Matthew C. Worthen

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...

Christopher P. Stief is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Employment Law - Management, Labor Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Christopher P. practices law in Portland, Maine Best Lawyers has recognized Christopher P. Stief since 2019. 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 Christopher P. Stief is he...

Ryan Kelley provides legal counsel to public and private companies regarding debt and equity financings, commercial transactions and bankruptcy and creditors’ rights matters. Ryan represents both lenders and borrowers in construction, acquisition, new markets tax credits, term and working capital financing transactions. His transactional experience also includes commercial matters such as the representation of franchisors and franchisees with respect to franchise matters, of manufacture...

As co-chair of Pierce Atwood’s energy infrastructure group, and a member of Pierce Atwood’s tax and business practice groups, Kris Eimicke has a unique blend of technical expertise and business experience. Kris focuses on complex business transactions, with a particular emphasis on highly structured financing transactions that utilize one or more tax credit and economic development programs, including renewable energy tax credits, the opportunity zone incentive, new markets tax cr...

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...

Beth A. Smith is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area of Real Estate Law. Beth A. practices law in Portland, Maine Best Lawyers has recognized Beth A. Smith 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 Beth A. Smith is held by other lawyers.

Mark Franco is a seasoned litigator with more than 35 years of experience in state and federal courts, advocacy before government agencies, and alternative dispute resolution. He represents clients in a broad range of civil disputes and has specific expertise litigating in the fields of employment, municipal, construction, transportation, maritime, civil rights, defamation/slander, commercial disputes, real property, professional malpractice, personal injury, premises liability, auto liabilit...

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...

Benjamin T. McCall is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Land Use and Zoning Law, Litigation - Land Use and Zoning and Municipal Law. Benjamin T. practices law in Portland, Maine Best Lawyers has recognized Benjamin T. McCall since 2026. 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 Benjamin T. McCall is held by other lawyers.