General Information

Year founded: 1891
This is the year the firm (or its earliest predecessor entity) was founded.
Logo for Pierce Atwood LLP

Overview

Content is provided by the firm.

Pierce Atwood LLP is a highly-regarded full-service law firm with 150 attorneys providing legal and business counsel and advocacy services to its clients, which range from regional and local enterprises, utilities, financiers, middle-market companies, entrepreneurs, and individuals, to Fortune 500 companies, multinational corporations, and state and foreign governments.

With six East Coast offices in Portland and Augusta, Maine; Portsmouth, New Hampshire; Boston, Massachusetts; Providence, Rhode Island, and Washington, DC., Pierce Atwood is dedicated to providing efficient, top-quality service to meet its clients' legal and business needs in practices including Antitrust; Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning; Banking & Financial Services; Bankruptcy & Creditors’ Rights; Business; Commercial Real Estate, Cannabis; Class Action Defense; Construction; Education, Employment; Energy; Environmental; Immigration; Intellectual Property; Land Use; Litigation & Appellate; Maritime; Mergers & Acquisition; Renewable Energy; Patent; Privacy; Tax; Technology Transactions; Trademark; Trusts & Estates.

Pierce Atwood’s success is built on three core strengths: attracting and retaining superb legal talent, achieving superior client satisfaction, and delivering exceptional value. We understand that clients want creative and timely legal solutions from attorneys who understand their businesses, and we understand that clients want responsiveness and efficiency in the delivery of legal services. Our goal is to deliver all of these.

From discussing an initial scope of work to developing a mutually beneficial fee arrangement, Pierce Atwood prides itself on tailoring solutions to the particular needs of a client. There is no “one-size-fits-all” approach to innovative pricing, and the best ideas are the result of a candid dialogue between Pierce Atwood and its clients.

Pierce Atwood is also committed to reaching out to the underserved members of the many communities in which we live and practice. That is why the firm expects each of its attorneys to provide 50 hours of pro bono service every year, and why so many of them continually meet and exceed that expectation.

Rankings

Pierce Atwood LLP is nationally ranked in 8 practice areas and metro ranked in 45 practice areas. Best Law Firms rankings are based on a rigorous evaluation process.

Read how Best Law Firms ranks firms

National Rankings

Tier 1
Tier 1 for Land Use and Zoning Law
Tier 2
Tier 2 for Real Estate Law
Tier 3
Tier 3 for Energy Law
Tier 3 for Environmental Law
Tier 3 for Litigation - Environmental

Metro Rankings

Augusta-ME
Tier 1 for Government Relations Practice
Tier 2 for Administrative / Regulatory Law
Boston
Tier 1 for Energy Regulatory Law
Tier 1 for Environmental Law
Tier 1 for Land Use and Zoning Law

Highlighted Client Comments

All client comments represent the opinions of the people who provided them. All potential clients are urged to remember that no two cases are ever completely alike and that the result in one case does not guarantee a similar result in another case.
Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
Pierce Atwood handles a variety of corporate, trademark, energy and employment matters for our company. They are excellent lawyers with solid knowledge and experience in their respective areas. They are also generally friendly and easy to work with. I find they bring the sophistication of big firm practice to smaller, mid-sized cities, and their rates reflect that. I think I get more value per dollar of legal spend with the firm than I would with most of the big city firms with whom they compete. I highly recommend them to anyone looking for good quality lawyers who are a pleasure to work with.
Paul Nightingale – HP Hood LLC
Commercial Litigation
Eric Wycoff and Sara Murphy have been handling my case and in my personal opinion are outstanding in what they do. I have had a great relationship with them throughout the process. I can recommend them very, very highly.
James Julia – FFO Antiques

Rankings

National Rankings

Tier 1
Tier 1 for Land Use and Zoning Law
Tier 2
Tier 2 for Real Estate Law
Tier 3
Tier 3 for Energy Law
Tier 3 for Environmental Law
Tier 3 for Litigation - Environmental
Tier 3 for Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants
Tier 3 for Oil and Gas Law
Tier 3 for Patent Law

Regional Rankings

Augusta-ME
Tier 1 for Government Relations Practice
Tier 2 for Administrative / Regulatory Law
Boston
Tier 1 for Energy Regulatory Law
Tier 1 for Environmental Law
Tier 1 for Land Use and Zoning Law
Tier 1 for Real Estate Law
Tier 2 for Commercial Litigation
Tier 2 for Litigation - Environmental
Tier 2 for Litigation - Intellectual Property
Tier 2 for Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Tier 2 for Patent Law
Tier 3 for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Tier 3 for Energy Law
Tier 3 for Labor Law - Management
Concord
Tier 1 for Elder Law
Tier 3 for Trusts and Estates
Manchester
Tier 1 for Corporate Law
Tier 1 for Securities / Capital Markets Law
Tier 2 for Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Tier 2 for Real Estate Law
Portland-ME
Tier 1 for Administrative / Regulatory Law
Tier 1 for Appellate Practice
Tier 1 for Banking and Finance Law
Tier 1 for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
Tier 1 for Bet-the-Company Litigation
Tier 1 for Commercial Litigation
Tier 1 for Commercial Transactions / UCC Law
Tier 1 for Construction Law
Tier 1 for Copyright Law
Tier 1 for Corporate Law
Tier 1 for Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Tier 1 for Employment Law - Management
Tier 1 for Energy Law
Tier 1 for Energy Regulatory Law
Tier 1 for Environmental Law
Tier 1 for Land Use and Zoning Law
Tier 1 for Litigation - Banking and Finance
Tier 1 for Litigation - Construction
Tier 1 for Litigation - Intellectual Property
Tier 1 for Litigation - Labor and Employment
Tier 1 for Litigation - Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy)
Tier 1 for Litigation - Trusts and Estates
Tier 1 for Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants
Tier 1 for Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
Tier 1 for Real Estate Law
Tier 1 for Tax Law
Tier 1 for Trusts and Estates
Tier 2 for Elder Law
Tier 2 for Employment Law - Individuals
Tier 2 for Financial Services Regulation Law
Tier 2 for Insurance Law
Tier 2 for Labor Law - Management
Tier 2 for Litigation - Environmental
Tier 2 for Mergers and Acquisitions Law
Tier 2 for Public Finance Law
Rhode Island
Tier 1 for Arbitration
Tier 1 for Commercial Litigation
Tier 1 for Construction Law
Tier 1 for Litigation - Construction
Tier 1 for Mediation
Tier 2 for Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law
Tier 2 for Corporate Law
Tier 2 for Employment Law - Individuals
Tier 2 for Employment Law - Management
Tier 2 for Labor Law - Union
Tier 2 for Litigation - Labor and Employment
Tier 2 for Litigation - Trusts and Estates
Tier 3 for Health Care Law
Tier 3 for Labor Law - Management
Washington, D.C.
Tier 1 for Energy Regulatory Law
Tier 1 for Utilities Law
Tier 2 for Energy Law
Tier 3 for Oil and Gas Law

Practice Areas

The below are areas of legal specialty volunteered by the firm and do not designate a specialty in which a Best Law Firms ranking is held.
  • Admiralty and Maritime Law
  • Advertising Law
  • Antitrust Law
  • Appellate Practice
  • Arbitration and Mediation
  • Banking and Finance Law
  • Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
  • Bet-the-Company Litigation
  • Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
  • Business Transactions
  • Cannabis Law
  • Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law
  • Commercial Finance Law
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Construction Law
  • Copyright Law
  • Corporate Compliance Law
  • Criminal Defense: White-Collar
  • Electronic Discovery and Information Management Law
  • Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law
  • Employment Law - Management
  • Energy Law
  • Energy Regulatory Law
  • Entertainment Law - Motion Pictures and Television
  • Environmental Law
  • Ethics and Professional Responsibility Law
  • Financial Services Regulation Law
  • Government Relations Practice
  • Health Care Law
  • Immigration Law
  • Information Technology Law
  • Insurance Law
  • Internal Investigations
  • IT Outsourcing Law
  • Labor Law - Management
  • Land Use and Zoning
  • Land Use and Zoning Law
  • Litigation - Antitrust
  • Litigation - Bankruptcy
  • Litigation - Construction
  • Litigation - Environmental
  • Litigation - Health Care
  • Litigation - Insurance
  • Litigation - Intellectual Property
  • Litigation - Labor and Employment
  • Litigation - Land Use and Zoning
  • Litigation - Mergers and Acquisitions
  • Litigation - Municipal
  • Litigation - Patent
  • Litigation - Real Estate
  • Litigation - Regulatory Enforcement (SEC, Telecom, Energy)
  • Litigation - Trusts and Estates
  • Litigation and Controversy - Tax
  • Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants
  • Mediation
  • Mergers and Acquisitions Law
  • Oil and Gas Law
  • Real Estate Law
  • Tax Law
  • Trade Secrets Law
  • Trademark Law
  • Trusts and Estates
  • Utilities Law
  • Water Rights
  • Workers' Compensation Law - Employers

Individuals Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America®

Pierce Atwood LLP has 63 lawyers recognized for individual performance in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America®. By receiving this Best Lawyers recognition from their peers for their professional excellence, these lawyers made Pierce Atwood LLP eligible for evaluation for Best Law Firms rankings. For almost two decades, Best Lawyers has awarded these singular accolades, making them the foundation of our Best Law Firms awards. Read more about our Best Lawyers process here.
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Client Comments

All client comments represent the opinions of the people who provided them. All potential clients are urged to remember that no two cases are ever completely alike and that the result in one case does not guarantee a similar result in another case.
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Awards

Awards are self-reported by firms and are not verified by the Best Law Firms rankings.
  • NLJ Midsize Hot List Recipient for 4 Consecutive Years
  • 2022 Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business: 37 attorneys firmwide have been recognized.

Main Location

Portland, ME
Merrill's Wharf
254 Commercial Street
Portland, ME 04101
United States
207-791-1100 Call our Portland, ME location at 207-791-1100 Get Directions Get directions to our Portland, ME location

Office Locations

Contacts

Marketing Communications Director
Meredith Seller
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