Brann & Isaacson began as a business law firm and continues that focus. This ingrained and fundamental perspective permeates what we do. Beginning with our roots reorganizing banks during the Great Depression, through the remarkable growth of L.L. Bean into Maine’s largest private employer, to helping today’s startups and tomorrow’s employers do things right the first time, Brann & Isaacson has had the privilege of counseling business clients through their most critical experiences. Along the way, we have developed unique expertise and a compelling value proposition for businesses of any size, industry, or location. Our lawyers understand the language of business, whether it involves accounting and finance or marketing and business principles. From our offices in Maine, we represent some of the country’s leading enterprises in state, national, and international matters; but take equal pride in our representation of local family–owned companies and entrepreneurs. After all, that is who we are.
Almost any law firm will tell you that its lawyers work together to serve clients. So how can you tell a firm that really puts its business clients first? At Brann & Isaacson, you will see it in the way that we staff a case or transaction. All of our clients have a primary contact attorney at the firm. These are experienced business lawyers who love working with entrepreneurs, and who take an active interest in your business. They will know its personnel, its competitors, its threats and opportunities. This is someone our clients can call day or night, and reach an adviser who does not need to get “up to speed” on what makes you great. It is a special relationship, and we cherish the trust that clients place in us. Yet, we do not pretend that every attorney has expertise in every area of law, so our professionals have an incentive to collaborate. We are not shy about introducing clients to colleagues who may have specialized knowledge or experience in a particular challenge you are facing. Your primary contact person will always be there for you, but you will also receive focused, efficient, and responsive services when you need a particular expert.
Our business clients work with Brann & Isaacson specialists in such areas as business formation, commercial transactions, real estate, intellectual property, interstate taxation and litigation. We defend companies in employment disputes, and help family-owned companies transition from one generation to the next. We provide private wealth management services for the owners and executives of our business clients. In representing businesses and their owners, we seek to develop a thorough understanding of each client’s unique business and provide comprehensive, cost-effective advice and solutions.
Brann & Isaacson regularly assists private enterprises and non-profit charitable organizations select and form the most appropriate type of business association. This is a complex art that requires command of federal and state tax issues and the relative benefits and shortcomings of corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies, and other types of entities. We take the time to get to know our clients, and help them anticipate the taxation and entity governance issues they are likely to face. After forming the organization, we continue to help clients build their business through ongoing advice on governance and ethics, ensuring application of the legal protections afforded to the selected form of business entity.
Brann & Isaacson represents buyers, sellers, lenders, and other interested parties in deals of all kinds, including public and private mergers, stock and asset purchases, ESOP plans, recapitalizations and restructurings, and strategic investments and joint ventures. We work with clients on a range of business transactions, such as the purchase, sale and leasing of real estate (including international and nationwide shopping center leases), technology licensing agreements, vendor and supplier contracts, bank and institutional financing, marketing and distribution agreements, insurance contracts, franchise arrangements, and confidentiality agreements. We take pride in our ability to analyze all aspects of even the most complex transactions, to provide our clients with effective and favorable solutions, including structuring, finance, tax, securities, and intellectual property.
We advise clients on international brokerage and distribution arrangements, joint venture agreements, and management of customs obligations. We maintain referral relationships with counsel in Canada, EU countries, Japan, Hong Kong, and Costa Rica.
Brann & Isaacson provides sophisticated real estate services to individuals, businesses, developers, and municipalities. As members of the International Council of Shopping Centers, our attorneys handle multimillion dollar commercial leasing arrangements at some of the largest retail environments in the United States and around the world. This gives us a strong command of the latest trends in insurance, construction, and overlapping property rights. While many lawyers may be content to engage in a “battle of the forms” and reasons to say “no” to real estate deals, we focus on the business solutions that truly matter. We can quickly spot and address such thorny issues as encumbrances that may only appear deep in a landlord’s title, an historic easement that could prevent a municipality from redeveloping a blighted neighborhood, or the inadvertent transfer that could blow a multimillion dollar tax exemption in a section 1031 like–kind exchange. Regardless of whether we are representing a start–up negotiating its first office lease, an industrial company acquiring a new site, or a municipality developing an arts and cultural district, Brann & Isaacson’s real estate attorneys cut to the heart of the deal, and deliver practical solutions to our clients.
It is not easy being an employer, and we make no apologies for our work on behalf of job creators in both the public and private sectors. While we focus on efficient solutions that treat employees with respect and help businesses get back to work, we generally do not represent employees. Our professionals draw upon experience representing some of Maine’s largest employers to help organizations of all sizes develop, review, and improve employment policies and handbooks, negotiate collective bargaining agreements, and provide training programs for managers and supervisors. We also have experience in wage and hour concerns, employment–based immigration and I–9 audits, and OSHA matters. If employment litigation arises, we have experienced lawyers who have handled such matters in the EEOC, before state agencies, and through jury trial and appeal in state and federal court. For more information about our employment practice, CLICK HERE.
The estate planning of business owners and principals goes hand in hand with the future of the company. That is why our estate planning practice is an essential element of our business services. Our estate planning attorneys cover the spectrum from basic advice and documents that will not break the bank for young entrepreneurs, to sophisticated tax planning and business succession advice to high net worth individuals and families. For more information about our estate planning practice, CLICK HERE.
Artel, Inc., Autism Society of Maine, Baxter Brewing Company, Concordia Partners, Delorme Publishing Co., Formed Fiber Tech., Inc., Geiger Brothers, Gerrity Industries, IRC Group Industrial Roofing Companies, Hahnel Brothers, Johnson Mgmt. Corp., John T. Gorman Foundation, Lee Auto Malls, Lewiston Education Fund, L.L. Bean, Inc., Maine Machine Products, Maine Oxy-Acetylene Supply Company, Metal Specialties, Miller Hydro Company, New England School of Metalwork, Pediatric Associates of Lewiston, P.A., Phillips Realty Enterprises, Poland Spring Resort, RC Specialty Fabrication, Savage Safe Handling Company, Spiller’s
