Services

Public Sector Law

Brann & Isaacson represents public sector clients from across the state, including some of Maine’s largest cities and school systems, smaller towns and schools, and governmental and quasi–governmental agencies. 

Our attorneys provide the same degree of excellent service to each entity we serve, large or small. Public sector work often takes place outside of traditional business hours and we work to provide clients quick and accurate answers to burning questions.

Woman working at computer in modern office with brick wall.

“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)

As one of Maine’s largest law firms, we are big enough to meet all of a public client’s needs, but small enough to ensure the personal attention, and relationship, that are so important.

Where We Excel

Municipal Law

Education Law

Public Sector Labor & Employment

Freedom of Access & Privacy

Public Sector Litigation

Training & Governance

Our Public Sector Law Team

Primary Contacts

Daniel Stockford

Email: dstockford@brannlaw.com

Phone: 207.786.3566

Peter Lowe

Email: plowe@brannlaw.com

Phone: 207.786.3566

  • Michael Carey

    Michael Carey

    Partner

  • Lynn Gelinas

    Lynn Gelinas

    Counsel

  • Eamonn Hart

    Eamonn Hart

    Partner

  • Peter Lowe

    Peter Lowe

    Partner

  • Daniel Nuzzi

    Daniel Nuzzi

    Partner

  • Laura O'Neill

    Laura O’Neill

    Counsel

  • Daniel Stockford

    Daniel Stockford

    Partner

  • Hannah Wurgaft

    Hanna Wurgaft

    Associate

Recent News

  • B&I Reaches out to Federal Litigators

    • Firm Updates

    For federal lawyers with trial experience who have been fired or are concerned about their future or their agency’s future, it may be time…

  • ACMA Files Suit to Challenge NY Tax Regulation

    • Client Alerts

    On April 5, 2024, Brann & Isaacson filed a complaint in New York state court on behalf of the American Catalog Mailers Association (ACMA),…

Case Studies

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 Files Amicus Brief for Crutchfield in Tariff Dispute

    On June 4, 2025, longtime Brann & Isaacson client, Crutchfield Corporation, filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals opposing an emergency stay filed by the government in a case over worldwide tariffs imposed by the President, which the Court of International Trade ruled unlawful. In the brief, filed by Peter J….

  • California Federal Judge Denies Certification in Class Action against B&I Client

    In a sharply worded May 29, 2025 order, U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria of the Northern District of California denied a motion for class certification filed against Brann & Isaacson client, SafeOpt®, and co-defendants. After listening to questioning at a lengthy evidentiary hearing and arguments by David Bertoni and co-counsel for defendants, the judge ruled…

  • Laura O’Neill Joins Brann & Isaacson

    Brann & Isaacson, a Maine-based law firm founded in the 1920s with offices in Lewiston and Portland, is pleased to welcome Laura O’Neill as Of Counsel. A former educator herself, O’Neill will join the Municipal and Education teams at B&I.  O’Neill is a seasoned education lawyer with experience across the United States. Prior to joining…

  • David Bertoni Interrogates AI for Tax Notes State

    On May 12, 2025, Tax Notes State published the latest article by David W. Bertoni for the Eyes on E-commerce series, “Shock and Audit: Artificial Intelligence Meets State Taxation”. Bertoni’s piece provides a capsule history of artificial intelligence (AI) and then evaluates AI’s actual and potential use by state and local tax departments in their…

  • Thirteen Attorneys at Brann & Isaacson Honored by Super Lawyers 2025

    Thirteen Brann & Isaacson attorneys have been honored by Super Lawyers for 2025 and recognized for their significant contributions to the legal profession.   The research team at the national ranking service selects just 5% of the state’s lawyers every year to be included in their list of outstanding lawyers. The Rising Stars list is selected…

  • Nathaniel Bessey Again Named to Law360 Editorial Board, Tax Authority State & Local

    Brann & Isaacson congratulates Nathaniel Bessey on being named to the 2025 Editorial Advisory Board of Law360, Tax Authority State & Local. This is Bessey’s second term on the board and he brings to the position extensive experience representing the firm’s clients, including Fortune 500 companies and some of the largest Internet retailers, in all…

  • Peter Brann Named Chair of District of Maine Local Rules Committee

    On April 1, 2025, Chief Judge Lance E. Walker of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine named Peter Brann chair of the Local Rules Advisory Committee. Brann has long served on the committee, which authored the just-published comprehensive revision to the district’s local rules. In the letter to Brann announcing the appointment,…

  • Brann & Isaacson Lawyers Present at The National Etailing and Marketing Summit in Boston

    Brann & Isaacson is pleased to announce that two of its attorneys, Stacy Stitham and Jamie Szal, will be presenting at The National Etailing and Marketing Summit in Boston from April 1-3. They will be offering critical guidance on Legal Trends for eCommerce Companies in 2025.      The National Etailing & Marketing Organization of America (NEMOA)…

  • B&I Reaches out to Federal Litigators

    For federal lawyers with trial experience who have been fired or are concerned about their future or their agency’s future, it may be time to think outside the Beltway. Brann & Isaacson is a 20-lawyer firm located in Maine that handles cases there and around the country. Its partners include a former Maine State Solicitor,…

  • B&I Wins Summary Judgment for NaviStone in Pennsylvania Privacy Class Action

    On March 24, 2025, U.S. District Judge William S. Stickman IV granted a motion for summary judgment filed by Brann & Isaacson attorneys, David W. Bertoni, David Swetnam-Burland, and Eamonn Hart, for NaviStone, Inc. and co-defendant Harriet Carter Gifts, Inc. In this long-running putative class action, the plaintiff, Ashley Popa, accused NaviStone of “wiretapping” her…

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 Files Amicus Brief for Crutchfield in Tariff Dispute

    On June 4, 2025, longtime Brann & Isaacson client, Crutchfield Corporation, filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals opposing an emergency stay filed by the government in a case over worldwide tariffs imposed by the President, which the Court of International Trade ruled unlawful. In the brief, filed by Peter J….

  • California Federal Judge Denies Certification in Class Action against B&I Client

    In a sharply worded May 29, 2025 order, U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria of the Northern District of California denied a motion for class certification filed against Brann & Isaacson client, SafeOpt®, and co-defendants. After listening to questioning at a lengthy evidentiary hearing and arguments by David Bertoni and co-counsel for defendants, the judge ruled…

  • Laura O’Neill Joins Brann & Isaacson

    Brann & Isaacson, a Maine-based law firm founded in the 1920s with offices in Lewiston and Portland, is pleased to welcome Laura O’Neill as Of Counsel. A former educator herself, O’Neill will join the Municipal and Education teams at B&I.  O’Neill is a seasoned education lawyer with experience across the United States. Prior to joining…

  • David Bertoni Interrogates AI for Tax Notes State

    On May 12, 2025, Tax Notes State published the latest article by David W. Bertoni for the Eyes on E-commerce series, “Shock and Audit: Artificial Intelligence Meets State Taxation”. Bertoni’s piece provides a capsule history of artificial intelligence (AI) and then evaluates AI’s actual and potential use by state and local tax departments in their…

  • Thirteen Attorneys at Brann & Isaacson Honored by Super Lawyers 2025

    Thirteen Brann & Isaacson attorneys have been honored by Super Lawyers for 2025 and recognized for their significant contributions to the legal profession.   The research team at the national ranking service selects just 5% of the state’s lawyers every year to be included in their list of outstanding lawyers. The Rising Stars list is selected…

  • Nathaniel Bessey Again Named to Law360 Editorial Board, Tax Authority State & Local

    Brann & Isaacson congratulates Nathaniel Bessey on being named to the 2025 Editorial Advisory Board of Law360, Tax Authority State & Local. This is Bessey’s second term on the board and he brings to the position extensive experience representing the firm’s clients, including Fortune 500 companies and some of the largest Internet retailers, in all…

  • Peter Brann Named Chair of District of Maine Local Rules Committee

    On April 1, 2025, Chief Judge Lance E. Walker of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine named Peter Brann chair of the Local Rules Advisory Committee. Brann has long served on the committee, which authored the just-published comprehensive revision to the district’s local rules. In the letter to Brann announcing the appointment,…

  • Brann & Isaacson Lawyers Present at The National Etailing and Marketing Summit in Boston

    Brann & Isaacson is pleased to announce that two of its attorneys, Stacy Stitham and Jamie Szal, will be presenting at The National Etailing and Marketing Summit in Boston from April 1-3. They will be offering critical guidance on Legal Trends for eCommerce Companies in 2025.      The National Etailing & Marketing Organization of America (NEMOA)…

  • B&I Reaches out to Federal Litigators

    For federal lawyers with trial experience who have been fired or are concerned about their future or their agency’s future, it may be time to think outside the Beltway. Brann & Isaacson is a 20-lawyer firm located in Maine that handles cases there and around the country. Its partners include a former Maine State Solicitor,…

  • B&I Wins Summary Judgment for NaviStone in Pennsylvania Privacy Class Action

    On March 24, 2025, U.S. District Judge William S. Stickman IV granted a motion for summary judgment filed by Brann & Isaacson attorneys, David W. Bertoni, David Swetnam-Burland, and Eamonn Hart, for NaviStone, Inc. and co-defendant Harriet Carter Gifts, Inc. In this long-running putative class action, the plaintiff, Ashley Popa, accused NaviStone of “wiretapping” her…