Benjamin I. "Ben" Bornstein

David Soley leads Bernstein Shur’s Real Estate Litigation Group, is the author of the American Bar Association’s nationally acclaimed Real Estate Litigation Handbook and is recognized by Best Lawyers in America for his work in Real Estate Litigation. Mr. Soley concentrates his practice in the areas of business, real estate and constitutional litigation. He regularly represents entrepreneurs and property owners in disputes over boundaries, titles, easements, mortgage priorities, pa...

Gavin McCarthy is a trial lawyer whose practice covers a wide variety of complex commercial litigation, with a particular emphasis on class action defense and construction litigation. Gavin's practice spans the country, from defending a leading disability insurer in a class action in Louisiana to representing a major energy provider in an eight-figure construction dispute in Maine to handling a series of building product class actions in South Carolina and Massachusetts. At the same time, Gav...

Jeremy R. Fischer is the Leader of the firm’s Bankruptcy & Restructuring Practice Group. He specializes in litigation and transactions involving distressed commercial matters, where he helps clients from the first sign of trouble through the most complex financial restructuring or Chapter 11 case. A Fellow in the American College of Bankruptcy and a member of the Board of Directors of the American Bankruptcy Institute, he has built a reputation for achieving exceptional results both...

David Bobrow is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Criminal Defense: General Practice. David, who practices law in Portland, Maine, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which David is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Christopher E. Howard, partner in the Business Group, serves on the firm's Management Committee and is the former head of its Business Practice Group. Chris has a unique combination of technical legal skills and hands-on business and finance experience, which enables him to integrate these disciplines into strategies that match client objectives and provide clients with a competitive advantage. Chris's practice has three main areas of focus: Corporate finance and transactional representation ...

Barbara Wheaton concentrates her legal practice on estate planning, estate and trust administration, charitable giving, and related disciplines. Barbara's clients include high net worth individuals, business owners, family offices, charities and fiduciaries. She represents her clients' interests in probate proceedings involving trustee or executor duties, guardianships, trust administration and reformation, and contested estate administrations. Barbara also works extensively with nonprofit or...

Justin attended Portland schools through high school, graduating from Cheverus in 1989. He then graduated from the University of Vermont in 1993 and the University of Georgia School of Law, magna cum laude, in 1999. Justin served as Clerk for the Honorable Leigh I. Saufley of the Maine Judicial Court as his first job after law school. After working briefly at a general practice firm in Portland, he moved in 2001 to a smaller firm which limited its practice to estate planning and related matte...

As a shareholder in Bernstein Shur’s Real Estate Practice Group, Eliza represents timberland investment companies and wind energy developers on real estate-based projects in Maine and around the country. Her acute knowledge of all aspects of real estate transactions and financings, robust organizational and drafting skills, and calm demeanor under pressure are a boon to companies whose complex projects often involve multiple parties and many moving parts. Eliza’s previous experien...

David A. Strock is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management, Labor Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. David A., who practices law in Portland, Maine, has been recognized since 2013. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which David A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

For more than 30 years, Eric Herlan has been representing public school districts on a wide variety of legal issues, focusing on both special education and general school law questions. Eric gives clients practical guidance on how to resolve problems consistent with the law, often coming up with creative solutions to help them achieve their goals, even with the most complicated legal issues. He has represented Maine and New Hampshire school districts in more than 100 special education due pro...