Timothy P. "Tim" Benoit

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...

Matt is a member of Bernstein Shur’s Labor & Employment Practice Group, assisting the firm’s public and private sector clients in a wide range of labor and personnel matters. Dedicated to his clients, Matt provides practical, effective counsel on all aspects of the employer-employee relationship. Matt is a seasoned litigator with extensive experience representing employers, and regularly acts as an outside investigator for companies facing discrimination, sexual harassment, an...

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 ...

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...

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...

Drawing on over 20 years of legal experience, Peter Klein advises buyers, sellers, lenders, and borrowers on the full spectrum of legal issues relevant to real estate development. Pete has significant expertise in real estate finance, permitting, land use, project development and construction, and commercial leasing transactions. A significant portion of Pete’s practice focuses on representing developers, lenders, and investors in projects involving historic tax credits and low-income h...

Nicholas J. Morrill is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Land Use and Zoning Law and Real Estate Law. Nicholas J., who practices law in Portland, Maine, has been recognized since 2016. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Nicholas J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Hawley’s practice focuses on representing real estate investors and developers in the acquisition and development of residential and mixed-use commercial properties—both regionally and nationally. He regularly provides guidance and assistance at all key points in commercial real estate transactions, from project financing to leasing. Hawley’s knowledge of state and local laws and ordinances and his detail-oriented approach help to facilitate deals that are streamlined and sm...

Sara Murphy focuses her practice on complex commercial litigation and class action defense, representing clients from a number of different industries, including financial services, energy, pulp and paper, insurance, and professional services. Sara’s litigation practice includes disputes related to breach of contract, unfair trade practices, claims under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, and other business-related torts. She also handles cases involving claims for ...

Christopher Brooks focuses his practice on bankruptcy, commercial finance, and business/commercial litigation. Chris primarily works with national and local lending institutions, quasi-state and governmental agencies, trade creditors, developers, corporations, and other for-profit and nonprofit entities in financing transactions and the restructuring or collection of troubled and defaulted loans. With an eye on maximizing returns and mitigating risk, Chris regularly advises lenders and other ...