Practice Areas

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

Firm Highlights

Blog

Verrill Partner Mathew Todaro Presents at The National Safety Council (NSC) of Northern New England’s 51st Annual New Hampshire Safety & Health Conference

The National Safety Council (NSC) of Northern New England recently held its 51 st Annual New Hampshire Safety & Health Conference in Nashua. The two-day conference began on June 7 th and featured keynote...

News

39 Verrill Attorneys Named 2022 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars

Blog

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Proposes National Drinking Water Standard for Six PFAS Compounds

On March 14, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) announced a proposed National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) for six per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (“PFAS”). PFAS are a category of manufactured chemicals that...

Blog

Maine PUC to Kick Off Review of Grid Plan to Assist Clean Energy Transition

Last month, the Maine Public Utilities Commission initiated a proceeding to identify the priorities to be addressed in an electric grid plan that will assist Maine in the “cost-effective transition to a clean, affordable...

Blog

Four Verrill Attorneys Recognized by Chambers & Partners for Energy and Environmental Law in Maine

Verrill attorneys Juliet T. Browne, James I. Cohen, Gordon R. Smith, and Mathew J. Todaro were recently recognized for energy and environmental law in Maine in the 2022 Chambers & Partners Guide . Chambers...

Blog

Maine PUC Asked to Fix “Leapfrogging” Problem Triggered by 2022 Changes to Maine’s Generator Interconnection Rule

The Maine Public Utilities Commission is currently considering whether to commence a formal emergency rulemaking process to amend Chapter 324 of its rules governing generator interconnections. The purpose of the rulemaking would be to...

Blog

Verrill's Jim Cohen To Speak on Past and Future of Maine’s Electric Grid at 2023 Winter Bar Conference

Verrill partner Jim Cohen will be presenting at the Maine State Bar Association’s Winter Bar Conference 2023, on Friday, January 27, in Portland. Cohen’s presentation, The Past and Future of Maine’s Electric Grid...

Blog

Verrill Partner Mat Todaro selected to serve on the American Bar Association’s Section on Environment, Energy, and Resources 2022 Fall Conference Planning Committee

Earlier this year, Verrill Partner Mat Todaro was selected by American Bar Association leadership to serve on the 2022 Fall Conference Planning Committee for its Section on Environment, Energy, and Resources. In this role...

Blog

Georgetown Broadband LLC Secures Utility Pole Attachment Authorization for Community Broadband Project

On February 17, 2023, Georgetown Broadband LLC (GBLLC) became the latest community broadband entity to receive pole attachment authorization from the Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to deploy a fiber broadband network. GBLLC began...

Blog

Crisis emerges in Maine over safe disposal of biosolids from wastewater treatment plants

Maine wastewater treatment plants are currently facing intense challenges concerning disposal of their sewage sludge , also called “biosolids.” This is a fast-moving issue getting significant coverage in the media and substantial attention from...

Contact Verrill at (855) 307 0700