Nathaniel R. "Nate" Hull

Steve is a tax attorney who specializes in employee benefits, executive compensation, and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). He works with employers of all stripes—including health care entities, businesses, nonprofits, municipalities, and individuals—on ERISA requirements and liabilities, Maine Public Employees Retirement System (MEPERS) compliance and controversies, as well as the tax and ERISA implications of mergers and acquisitions. In addition, Steve repres...

Griff Leschefske’s practice centers on estate planning, charitable giving, and probate, trust, and fiduciary litigation, in which he represents individuals, families, fiduciaries, and institutional clients in all aspects of trust and estate planning, administration, and controversy. Griff also represents charitable organizations, educational institutions, and corporate clients with respect to planned giving and philanthropy matters. In his estate planning practice, Griff provides counse...

Frank is a partner in the Portland, Maine office and practices in three distinct areas. First, Frank assists all types of clients in complying with state and federal consumer financial protection laws related to retail installment sales contracts, secured and unsecured loans and lines of credit, residential mortgages and home equity loans, auto leases, etc., with a focus on compliance with the state uniform consumer credit code ("UCCC"). Frank also assists clients in complying with state and ...

Jeffrey Piampiano focuses his practice on bankruptcy matters and debtor/creditor litigation. His wide range of clients include debtors in bankruptcy, creditors (including banks and credit unions), bankruptcy trustees, private sector business clients, municipalities, and other governmental bodies. A recognized leader in financial restructuring and insolvency, Jeff is sought after by clients to provide innovative legal strategies and attain business-minded outcomes. Jeff has served as trustee i...

Charles M. Katz-Leavy is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Land Use and Zoning Law and Real Estate Law. Charles M., who practices law in Portland, Maine, has been recognized since 2018. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Charles M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Roy is a member of the firm’s Litigation Practice Group representing individuals and businesses in commercial litigation cases in Maine, Massachusetts and beyond. He has been listed in Best Lawyers in America for the past several years in the area of Commercial Litigation. He has a varied practice with experience litigating business tort, breach of contract, trade secrets, copyright infringement, products liability, real estate, land use, and tax disputes. In addition, he maintains an a...

Alyssa C. Tibbetts is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management and Municipal Law. Alyssa C., who practices law in Scarborough, Maine, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Alyssa C. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Melissa Hewey is an accomplished litigator with substantial experience across a broad range of practice areas, including insurance defense, school law, higher education law, employment matters, and complex commercial litigation. Melissa has represented a diverse set of clients, such as insurance companies, schools, colleges and universities, municipalities, law firms, hospitals, individuals, and businesses in a variety of industries. Melissa has tried a wide range of cases and argued signific...

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...

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 ...