Mainebiz

V O L . X X X I N O. X X V I N OV E M B E R 1 7 , 2 0 2 5 L AW / P O L I C Y 16 T he legal industry across Maine has been seeing a variety of changes in recent years, including growing staff numbers, migrations between firms, relocations, the closure of one of Maine's larger firms, new service models and the expansion of a New Hampshire practice into Greater Portland. e activity is driven by factors that include growing expenses, retirement cliffs, competition for next-gen lawyers and opportunities in new markets. "If you're growing, you can bet- ter manage those challenges. If you're shrinking, it becomes increasingly dif- ficult," says Scott Anderson, managing partner at Portland-based Verrill, which is now Maine's largest law firm with 90 Maine attorneys. (See list of Maine's largest law firms on Page 26.) At boutique firm Aleta Law, co- founder Kai McGintee agrees: "I think there's been a lot of disruption happening in our world and in our economy that lent itself to changes in the legal industry." Here's a roundup of what's happen- ing at law firms and related companies. Attorney migrations Over the last 18 months, Portland-based Verrill hired 12 Eaton Peabody lawyers before the latter closed in June. Seven were in Eaton Peabody's Bangor office, the rest in its Portland office. Verrill retained Eaton Peabody's Bangor loca- tion at 80 Exchange St. Verrill also hired away four attor- neys and three staff members from Bernstein Shur. Verrill, which ranked as Maine's fourth-largest law firm in the 2025 Mainebiz Book of Lists, is now Maine's largest firm, according to the latest Mainebiz research. In all, Verrill now employs 340 people, including 180 attorneys across offices in Portland, Augusta and Bangor, as well as Boston and, in Connecticut, Westport and Greenwich. e Connecticut offices are asso- ciated with a group of seven attor- neys and three staffers who recently joined Verrill from Whitman Breed Abbott & Morgan which, similar to Eaton Peabody, was winding down operations, says Anderson. Verrill F O C U S Venerable firm closes I n June, Bangor-based Eaton Pea- body closed its office locations, which included Augusta and Port- land, followed by a wind up of the firm's business. The firm, previously Maine's sixth-largest law firm, dated back more than eight decades. Many of its attorneys transitioned to other firms and positions. In Greater Portland, Aleta Law founders Amanda Norris Ames, right, and Kai McGintee say that, from the hiring perspective, the virtual work model proved an advantage for attracting attorneys. P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY I think there's been a lot of disruption happening in our world and in our economy that lent itself to changes in the legal industry. — Kai McGintee Aleta Law LAWYERING UP Expansions, alternative models and a closure reflect churn in the legal industry B y L a u r i e S c h r e i b e r

• Cover