John A. Hobson

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...

Neal Pratt is widely-regarded as a “go to” trial attorney for high-stakes litigation. With an extraordinary record of success over 30 years, Neal has unique experience handling “bet-the-company” litigation and other thorny legal disputes. He is renowned for his strategic planning skills and meticulous preparation, and often succeeds in achieving client goals without the need for protracted litigation. When a trial is necessary, however, Neal’s extensive track rec...

Peg Smith handles all aspects of commercial acquisitions, dispositions, development, leasing, title review and analysis, with particular expertise in drafting and analyzing conservation easements. She represents timberland companies, commercial developers, nonprofit organizations, and individual clients with respect to their various real estate needs, and regularly assists energy companies with real estate matters related to solar development, hydroelectric facilities, and transmission corrid...

Emily Cooke’s practice focuses on commercial transactions, compliance, and corporate governance for a range of clients, including banks and other financial institutions, health care organizations, insurance industry participants, educational institutions, nonprofit entities, and small businesses. She negotiates third-party vendor contracts for banking services, negotiates master services agreements for outsourcing critical processing functions for national bank and insurers, and provide...

With a past as a securities regulator in the New Hampshire Bureau of Securities Regulation, Joel has deep expertise in the federal and state securities laws—and the practical insight it takes to navigate today’s financial markets successfully. Whether you’re an operating company seeking early stage or later round financing, Joel will help you structure capital-raising transactions and prepare disclosure documents that have every “i” dotted and every “t&rdqu...

Adam Cote is the Leader of the Energy Practice Group and a member of Drummond Woodsum Strategic Consulting. Adam has nearly 20 years of experience serving the legal needs of clients in renewable energy matters, with a focus on renewable energy development, the wholesale purchase of electricity, the development of renewable energy credit policies, renewable portfolio standards, energy storage, demand response and non-transmission alternative technologies. A former renewable energy business own...

Rick Shinay has devoted his entire professional career to the practice of real estate law and related areas. From 1981 to 1985, Rick was Branch Manager and State Counsel for the Portland, Maine office of Lawyers Title Insurance Corporation where he developed extensive expertise in real estate title and conveyancing matters and title insurance underwriting in a wide variety of commercial and residential transactions. Since joining Drummond Woodsum in 1985, Rick has represented individuals and ...

Technology firms, manufacturers, beverage companies, health care companies, nonprofits, and oil and gas companies have all benefited from John’s thoughtful, pragmatic strategic direction on corporate matters, including mergers and acquisitions, strategic alliances and agreements, and debt and equity financings. Whether you’re looking to raise capital, finance growth, or negotiate an acquisition agreement, John has the experience and acumen to help you meet your business goals. Joh...

Amy Tchao is the Leader of the firm’s Municipal Law Practice Group and has over twenty-five years of experience advising municipalities and other public clients on a broad range of municipal issues, including land use permitting and enforcement, zoning compliance (including shoreland zoning matters), ordinance drafting (including zoning/land use ordinances and other ordinances governing short-term rentals, impact fees and other specialty areas), cannabis regulation, elections, freedom o...

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.