Maine and New Hampshire
 

I'm dividing the New England board into Northern NE and Southern NE. Obviously this one covers Northern NE, where Pierce Atwood is king for now, with sniping competition from the other Maine players. To be perfectly candid, I'm not sure it has any competition in New Hampshire.

If any of you have thoughts for stories, topics etc., please let me know at nyerinexile@hotmail.com. I am also happy to answer questions about the Maine legal market.

I know this board was never saw heavy traffic, but let see if we can't get something going folks.

Thanks,

nyerinexile :band:

You're kind of dissing Vt. . . .
 

And western Mass., too.

Maine's Top Firms
 

Informationally and for the purposes of debate, I'm going to rank the Maine firms based on my experience. Disagreement and other lists would certainly be useful. Elaboration would also be useful. For example, I understand that Verill & Dana's erisa practice is the best in the state, and I think its pretty clear that with the likes of Ralph Lancaster in the department, Pierce's litigation is the state's best.

Maine's Best Firm
Pierce Atwood

Tier 1 Firms
Verrill & Dana
Bernstein Shur Sawyer & Nelson
Preti Flaherty

Tier 2 Firms
Brann & Isaacson
Drummond Woodsum

Thoughts?:chatter:

Judge Singal and the Maine Courts
 

I understand that the Maine federal courts are being restructured with Judge Singal becoming the new Chief Judge, and moving to a chambers Portland full time. Is there going to be another Federal Judge appointed? If so, who? Also, what are the hiring practices of Judge Singal and the other Federal Judges in the Maine? Are they wedded to the idea of hiring newly minted lawyers, or do they also review resumes from practicing lawyers?

Pingree FEC Investigation
 

Any word on whether or not this is being handled by a Maine Firm, and if so which Maine firm?

Summer Associate Hiring
 

How has summer associate hiring been this year in Portland? Have the larger firms been attracting talent from law schools across the nation, or are they drawing largely from the University of Maine's Law School?

Hello Maniacs
 

OK Folks, throw me a bone here. What do you want to read about on your board?

Rush hour traffic on Congress Street?

Whether anyone in Maine works during the summer? (For those not from Maine, this means August.)

Whether Pierce Atwood will continue its pre-eminence in Maine?

How many single people between the ages of 25 and 31 live in the Greater Portland area? (My guess is about 50.)

Snow tread tires v. all weather radials?!!!

Good restaurants in Maine?

Choose one, or make up one of your own.


:wtf??:

Hello Maniacs
 

Since it is summer, I assume most of the Bostonians are over here (or down on the Cape). They certainly don't seem to be back on our board.

Maybe we should put Boston back in New England and then we can all be silent together.

Hello Maniacs
 

I was assuming they all had their internet access cut off when they got laid off.

Anyway, how about discussing how one can live in maine with the salaries available to maine lawyers.

Hello Maniacs
 

Just realize I'll keep chiming in with "it's better than living in Boston on the non-salaries available to Boston lawyers...." I know, everyone in Maine feels deeply for us, right?

Hello Maniacs
 

Everyone everywhere feels deeply for you.

Hello Maniacs
 

Others will (hopefully) chime in, but its not easy. I worked (yes past tense) at one of Maine's best paying firms, and its not easy to make ends meet at first if you have any school debt. On the other hand, even at Maine's best firms the assumption is that everyone will make partner. Over the long term, its a much safer financial decision. Unlike the major markets, it is more likely that you will not be searching for a new employer after a few firms.

Hello Mainiacs
 

They have law firms in Maine? Cool! I could go to Gritty McDuffs for lunch.

Portland Restaurants
 

I prefer Natasha's myself, but to each his own.

Here's a poll. Which downtown Portland restaurant do you like best for Lunch? Dinner?

Natasha's
Aubergine

Challenge to the Domestic Partners Law In Portlland
 

http://www.portland.com/news/local/030813domestic.shtml

Any thoughts about this? I bet this organization was created three days ago by some group of wealthy right wing wackos in DC?