Services

Employment Law

Compliance with employment laws can be one of the most pressing concerns for any organization, whether you are a new business hiring its first employee or a large employer facing a major down-sizing.

Our commitment is to provide prompt and strategic advice delivered in clear and declarative language. Clients want advice to act on, not a legal treatise. Lawsuits by disgruntled employees and former employees are a constant threat to employers. We work to minimize the risks of a lawsuit being filed through preventative measures such as policy development, training, and HR audits, and also by timely counsel when a client is making an important personnel decisions.

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“These are hands-on lawyers who understand our industry and how our company operates. They bring intelligence, integrity, and innovation to their representation of L.L. Bean.”

Leon A. Gorman

L.L. Bean President (1967-2001), Chairman (2001-2013), Chairman Emeritus (2013-2015)

We help management make sense of the myriad labor and employment laws, regulations, and court decisions and offer practical advice tailored to client business needs.

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Where We Excel

Day-to-Day Advice & Counsel

Brann & Isaacson advises employers in all areas of day-to-day employee relations matters. Our clients want a partner who can respond in minutes to the unexpected personnel matter that calls for legal advice.

Clients turn to us for advice on terminations—whether an individual or a mass layoff. We steer clients through investigations, termination assessments, termination letters, WARN Act and severance pay notices, unemployment, references, confidentiality, severance, and COBRA. We draft separation agreements.

On wage and hour matters, we advise on exempt/non-exempt status, overtime, minimum wage, independent contractor status, FLSA, and a host of related compliance issues.

We counsel employers about workplace safety and OSHA compliance, and we defend enforcement actions.  

Labor-Management Relations

B&I works with both public and private sector employers in the negotiation of collective bargaining agreements and contract administration. In the event of a dispute, we handle arbitrations and unfair labor practice proceedings before the NLRB and state labor relation agencies.

Employment Investigations & Litigation

B&I regularly serves as special outside counsel in high profile, sensitive,internal investigations. We also support our clients with their own internal employee investigations. We have a skilled Title IX investigator who works closely with our educational clients in public schools and colleges.

In the event of a lawsuit, we provide seasoned trial counsel. We vigorously defend employers before state agencies, the EEOC, and federal and state courts in wrongful discharge, wage and hour, harassment, and discrimination claims, including claims based on Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, FLSA, FMLA, COBRA, WARN Act, ADEA, ADA, EPA, and OWBPA. 

Employment Matters & Labor

B&I attorneys draft and review employment policies and employee handbooks, and keep clients informed of emerging developments through newsletters, alerts, and seminars.

Our training programs include workshops on performance management and termination, performance evaluation, workplace harassment and discrimination, managing leaves of absence and attendance, and interviewing and hiring.    

Conferences, Workshops & Publications

B&I lawyers share their knowledge and expertise throughout the year as regular speakers at employment and HR conferences and workshops, including: The Maine HR Conference, Samoset; Annual Employment Law Update, Central Maine Human Resources Association; Maine Rural Water Association Annual Conference; Maine School Management Annual Conference; and the L.L. Bean In-House HR Law Training.

Our Employment Law Team

Primary Contacts

Peter Lowe

Email: plowe@brannlaw.com

Phone: 207.786.3566

Daniel Stockford

Email: dstockford@brannlaw.com

Phone: 207.786.3566

  • Nathaniel Bessey

    Nathaniel Bessey

    Partner

  • Lynn Gelinas

    Lynn Gelinas

    Counsel

  • Eamonn Hart

    Eamonn Hart

    Partner

  • Peter Lowe

    Peter Lowe

    Partner

  • Daniel Stockford

    Daniel Stockford

    Partner

  • Hannah Wurgaft

    Hanna Wurgaft

    Partner

Recent News

  • Employment Law Webinar on February 11
    • Events

    Join Peter Lowe and David Ciullo of Career Management Associates on February 11 at 12pm…

  • Immigration Enforcement
    • Client Alerts

    Since last week we have been fielding many client questions and requests about the increased…

  • New Maine Employment Laws
    • Client Alerts

    It’s the time of year that Maine employers have to get up to speed on…

View All News

Case Studies

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Recent
Cases

  • Former Price Promotions, Current Legal Risk

    Former price promotions, you say? Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose. This isn’t just a quote from Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr or a line from Circumstances by Rush. It’s also a fitting description of the risks associated with California’s thorny and potentially unconstitutional Business & Professions Code § 17501. The combination of this statute and avaricious lawyers is…

  • B&I University: SCOTUS Invalidates Emergency Tariffs

    In the weeks since the Supreme Court’s decision invalidating emergency (IEEPA) tariffs, there has been a whirlwind of activity among multiple US Courts in connection with tariffs enforced (or, rather, attempted to be enforced) by the current presidential administration. Join the B&I team behind multiple briefs filed in the tariff cases for their insight on…

  • Upcoming Webinar: Maine Paid Family Medical Leave

    By now, employers in Maine will be familiar with the basics of Maine’s Paid Family Medical Leave (MPFML) program. What employers are looking for is guidance on implementation of the program on May 1st.  Join us for a webinar on Thursday, March 5 at 12pm ET. The session is designed to address the practical realities…

  • Maine Legislature Considering Problematic New Privacy Bill

    On February 10, 2026, Maine’s House of Representatives passed LD 1822, the Maine Online Data Privacy Act. This law surfaced in early 2025, then, as now, it faced stiff opposition from the business community. On behalf of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, we lobbied last spring to abandon LD 1822 in favor of a…

  • Supreme Court Invalidates Emergency Tariffs: What It Means and What’s Next

    IEEPA tariffs declared invalid. As you’ve probably heard, the Supreme Court definitively invalidated all International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) tariffs in a 6–3 opinion today in Learning Resources v. Trump. Cutting through the legalese, the majority held IEEPA does not authorize the President to impose tariffs, full stop.  What’s next? The Court resolved a separate question about…

  • Employment Law Webinar on February 11

    Join Peter Lowe and David Ciullo of Career Management Associates on February 11 at 12pm ET for the next installment of their Employment Law Webinar Series. Designed to keep Maine employers ahead of the curve, this session offers practical up-to-date guidance to help HR teams and leaders stay prepared. Some of the topics they’ll cover…

  • Maine Enacts New Restrictions on Employer Surveillance

    Maine has enacted an employer surveillance law that creates compliance obligations for all employers in the state. Our latest alert breaks down the requirements and outlines what organizations should do now. Access the full article here. Peter Lowe | plowe@brannlaw.com Laura O’Neill | loneill@brannlaw.com

  • Tax Notes State: What’s New in the World of AI and State Tax? 

    On January 19, Martin Eisenstein and Joseph Caissie wrote a cover story for Tax Notes State titled, “What’s New in the World of AI and State Tax?”   On a daily basis, we can read about how artificial intelligence will be transforming our economy and changing our business and personal lives. Back in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, we…

  • Immigration Enforcement

    Since last week we have been fielding many client questions and requests about the increased federal immigration enforcement in Maine. Federal agents are on the streets of many Maine communities, including Portland and Lewiston. The Department of Homeland Security reports that it has detained 200 people in Maine, and there is widespread discussion of a…

  • Hanna Wurgaft Named Partner at Brann & Isaacson

    Brann & Isaacson, a law firm with offices in both Lewiston and Portland, has announced that Hanna Wurgaft has been made a partner of the firm. Hanna has been with Brann & Isaacson for six years and advises clients on labor and employment law, education and municipal law, and litigation.   Over the past six years, Hanna has built a statewide reputation representing employers and educational institutions in complex employment and education…

  • B&I University: 2026 Trends for E-Commerce Companies to Watch For

    Join partners Jamie Szal and David Bertoni as we debate the top trends we see coming for e-commerce companies in 2026. This conversation will cover taxes, privacy, other regulatory compliance, litigation, and other issues that e-commerce companies will face. Register now here.

View All Cases

Retail & E-Commerce News

  • Former Price Promotions, Current Legal Risk

    Former price promotions, you say? Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose. This isn’t just a quote from Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr or a line from Circumstances by Rush. It’s also a fitting description of the risks associated with California’s thorny and potentially unconstitutional Business & Professions Code § 17501. The combination of this statute and avaricious lawyers is…

  • B&I University: SCOTUS Invalidates Emergency Tariffs

    In the weeks since the Supreme Court’s decision invalidating emergency (IEEPA) tariffs, there has been a whirlwind of activity among multiple US Courts in connection with tariffs enforced (or, rather, attempted to be enforced) by the current presidential administration. Join the B&I team behind multiple briefs filed in the tariff cases for their insight on…

  • Upcoming Webinar: Maine Paid Family Medical Leave

    By now, employers in Maine will be familiar with the basics of Maine’s Paid Family Medical Leave (MPFML) program. What employers are looking for is guidance on implementation of the program on May 1st.  Join us for a webinar on Thursday, March 5 at 12pm ET. The session is designed to address the practical realities…

  • Maine Legislature Considering Problematic New Privacy Bill

    On February 10, 2026, Maine’s House of Representatives passed LD 1822, the Maine Online Data Privacy Act. This law surfaced in early 2025, then, as now, it faced stiff opposition from the business community. On behalf of the Maine State Chamber of Commerce, we lobbied last spring to abandon LD 1822 in favor of a…

  • Supreme Court Invalidates Emergency Tariffs: What It Means and What’s Next

    IEEPA tariffs declared invalid. As you’ve probably heard, the Supreme Court definitively invalidated all International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) tariffs in a 6–3 opinion today in Learning Resources v. Trump. Cutting through the legalese, the majority held IEEPA does not authorize the President to impose tariffs, full stop.  What’s next? The Court resolved a separate question about…

  • Employment Law Webinar on February 11

    Join Peter Lowe and David Ciullo of Career Management Associates on February 11 at 12pm ET for the next installment of their Employment Law Webinar Series. Designed to keep Maine employers ahead of the curve, this session offers practical up-to-date guidance to help HR teams and leaders stay prepared. Some of the topics they’ll cover…

  • Maine Enacts New Restrictions on Employer Surveillance

    Maine has enacted an employer surveillance law that creates compliance obligations for all employers in the state. Our latest alert breaks down the requirements and outlines what organizations should do now. Access the full article here. Peter Lowe | plowe@brannlaw.com Laura O’Neill | loneill@brannlaw.com

  • Tax Notes State: What’s New in the World of AI and State Tax? 

    On January 19, Martin Eisenstein and Joseph Caissie wrote a cover story for Tax Notes State titled, “What’s New in the World of AI and State Tax?”   On a daily basis, we can read about how artificial intelligence will be transforming our economy and changing our business and personal lives. Back in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, we…

  • Immigration Enforcement

    Since last week we have been fielding many client questions and requests about the increased federal immigration enforcement in Maine. Federal agents are on the streets of many Maine communities, including Portland and Lewiston. The Department of Homeland Security reports that it has detained 200 people in Maine, and there is widespread discussion of a…

  • Hanna Wurgaft Named Partner at Brann & Isaacson

    Brann & Isaacson, a law firm with offices in both Lewiston and Portland, has announced that Hanna Wurgaft has been made a partner of the firm. Hanna has been with Brann & Isaacson for six years and advises clients on labor and employment law, education and municipal law, and litigation.   Over the past six years, Hanna has built a statewide reputation representing employers and educational institutions in complex employment and education…

  • B&I University: 2026 Trends for E-Commerce Companies to Watch For

    Join partners Jamie Szal and David Bertoni as we debate the top trends we see coming for e-commerce companies in 2026. This conversation will cover taxes, privacy, other regulatory compliance, litigation, and other issues that e-commerce companies will face. Register now here.

View All Online & Multichannell Marketing News