Kenneth W. "Ken" Hovermale, Jr.

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...

Dan Strader works closely with clients to help guide them in complying with the latest legal developments impacting their workforces. Dan regularly counsels clients on compliance with state and federal employment laws such as Title VII, the Maine Human Rights Act, and the ADA, FLSA, FMLA, and ADEA. In addition to providing everyday advice and counsel on a wide range of employment topics, Dan works with clients on reviewing and drafting employment contracts, compensation plans, severance agree...

Fred Lipp is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area of Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships). Fred practices law in Portland, Maine Best Lawyers has recognized Fred Lipp since 2027. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Fred Lipp is held by other lawyers.

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...

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 ...

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...

Calm under pressure, dependable, and a true advocate for her clients, Mary is an experienced municipal and environmental law counselor. Having worked in the public sector for years before joining Bernstein Shur, she has a firsthand understanding of the issues faced by municipal and state employees and boards—and how to help her clients confront them. Her most recent public sector position was associate corporation counsel to the City of Portland, where she advised the city staff and cou...

Ryan is a partner in the firm's Maine office. Ryan assists clients with a wide variety of federal, Maine and Massachusetts regulatory compliance matters. Ryan's retail financial compliance experience includes prepaid access, consumer and commercial deposit products, electronic banking and payment services, consumer finance products (residential mortgages, home equity loans/lines, personal loans/lines, credit cards, student loans, auto loans and leases, and retail installment sales contracts),...

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...

Eben Albert focuses his practice on complex energy regulatory proceedings and litigation before state public utilities commissions including the Maine Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) and other administrative and regulatory bodies, as well as in state and federal courts. Eben has deep experience representing clients in utility ratemaking and rate design proceedings, complex utility reorganizations, requests for approvals, and various other regulatory matters. Prior to his energy practice, E...