Jim practices at the intersection of law and politics. Based on decades of experience as a regulatory lawyer, mediator, government relations professional, and elected official — including as Mayor of Portland, Jim helps clients in heavily regulated industries achieve their legal and policy goals before state and local regulatory agencies and legislative bodies.
Jim’s unique background allows him to provide clients not only with insightful legal advice, but also with creative solutions involving public relations, facilitation, and outreach to key government, business, and community leaders. His experience in public service and leadership positions on multiple business and nonprofit boards gives him a deep understanding of government and a broad range of connections within Maine’s business and political community.
Applying these skills across a wide range of regulated industries, Jim has helped craft or modify laws and regulations, represented clients in adjudicatory proceedings before government agencies and the courts, assisted clients in complex business transactions, facilitated stakeholder groups, and provided a wide range of legal and public policy advice.
Jim is an avid runner, biker, skier, “golfer” (quotes intentionally added), and sometimes guitar player.
In addition to Jim’s main services and industries, he also focuses on the following unique areas:
- Municipal Law
- Procurement
- Transportation
- Substance Use Disorder Treatment
Services/Industries
Education
- Columbia University School of Law (J.D.)
- Princeton University, Princeton School of Public and International Affairs (A.B., cum laude)
- University of Southern Maine (Certificate Program in Mediation)
Public Service
- Mayor, City of Portland (2005-06), Portland City Council (2002-08)
- Portland Charter Commission, Vice Chair (2009-10)
- Cumberland County Budget Committee (2003-05)(Chair, 2005)
- Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce, Chair (2012-14), Trustee (2008-2016; 2019-2021)
- Portland Community Chamber of Commerce, Board President (2019-2021), Trustee (2017-2023)
- Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce, Advocacy Committee (2009-present)
- Maine State Chamber of Commerce, Trustee (2009-present)
- Portland Trails, President (1997-98), Advisory Trustee (2002-present)
- Project Green Schools, Advisory Trustee (2017-present)
- Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority (NNEPRA), Board Chair (2022-present)
- See More Public Service
Bar Admissions
Court and Other Admissions
- U.S. District Court for the District of Maine
Memberships
- Maine State Bar Association: Consumer and Financial Institutions Section, Chair (1999-2000), Member (1996-present)
- Maine Association of Mediators, Board of Governors (2008-2010)
- Federal Communications Bar Association, New England Chapter, Steering Committee Member (2012-present)
Honors
- AV® rated by Martindale-Hubbell
- Recognized in Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business under Energy & Natural Resources
- Listed in The Best Lawyers in America® for Administrative/Regulatory Law, Government Relations Practice, Energy Regulatory Law in Portland, Maine
- Selected by peers for inclusion in New England Super Lawyers under Utilities, Banking and Government Relations
- Named in The Best Lawyers in America® Energy Law “Lawyer of the Year” in Portland, Maine (2020)
- Neal W. Allen Award for Leadership in the Public Sector (2009)
- Ruth M. Shaper Memorial Award, Maine Public Health Association (2008)
- Public Service for the Environment Award, Sierra Club, ME Chapter (2006)
Learn more about the third-party ratings, rankings, and selection processes used for inclusion.
Wastewater & Water Utilities
Verrill’s Wastewater & Water Utilities Group focuses on local, state, and federal regulation of suppliers and users of water and wastewater services throughout New England.
Energy Practice Group
Verrill’s Energy Group consists of a well-integrated, multidisciplinary team of experienced professionals.
Telecommunications
Verrill’s Telecommunications Law Group has an active, successful practice representing national providers of telecommunications services.
Government and Public Relations
Maine Street Solutions, a public affairs and consulting service of Verrill, is at the nexus of cutting-edge public policy, legislative advocacy, and the traditional practice of law.
Telecommunications
- Co-chair of the firm’s Telecommunications Group
- Federal Communications Bar Association, member of New England Steering Committee
- Since the mid-1990’s, Jim has counseled telecommunications providers on matters such as Maine PUC regulation, government procurement, universal service, the approval of a dark fiber provider, tax policy, and the siting of telecommunications facilities in the public right-of-way
Energy
- Assist transmission and distribution utilities before the Maine PUC in transactions and regulatory proceedings, including rate setting, mergers, rate design, purchase power agreements, special rate agreements, rulemakings, customer complaints, and investigations
- Advises natural gas utilities, wood pellet heat providers, and energy aggregators on contracting, procurement, and state regulatory and legislative matters
- Participated in the drafting and adoption of nearly every major piece of energy legislation adopted in Maine since 1995, including the 1997 Electric Restructuring Act and the 2013 Omnibus Energy Act
Water and Wastewater
- Assist water systems in transactions, rulemakings, and litigated proceedings before the Maine PUC, including main extensions, mergers and acquisitions, local governance, regional cooperation, eminent domain, rate setting, rate design, right-of-way, customer complaints, and commission investigations
- Regularly assist trade associations on a wide range of legislative and regulatory matters
- Helped to form Maine’s first regional nonprofit organization for water utilities
Government and Public Relations
- Director of Maine Street Solutions, Verrill’s government relations arm
- Provide legal and government relations services to businesses and trade associations before the Maine Legislature on issues related to energy, telecommunications, public water systems, taxation, legal services, transportation, municipal law, substance use disorder treatment, and general business and regulatory matters
- Assist clients with media outreach and strategy
- Primary draftsperson of Maine’s current law governing state, county, and municipal spending
- Counsel for several statewide ballot initiatives
- Assist clients in numerous rulemaking and adjudicatory proceedings, including before the Maine PUC, the Maine Department of Education, the Maine Department of Transportation, Maine Revenue Services, and the Maine Department of Health and Human Services
Municipal Law
- Served as an elected official in Maine’s largest city for seven years, including a term as Mayor of Portland
- Advise local governments, special purpose districts, and private businesses on issues such as procurement, right to know laws, land use, licensure, ordinance changes, finance and spending, and election issues
- Assist businesses with local ordinances, land use and development, transportation infrastructure, school construction and finance, and economic development matters pending before local municipal boards
- Advise businesses regarding local property tax assessments and represent property taxpayers in abatement proceedings
- Assist businesses with regard to liquor licensure, including change in control and operational requirements
Procurement
- Successfully represented numerous businesses seeking or maintaining government grants or contracts, including a $50 million statewide radio contract, a $25 million federal grant for a statewide middle-mile fiber network, a multimillion-dollar contract for educational data collection, and a substantial contract for local airport services
- Advised businesses in contested procurement disputes before state and local government agencies, including appeals related to state natural gas procurement, statewide radio services, airport maintenance service, and crisis behavioral health services
Transportation
- Extensive legal and political experience on state and local transportation issues including highway construction and location, grant funding, buses, trains, and airports
- Served for nearly 15 years as the primary utility liaison to the MDOT/Utilities Task Force, actively participating in drafting regulations governing utility accommodation, highway opening, and right-of-way issues
- Board member, Greater Portland Transit District (2002-05)
- Chair of the Portland Jetport Master Planning Committee (2005-06)
- Portland City Council Transportation Committee, Chair (2002-05)
- Hosted two regional bus transit summits (2006, 2007)
Substance Use Disorder Treatment
- Helped obtain the licensure of Maine’s first methadone treatment clinic in 1994, which included a successful Superior Court appeal to overturn an agency decision denying licensure
- Advise several clinics with regard to permitting and operations in Maine including highly contested rulemakings, legal disputes, and legislation related to methadone treatment and Medicaid reimbursement
- Oversaw a successful multiyear public and government relations campaign on behalf of a coalition of Opioid Treatment Programs in Maine to increase the Medicaid reimbursement rate for methadone treatment
- Assist OTP’s with regard to establishing site locations, including assistance with zoning approvals and local government relations
Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Certified mediator and listed on the rosters of the Court Alternative Dispute Resolution Service (CADRES), and the Maine Human Rights Commission
- Mediator with the Maine Judicial Branch, Foreclosure Diversion Program (2011-14)
- Maine Association of Mediators, Board of Governors (2008-2010), Member (2007-2019)
- Maine State Bar Association, ADR Section, Member (2009-present)
- Facilitated hundreds of public meetings and stakeholder groups as a public official, plus planned and hosted several policy summits, and spearheaded the formation of the Creative Portland Corporation, the Metro Regional Coalition, the Civic Center Joint Task Force, and the Greater Portland Economic Development Corporation
- Participated in stakeholder group that developed evidentiary rules related to confidentiality in mediation sessions
