Best Civil Lawyer in Maine
Joe Lewis
Civil Lawyer
I can honestly say that of all the wonderful places I’ve lived, Portland, Maine is exactly where I want to be. The mix of physical beauty, friendly people, culture, and cuisine is unbelievably appealing to me. When I’m not enjoying everything that Portland offers — or at Scarborough Beach! — I am likely at home reading or cooking, or planning my next escape Downeast or to Quebec City.
I know you have a great many solid options when it comes to selecting a lawyer here in southern Maine. My hope is that you will see the value of having me in your corner. I’m a fighter by nature: tough, determined, intelligent, and driven to success. But I’m also a huge believer in seeking agreement whenever possible in order to save my clients stress and money. My bottom line is: results for you.
EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF MAINE SCHOOL OF LAW
Juris Doctor, 2010, Magna Cum Laude
FORDHAM UNIVERSITY
B.A., History, 1986
AFFILIATIONS & ACTIVITIES
Maine State Bar Association
Family Law Section of the Maine State Bar Association
Founding Member, Katahdin Counsel
Volunteer Attorney for the Courthouse Assistance Project
Matthew Morgan
Civil Lawyer
Matthew is a partner at McKee Law. His practice involves the full range of litigation matters including criminal defense, civil litigation and everything in between. Prior to joining McKee Law, he served as a Law Clerk for the Bangor District and Superior Courts. A Maine native, he was born in Saco, and briefly lived in western New York before returning to Boothbay Harbor with his mother and three brothers.
He graduated magna cum laude from Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, where he completed an honors thesis examining the intersection of merit evaluations and structural discrimination. While studying at Bates, Matthew was first introduced to the practice of law as an intake volunteer at Pine Tree Legal Assistance in Lewiston. He was honored with the NESCAC All-Sportsmanship Award in 2009 for his performance on the men’s varsity rowing team.
During law school, he was a Maine Association for Public Interest Law (MAPIL) Fellow at Pine Tree Legal Assistance, a student attorney at the Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office, and a research associate for a solo practitioner in Portland focusing on insurance and personal injury law. In addition, Matthew served as a member of the City of Portland Zoning Board of Appeals, where he and other committee members voted on applications for conditional use permits, variances, ordinance interpretations, and other zoning issues.
Matthew has continually demonstrated a commitment to his community and in the past has served as a member of the Kennebec Valley Community Action Program Board of Directors, a youth mentor with the Portland High School Mentoring Alliance, an advisor on the Portland Volunteer Lawyers Project Family Law Helpline, and a volunteer at the Trinity Jubilee Center Food Pantry and New Beginnings transitional living program in Lewiston
Matthew D. Bowe
Civil Lawyer
After interning at the York County (Maine) DA’s office while in law school, Mr. Bowe began his own solo practice in 2006. From 2006-10, Mr. Bowe took state and federal criminal appointments and child protection appointments in Maine. He’s represented criminal defendants throughout Maine in jury trials, and clients that have been found not guilty by Maine juries in sex offense, domestic violence and driving cases.
EDUCATION
University of Maine School of Law, J.D., 2005
Boston College, M.A., 2005
Bowdoin College, A.B., 1999
MR. BOWE IS AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE FOLLOWING ORGANIZATIONS:
MACDL (Maine Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers)
National Advocacy for DUI Defense
National College of DUI Attorneys
Maine Bar Association
Cumberland County Law Library
Benjamin Gideon
Civil Lawyer
When clients come to us, they are looking for financial compensation. They are often struggling just to stay above water, and they need money to provide safety and security to meet basic life needs and to build a new and better life for themselves and their family in the future.
But for many of our clients, their case is also about something more—something larger—than money. It’s about accountability. It’s about wanting to create a society where individuals, corporations, medical providers and insurance companies don’t get away with selfish, neglectful or greedy choices that put people at risk. It’s about obtaining the catharsis and closure the only comes when justice is done to make up for the precious things that another’s harmful conduct took away from them.
Ben grew up in Portland, Maine, attended public schools and graduated from Deering High School in 1989. Ben’s father, Martin Rogoff, was a prominent member of the Maine Law School faculty, so Ben grew up immersed in discussions of the law. Ben began to develop his legal skills early in life through nightly arguments with his father at the dinner table.
In high school, Ben played varsity soccer and was the captain of the hockey team. Following high school, Ben attended Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. Ben attempted to walk on to the Cornell hockey team, but was eventually cut from the team, ending his hockey career. Depressed and disappointed at this failure, Ben became a poor student, failed several classes, and was told he was being suspended from college on academic probation.
After rehabilitating himself through some community college courses, Ben was able to gain re-admission to Cornell and to complete his degree. Ben applied to law school and was admitted to Boston University School of Law. There, Ben was a standout student. His grades were so exceptional after his first year that he was accepted as a transfer student to Yale Law School where he earned his law degree.
Michael H. Griffin
Civil Lawyer
Michael is a graduate of the University of Maine and the University of Maine School of Law. He has been practicing law in the Bangor, Maine area since 1974. Michael’s law practice is diverse, with a special emphasis on residential and commercial real estate, estate planning and corporate law. During his career, he has conducted nearly 10,000 residential and commercial closings as well as crafting hundreds of estates plans and trusts for his clients.
Michael is active in the Maine Bar Association, Continuing Legal Education, and other professional organizations. He is a member of the Maine Title Standards Committee, and the Maine State Bar Association’s Real Estate Section. Michael helps coordinate the Maine Real Estate Institute, a training seminar attended every few years by hundreds of Maine’s attorneys. He is known for his diligence and steadfast dedication to his clients.
Ezra A. R. Willey
Civil Lawyer
Ezra, the newest addition to Willey Law Offices, graduated from Roger Williams University, School of Law in 2012. He went back to law school after having a first career as a professional glassblower and glassblowing equipment manufacturer, as well as a glassblowing instructor on a number of levels. After Hurricane Katrina uprooted him and his wife from their home in New Orleans, LA, they began the long journey of pursuing new careers, with Ezra deciding on a career in legal advocacy.
Ezra is licensed to practice law in Maine and Massachusetts, as well as in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine and the U.S. First Circuit Court of Appeals. He will be sworn into the Bar of the U.S. Virgin Islands on November 15, 2016. Ezra is also accredited by the Department of Veteran’s Affairs, as a Veteran’s Attorney, admittied to practice in front of the Veteran’s Administration, handling Veteran Benefit Appeals, as well as admitted to practice in front of the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veteran’s Claims. Ezra also focuses in all areas of litigation and shares in his father’s passion for zealous advocacy of his clients.
Ezra is also a rostered Guardian ad Litem, rostered to handle both Family Matters and Protective Custody cases. As a lawyer, a parent, an Uncle and as a citizen of Penobscot County and the State of Maine, Ezra deeply believes that the children involved in any litigation in Maine deserve to have his, her or their voices heard and represented to the Court to the fullest degree, and further that these children are placed in the safest environment, and one that will allow them to thrive to the fullest extent. Consequently, Ezra believes that this may be one of the most important roles that he plays as part of his career.
Ezra is currently a member of the American Bar Association, the Maine State Bar Association, where he sits on the Board of Governors (the governing body of the Maine State Bar Association), the Massachusetts Bar Association, the Penobscot County Bar Association, to which he serves on the Board of Directors in the capacity of President, the Hancock County Bar Association and is a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the Maine Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, as well as the John Waldo Ballou Inn of Court.
Ross Fichthorn
Civil Lawyer
Ross grew up in Madison Maine. He attended the University of Maine where he received B.S. in Political Science. While attending University of Maine, he played football and started three consecutive years as a
Middle Linebacker for the University of Maine football team from 1993-1995. He was an Academic All American and All Conference Middle Linebacker
under Coach Jack Cosgrove.
Next, he went to the University of Maine Law School, and received his J.D. Law Degree in 1999. After law school, Ross practiced civil law in Texas for several years. He then began practicing as a criminal lawyer. Ross joined the Austin Texas District Attorney’s Office and was a felony only criminal prosecutor for a decade.
After years of practicing criminal law in Texas, Ross moved back home to his home state of Maine.
He continued on as a prosecutor for the Kennebec/Somerset District Attorney’s Office. After several years there, he started his own Criminal Defense Law practice. With his knowledge of how the system works, he fights passionately for his clients in getting them the best result possible.
Attorney Ross has been Lead Trial Counsel in more than 100 jury trials with a very high rate of success over the course of his 21 years in practice. He has developed a reputation as skilled and effective Trial Lawyer.
Ross has successfully tried cases ranging from murder, sexual assault, aggravated assault, criminal threatening with firearms, domestic violence assault, burglary, drug trafficking, drug possession, kidnapping, Operating Under the Influence/Driving While Intoxicated.
Stephanie K. Annunziata
Civil Lawyer
Stephanie Annunziata is a Partner with a practice focused on navigating families through conflict. She assists families in contested probate and family law matters, including guardianships, divorce, parenting issues, and trust litigation. Stephanie recognizes and respects the sensitive nature of these personal matters and calls upon her experience to pursue creative resolutions for her clients. As a result of her cross-disciplinary practice, Stephanie is especially equipped to represent beneficiaries of generational wealth in divorce and parenting actions.
Stephanie is a trained collaborative law attorney. She employs collaborative techniques for clients who prioritize privacy and desire reduced conflict within their families. While collaborative law is especially useful for parents seeking to minimize the impact of conflict on their children, Stephanie’s probate clients can also benefit from the cost-effective strategies employed by the practice. Where a negotiated resolution is inappropriate, Stephanie’s litigation experience makes her a confident and capable ally in the courtroom.
Stephanie has been recognized by her peers for her dedication to the practice of law. In 2018, the New Hampshire Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys presented Stephanie with the Ann N. Butenhof Award.
Education
- B.A., Quinnipiac University, cum laude, 2010
- J.D., Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, 2013
Professional and Community Involvement
- Concord, NH Chapter, Women’s Business League, Founding Member, 2021 – Present
- National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, NH Board Member 2015-2019
- Massachusetts Collaborative Law Council, Member
Recognition and Awards
- Ann N Butenhof Award for contribution to the practice of elder law, NAELA
- Jacob Burns Medal, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law
Conquering Maine’s Civil Legal Landscape: Why You Need a Top Civil Lawyer
Maine’s spirit embodies resilience, and navigating civil legal challenges requires the same strength. Here’s why securing a top-notch civil lawyer in Maine is crucial for maximizing your chances of success:
1. Masters of Maine’s Civil Law Labyrinth:
Civil law intricacies can be daunting. A skilled lawyer is your guide:
- Deep Understanding of Maine Law: Their in-depth knowledge of Maine’s legal framework (including statutes and court precedents) ensures they effectively handle your case, whether it’s a contract dispute, property issue, personal injury claim, or more. (https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/)
2. Expertise Across Maine’s Civil Legal Spectrum:
Experience is key:
- Extensive Experience in Various Civil Matters: Top civil lawyers in Maine typically have experience handling various civil cases, including contract disputes, personal injury claims, property disputes, employment issues, and more. Their expertise enables them to analyze your case thoroughly, identify strong arguments, and develop effective strategies to support your position in your Maine civil case.
3. Negotiating for Success in Maine:
Reaching settlements saves resources:
- Skilled Negotiation: A skilled civil lawyer can negotiate on your behalf, striving for a favorable settlement without the need for protracted court battles in your Maine civil matter. Their ability to negotiate effectively can save you time, money, and emotional stress.
4. Strong Legal Representation in Maine Courtrooms:
Trial-ready and by your side:
- Robust Courtroom Advocacy: If your case does go to court, the best civil lawyer can provide robust representation, presenting your case persuasively and advocating for your rights in Maine courts. Their courtroom experience can be invaluable in building a strong case and effectively countering the arguments of the opposing party.
5. Realistic Expectations for Your Maine Civil Dispute:
Knowledge empowers informed decisions:
- Objective Case Assessment: A top civil lawyer can assess the strengths and weaknesses of your case objectively, providing you with a clear understanding of your options and potential outcomes in your Maine civil matter. They can manage your expectations and help you make informed decisions throughout the legal process.
6. Access to Valuable Resources in Maine:
Strength comes in numbers:
- Network of Experts and Support: Leading civil lawyers often have access to a network of experts, investigators, and consultants in Maine who can provide valuable support in gathering evidence and building a solid case for your Maine civil legal matter.
7. Reduced Stress During Your Maine Legal Challenge:
Focus on what matters most:
- Stress Relief: Legal matters can be incredibly stressful, especially if you are unfamiliar with the legal system. Hiring the best civil lawyer can alleviate much of this burden by handling all legal aspects on your behalf in your Maine civil case, allowing you to focus on other important aspects of your life.
8. Increased Chances of Success in Your Maine Civil Case:
Experience is your advantage:
- Improved Likelihood of Favorable Outcome: With a skilled and experienced civil lawyer by your side, your chances of achieving a favorable outcome in your Maine civil case are significantly higher. Their expertise can give you a competitive edge and increase the likelihood of a successful resolution.
Finding the Right Fit:
Remember, the best civil lawyer for you may vary depending on your specific case and needs. Consider seeking recommendations, reading reviews, and conducting consultations to find a Maine civil lawyer who best fits your requirements.