David Bertoni

Katie Porter represents private and public employers and helps emerging companies establish and maintain all aspects of their employment policies and practices. She regularly provides advice and counsel to multistate clients on emerging and complex employment issues. Katie conducts workplace investigations and assists the firm’s corporate group on employment aspects of corporate transactions. She also advises independent schools on legal issues impacting students and assists with school...

After clerking for Maine Supreme Court Justice Robert Clifford for a year after law school, Mike dove straight into construction law, defending architects and engineers in construction cases at a small Portland insurance defense firm. Since joining Bernstein Shur a decade and a half ago, Mike has had the pleasure of representing the full panoply of participants on a construction project: developers, owners, general contractors, subcontractors, suppliers, lenders, and sureties in everything fr...

Agniezska Dixon is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Land Use and Zoning Law and Municipal Law. Agniezska, who practices law in Portland, Maine, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Agniezska 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...

Sam Anderson is a shareholder, co-chair of the firm’s Business Restructuring and Insolvency Practice Group and member of the firm’s Board of Directors. Sam’s practice focuses primarily on representing businesses in chapter 11 reorganization proceedings, including recent cases before the Bankruptcy Courts for the Districts of Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine. Sam has a wide range of experience in representing businesses in chapter 11 proceedings, inclu...

Ron Ward has substantial expertise in all aspects of real estate law, development law, commercial leasing and financing, secured transactions (representing both lenders and borrowers), and administrative and environmental law – particularly local, state, and federal permitting. Ron advises real estate developers and entrepreneurs on the development and financing of complex commercial developments, as well as significant residential developments. Ron successfully handled the legal aspect...

David Backer, Leader of the firm’s Trust and Estate Planning Practice Group, concentrates his practice on counseling individuals, families, and closely-held businesses on an array of sophisticated estate planning, succession management, tax planning, and wealth preservation matters. David is recognized as a leading authority in Maine probate and trust law, and has garnered a national-level reputation for his understanding of complex tax and estate planning concepts and techniques. David...

For over 25 years, Christopher has been serving the legal needs of businesses and entrepreneurs. He often serves as general counsel to clients and his experience covers the spectrum of the business cycle, from start-up, to investment and growth, to succession planning and exit strategies. Christopher also has considerable experience with business disputes and has successfully handled commercial litigation in both state and federal courts. His clients past and present include biotech and techn...

Dick Spencer specializes in complex problems which require effective advocacy at the local and state levels and before administrative agencies, the state courts, and the Maine Legislature. He is among Maine’s leading experts in diverse areas including land use and conservation, municipal law, and public finance. Dick also advises multi-generational families on how best to transfer their Maine seasonal and other properties to the next generation. Dick’s approach to problems is intu...

George is passionate about achieving the best practical result, but he tries not to lose sight of humor and humanity in the process. He has been practicing law for over four decades and focuses on litigating, arbitrating, and mediating business and construction disputes. His trial experience is extensive and multi-faceted, before juries and arbitrators alike throughout New England and New York, including numerous construction and design claims, some involving tens of millions of dollars; prod...