protect against a breach, the protocols once a breach occurs… and the $7 piece of equipment that can eliminate most data breaches.”
Register for the Maine HR Convention and this event.
Dave McConnell will be a panelist for Legal Food Hub’s CLE: Navigating IP Issues Faced by Farm and Food Businesses, featuring two panel discussions: An Overview of Intellectual Property Law for Farm and Food Businesses and The Application of Trademark Law in the Farm and Food Context. The CLE will be held Wednesday, May 16 from 8:45 – 11:00 a.m. at the offices of Pierce Atwood, 254 Commercial Street, Portland, Maine. Registration is free and the course is worth 2 CLE credits.
If you would like to register, please email Phelps Turner, Maine Legal Food Hub Coordinator.
Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Labor adopted a new “primary beneficiary” test for determining whether an intern or student qualifies as an employee, and thus, needs to be paid. In her article, How to: Comply with Department of Labor’s 7 Rules for Internships, Dawn examines the current factors employers should use to determine an intern’s status and offers guidance to employers in designing a compliant internship program.
Dawn Harmon will be the panelist for Part 5 of the Biddeford + Saco Chamber of Commerce + Industry’s six-part series on Employment Law. Dawn will address best practices for employers, including classification of employees, the importance of handbooks, disciplinary actions, and terminations.
The event will be held on Wednesday, September 20, 2017 from 7:00 – 9:00 AM EST at the Hampton Inn, 48 Industrial Road, in Saco, Maine. The cost is $25 for members and $35.00 for non-members and includes a hot breakfast from 7:00 – 7:30.
If you would like to register for this event, please e-mail pj@biddefordsacochamber.org.
Tim Benoit and Emily White will be presenters at St. Joseph’s College CPA Workshop. The CPA Workshop is designed for accounting professionals who need continuing education credits to meet professional licensing requirements, and will cover current tax laws, accounting issues, and ethics matters.
As part of the Workshop, Tim will give an overview of the types of tax-free reorganizations available to S Corporations and C Corporations. He will also provide examples of situations when one or more of those types can be useful.
Emily will be giving a presentation on the process of representing a client in an Offer in Compromise with the IRS. Emily will also be presenting on recent changes in Federal and Maine state tax laws.
The CPA Workshop will be held at St. Joseph’s College, 278 Whites Bridge Road, Standish, ME 04084 on September 14, 2017 from 7:00am – 4:00pm. Follow the link below to register if you would like to attend this event.
The following Perkins Thompson attorneys have received AV Preeminent® Peer Review Ratings™ from Martindale-Hubbell®:
Timothy P. Benoit
Fred W. Bopp III
Phil Hunt
David B. McConnell
Peggy L. McGehee
Melissa Hanley Murphy
John S. Upton
AV Preeminent® is the highest peer rating standard awarded by Martindale-Hubbell®. This rating signifies that the lawyer’s reviewed peers rank him or her at the highest level of professional excellence for their legal knowledge, communication skills and ethical standards.
The following Perkins Thompson lawyers have been selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© 2018:
Timothy P. Benoit: Tax Law
Fred W. Bopp III: Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law; Litigation – Bankruptcy
Melissa Hanley Murphy: Real Estate Law
John A. Hobson: Construction; Litigation – Construction
Phil Hunt: Litigation –Trust and Estates; Trust and Estates
James N. Katsiaficas: Administrative/Regulatory Law; Municipal Law
Peggy L. McGehee: Real Estate Law
Paul D. Pietropaoli: Real Estate Law
William J. Sheils: Corporate Law; Employment Law – Management
Mark P. Snow: Banking and Finance Law
John S. Upton: Corporate Law
Best Lawyers® bases its listings on a peer review process, in which researchers ask leading attorneys from specific practice areas and geographic regions about the professional abilities of their colleagues.