Find Lawyers in Portland, Maine for Commercial Litigation
Practice Area Overview
Litigation increasingly occurs in various venues, from state and federal courts to private arbitrations and administrative hearings. Proceedings can involve business-to-business disputes or any number of government agencies. Understanding the motivations and outlook of each of the litigation participants is important for determining weak points to exploit and strong points that will persuade the audience in question. During the past decade, commercial litigators have seen a dramatic uptick in multidistrict and inter-disciplinary litigation, making the stakes higher, the cases more complex, the parties more numerous and the discovery more complicated and unwieldy. Firms that are able to develop and implement a creative legal approach to each individual problem, efficiently focus on the key legal and factual issues, and master and manage the various aspects of these complex matters will be the busiest in the years to come.
In the current challenging economic climate, commercial litigators are under increasing client pressure to keep costs in check, which has both sides testing the efficacy of alternative fee arrangements and the scope of reasonable discovery. Whether the “death of the billable hour” is ultimately realized, the keys to a commercial litigator’s success will continue to be strong client relationships, thought leadership, practical management skills, deep experience, and personal commitment.
Corporate Law & Commercial Litigation Legal Guide 2023
View Legal GuideEben is an experienced and skilled litigator and energy attorney who focuses in complex regulatory and administrative proceedings including utility ratemaking and related matters, as well as complex commercial litigation and municipal litigation. Eben regularly appears before the Maine Public Utilities Commission (“MPUC”) and state and federal courts in Maine, and has argued numerous cases in state and federal court, including both bench and jury trials. He is a principal member o...
John Aromando is Chair of Pierce Atwood's Litigation Practice Group. A firm partner with more than 30 years of diverse trial practice experience, John currently focuses on the defense of businesses in complex commercial litigation. John represents clients from a number of different industries including financial services, energy, pulp and paper, manufacturing, insurance, and professional services. He has defended clients in a number of class action lawsuits, in Maine and in several other stat...
Dave Barry is Pierce Atwood’s managing partner. Previously, Dave was chair of the firm’s Litigation Practice Group, representing clients in a wide variety of complex litigation and counseling clients on how to avoid or minimize the risks and burdens of litigation. Dave also chaired the firm’s Government Investigations and White Collar Criminal Defense practice. He regularly manages complex business litigation in federal and state courts and has extensive experience assisting...
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...
Byrne J. Decker, partner at Pierce Atwood LLP, has a national practice in employee benefits/ERISA litigation. He defends benefits cases in both ERISA and non-ERISA contexts, including in particular, complex benefits cases and class actions. Byrne has appeared in district courts in virtually every federal judicial circuit and also has an active appellate practice with respect to benefits issues. In addition to defending appeals in several Circuit Courts of Appeals and State Supreme Courts, he ...
Jared des Rosiers' practice focuses on complex energy regulatory, infrastructure development and siting, and litigation matters before the Maine Public Utilities Commission (MPUC), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), and state and federal courts around the country. Jared strives to develop a comprehensive strategic plan for success in collaboration with his clients and then to efficiently implement that plan through advocacy, negotiation and creativity. When litigation is necessa...
Joshua Dunlap, a member of Pierce Atwood’s Litigation Group and co-chair of the firm's Appellate & Amici team, focuses his practice on civil litigation at both the trial and appellate levels. He appears in federal as well as state court, representing clients in various commercial litigation matters. Josh represents clients before federal and state appeals courts, and has argued and won appeals before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit and the Maine Supreme Judicial Cour...
JAMES B. HADDOW was born in Quincy, Massachusetts on June 25, 1959. He is admitted to practice in Maine, the United States District Court for the District of Maine, the United States Court of Federal Claims, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court. He is the author of The Evolution of the Maine Law of Attachment on Ordinary and Trustee Process, 7 Me. Bar Journal 2 (1992), and Legal Is...
Katherine Kayatta is an experienced litigator with significant trial experience in state and federal courts in Maine and Massachusetts, and focuses her practice on complex commercial litigation and class action defense. Katherine's litigation practice includes disputes over breaches of contract, unfair trade practices, shareholder rights, and other business-related torts. She also handles cases involving claims for civil conspiracy, breach of fiduciary duty, insurance coverage, consumer fraud...
Dave McConnell has advised food and beverage makers, creative content producers and entrepreneurs in many other businesses for the past twenty-three years. As the co-founder of a distillery based in Portland, Dave understands the range of challenges that all startups face and he has a particularly deep base of experience working with alcohol-related businesses. Dave’s clients appreciate his keen sense for practical solutions and sound business advice as much as his legal expertise as he...
Paul is one of Maine’s go-to trial lawyers for difficult and bet-the-company litigation. Paul provides a unique and effective one-two punch for clients facing the prospect of litigation: combining a deep understanding of how the business world functions with ability to more clearly see the litigation playing field and, therefore, devise and implement winning strategies. As Chambers USA put it in its 2017 Edition of America’s Leading Business Lawyers, “Clients describe him as...
Dick’s litigation and appellate practice focuses primarily on business and commercial disputes, employment law, education law, and civil rights cases that are typically resolved in federal court. He frequently appears in the U.S. District Courts for the Districts of Maine and New Hampshire and in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. Dick devotes a significant portion of his practice to the representation of individuals with disabilities and their families, often in cases ari...
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...
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...
Nolan Reichl is a partner in Pierce Atwood’s Litigation Practice Group, where he focuses his practice on civil litigation and appellate matters, including commercial disputes and challenges to administrative actions. Nolan represents institutional clients in a range of industries, and has represented some of the largest institutions in the United States and Maine, including Central Maine Power Company, J.P. Morgan, Verso Corporation, Bank of America, and Eli Lilly and Company. As part o...
Brendan Rielly has experience in a broad range of civil matters in both state and federal courts (including the First Circuit Court of Appeals) as well as before the Maine Public Utilities Commission. Brendan's practice area focuses on commercial litigation, real estate litigation (including easements and rights of way), school law, probate litigation, public utilities law, environmental compliance and personal injury. Brendan has also served as local counsel for major law firms in both state...
Lucus Ritchie is a partner in Pierce Atwood's Litigation Practice Group. Lucus' practice covers a wide variety of complex commercial disputes, with a particular emphasis on class action defense and energy litigation. Lucus regularly appears in federal and state trial courts throughout the country, and also represents clients in arbitrations, mediations and contested administrative proceedings. In each case, Lucus focuses on developing a detailed understanding of his client's business and its ...
Ron brings a practical and adaptable approach to the representation of his clients, keeping their goals and needs his focal point. He has extensive experience helping clients avoid litigation or resolving disputes prior to it. But if it comes down to going to court, he is well equipped to fully and aggressively litigate cases to successful conclusions. Ron’s practice includes all aspects of employment law, including Title VII and state human rights claims, whistleblower claims, employee...
David Soley leads Bernstein Shur’s Real Estate Litigation Group, is the author of the American Bar Association’s nationally acclaimed Real Estate Litigation Handbook and is recognized by Best Lawyers in America for his work in Real Estate Litigation. Mr. Soley concentrates his practice in the areas of business, real estate and constitutional litigation. He regularly represents entrepreneurs and property owners in disputes over boundaries, titles, easements, mortgage priorities, pa...
Jack has over fifteen years of experience litigating complex, high-stakes cases where there are millions or even billions of dollars on the line. Even under these pressures, Jack remains cool and grounded during the most heated and stressful cases. His broad range of experience includes defending the United States in large civil suits in federal courts across the country, such as two bellwether suits brought by residents of Greater New Orleans for flood damages incurred in Hurricane Katrina. ...
Eric Wycoff represents companies and individuals involving commercial disputes, environmental matters, employment disputes, premises liability, and bankruptcy matters. Eric enjoys working closely with his clients to obtain positive results in the most practical and efficient way. He regularly appears on behalf of clients before federal and state trial courts in Maine and the District of Columbia, federal and state appellate courts, and arbitrators.
While some people back away from a challenge, every challenge is an invitation for Zack. He has built a practice that matches his mindset – measured, thoughtful, and unpretentious but unrelenting in the pursuit of the best possible outcome for his clients. Zack regularly represents contractors and homeowners in construction disputes. He also represents large companies, municipalities, and individuals in complex commercial cases ranging from contract disputes to environmental torts to cl...
As a litigator with a focus on alternative dispute resolution, Ben has a unique perspective on adversarial matters. During law school Ben completed internships with the Supreme Court of Vermont and the Attorney General of Maine, as well as an externship at the First Circuit Court of Appeals with Judge Kermit Lipez. After graduating, Ben gained further insight into the judicial process by clerking for Associate Justice Joseph M. Jabar of the Maine Supreme Judicial Court. Ben’s experience...
Using their personal experience building a family and their experience handling complex litigation and dispute resolution matters, Evi helps individuals and couples successfully navigate the legal process of building a family. Forming a family through assisted reproductive technology, second-parent adoption, or surrogacy involves many complex issues. To support their clients through this sometimes arduous and challenging process, Evi: Educates clients about their rights and responsibilities r...
As a former award-winning journalist covering government and politics, James has a knack for tracking down facts and distilling complex information into clear, concise prose. Today, he applies those skills in his litigation practice, where has quickly established his reputation as an aggressive, skilled advocate throughout the course of his work for the Committee for Ranked Choice Voting. While lead attorney, he represented the Committee for Ranked Choice voting in primary arguments, dealing ...
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 ...
Kyle Noonan represents clients in complex commercial litigation, including class actions, as well as regulatory investigations. Kyle’s clients include companies in the finance, health care, construction, forest products, and telecommunications industries. Kyle has obtained the following outcomes for his clients: Seven-figure jury award for client in Massachusetts Superior Court on breach of fiduciary duty claim Summary judgment on all eleven claims against client forest products manufac...
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
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