Biography

Nelson is a litigation attorney with an emphasis in the areas of workers' compensation, the Federal Longshore and Harbor Workers' Act, employment and labor law, insurance defense, mediation, and family law. His practice involves representation of employers and defendants throughout the state of Maine and national insurance companies. He has lectured frequently to diverse groups on employers' and insurers' rights in the workplace, with an emphasis on litigation techniques, return-to-work efforts, and the interaction of employers and medical care professionals. Nelson also has significant experience representing clients in the area of family law and divorce matters.

Nelson is from Chagrin Falls, Ohio, and graduated from Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania, where he co-founded and edited The Allegheny Review, a national literary review for undergraduates. While in law school, he was editor-in-chief of the Ohio State Journal on Dispute Resolution, a law review focused on mediation, arbitration and alternative processes for settling disputes.

Nelson was Chairperson of Regional School Unit #5 (Freeport, Durham, Pownal) for seven years and is currently on the Advisory Board of Directors for Regional School Unit #5 Community Programs and Secretary on the Board of Directors of Rippleffect, a youth outdoor learning non-profit. He also currently serves as Secretary on the Board of Directors of the Maine Association of Mediators.

Nelson lives in Freeport with his wife, Karin.

Professional Activities

  • Maine State Bar Association
  • Maine Association of Mediators, Secretary
    • Board of Governors
    • Membership Committee
    • Former Vice President

Honors & Recognition

  • Listed in The Best Lawyers in America for his work in Workers' Compensation Law
  • Katahdin Counsel Honoree for Pro Bono Service, Maine Supreme Judicial Court Justice Action Group, 2020-Present

Civic and Charitable Activities

  • Preti Flaherty Volunteer Lawyers Project Coordinator, 2001-Present
  • Preti Pro Bono Committee Co-Chair, 2011-Present
  • Freeport Hunter Road Athletic Fields, Advisory Committee
  • Campaign For Justice Volunteer
  • Thomas Means Historical Society, 2009-2014
    • Former Treasurer, 2009-2014
  • RSU5 Community Programs Advisory Board of Directors, 2016-Present
  • RSU5 School Board of Directors
    • Former Chair, 2009-2015
  • Boy Scouts of America
    • Former Freeport Boy Scouts Volunteer, 2005-2014
    • Former Troop Chair, 2011-2014
  • Rippleffect Board of Directors, Secretary

Presentations

  • National Business Institute, Present
  • Lorman Workers' Compensation, 1999-Present
  • Northern Law Publishers Workers' Compensation, 1998-Present