PARTNER
Peter provides advice and counsel to our clients on labor and employment law, education and municipal law, and corporate and public governance issues. He serves as lead employment counsel for some of the premier employers in Maine, including L.L. Bean.
The focus of Peter’s practice is providing legal counseling to our clients. Clients look to Peter for his expertise to guide them when faced with a challenging situation. Peter’s skills have been called upon to resolve many high profile and sensitive cases, and he understands the need to couple his legal advice with careful attention to the reputational and public relations implications of these difficult cases.
Peter advises senior executives, superintendents, town managers and board members on governance, investigations, fiduciary duties, freedom of access, risk management, and personnel matters. He negotiates employment contracts, non-competition agreements and severance agreements. Peter has advised many organizations on strategies to reorganize their workforces. He has also defended successfully scores of claims of discrimination, harassment and wrongful discharge.
Peter also works as an outside investigator and has conducted complex and highly sensitive workplace investigations.
University of Birmingham, England (L.L.B., 2/1 degree, 1983)
College of Law, Chester, England (1984)
Maine
U.S. Court of Appeals, First and Eleventh Circuits
U.S. District Court, District of Maine
Androscoggin, Maine State, and American Bar Association (Labor and Employment Law Section)
Best Lawyers in America®, Employment Management (2013–2019)
2017 Client Choice Award Winner, selected by international publisher, Lexology, as Maine Employment Lawyer of the Year
Editor of the Maine Employment Law Letter, the leading Maine employment law newsletter published by BLR (//www.hrhero.com)
Former Lecturer, University of Southern Maine: Maine School Law Course
Maine Council of School Board Attorneys (Past President)
Frequent contributor to the HR Power Hour, a Maine radio show for HR professionals
The Maine employment lawyer selected as representative on the National Employer’s Counsel Network
National Council of School Board Attorneys
Peter’s recent presentations include:
Central Maine Human Resources Association (CMHRA) “Employment Law Update” (1/09/18)
Husson College “Institute for Family Owned Business: HR for Companies without HR and Stories from Real Life” (3/21/18)
Maine State Bar Association “Employment Law Update” (4/05/18)
ECN National Conference “Marijuana in the Workplace” (4/26/18)
Maine HR Convention “From Policy to Reality: Lessons from Uber and Fox News” (5/08/18)
Maine HR Convention “Building a Valued Attorney/HR Relationship” (5/10/18)
LERA Maine “Social Media Workshop” (5/14/18)
Career Management Associates “2018 Employment Update for Human Resources” (8/21-22/18)
Maine School Management Association Fall Conference “Sexual Harassment and Employment Discrimination in the Era of #MeToo: Practical Lessons and Best Practices for Schools” (10/26/18)
Institute for Family-Owned Business IFOB “Crisis Communication” (3/19/19)
BLR Webinar “Drug-Free Workplace Policies: The Impact the Legalization of Marijuana Has on Your Management Rights” (9/5/19)
Maine Rural Water Association “A Practical Guide for Hiring Employees: Manage Your Risk While Hiring the Best Employees” (9/18/19 & 10/16/19)
MSMA Fall Conference “Boardsmanship” (10/24/19)
BLR–HR Comply, Nashville, Tennessee “Marijuana and Opioids at Work” (11/15/19)
LA Metro Chamber “HR Impacts of the Changing Marijuana Landscape” (1/15/20) (with Hannah Wurgaft)
Central Maine Human Resources Association (CMHRA) “Employment Law Update” (1/21/20) (with Hannah Wurgaft)
Human Resources Association of Southern Maine (HRASM) “Best Practices & Support for Gender Transition in the Workplace” (2/11/20)
Peter writes articles for the Maine Employment Law Letter and national HR publications. Some recent articles include:
“Legislature’s Failure to Extend Marijuana Moratorium Leaves Employers in the Lurch” (2/2018)