The Firm

Diversity

At Preti Flaherty, diversity and inclusion are essential components of a vibrant and healthy workplace that brings out the best in our lawyers and staff.  This commitment began nearly fifty years ago when, as a small upstart surrounded by established firms, we chose to follow our own ideals and build a different type of law firm. Today our attorneys’ diverse backgrounds, identities, cultures, and experiences enhance our capacity to serve clients.

Diversity and Inclusion. We strive to foster an environment that enables our lawyers to reach their full potential.   We recognize and value diversity and inclusion as reflected in our policies, including domestic partner health benefits, paid parental leave, and flexible work schedules. The firm has committed to serve as one of the Founders of the Maine Justice Foundation’s Racial Justice Fund and is a signatory to the Maine State Chamber of Commerce’s Standing in Solidarity pledge.

Associate Development and Mentoring. Our associates represent the future of the firm, and we believe that investment in their success benefits the firm and its clients. Each of our associates participates in a robust mentoring program.  The program is designed to focus on providing all associates access to advancement and development opportunities.  We also hold regular associate luncheons, and an associate summer outing, as well as monthly associate trainings on a wide range of topics including business development, substantive areas of law, practice management and other tools to help our associates develop and mature their practices.  We hold annual informational sessions on compensation and advancement to ensure that everyone understands firm operations and what it takes to succeed in the firm.

Maine D1L Diversity Summer Associate Program. Preti Flaherty participates in a unique initiative focused on building a diverse legal community in Maine by attracting a diverse pool of first-year law students (1Ls) from across the country for a 10-week paid summer internship. More information about the program and how to apply can be found here.

Equal Employment Opportunity. It is the policy of the Firm to provide equal opportunity employment to all employees and applicants for employment. No person shall be discriminated against in employment because of race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin, handicap, or political affiliation. This policy applies to all terms, conditions, and privileges of employment.

Diversity Committee. The firm’s Diversity Committee reports directly to the firm’s Management Committee, collaborates with the firm’s practice group chairs, and is composed of attorneys and senior staff actively involved in all aspects of the firm. It meets monthly and engages in a range of actions to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion. Those actions include a diversity action plan, a mandatory annual in-person diversity and inclusion training session for all firm attorneys (with national-caliber speakers), a dedicated budget for supporting attorney participation in diversity-related seminars and events, a quarterly diversity newsletter, a periodic diversity survey, recognition of cultural heritage months, and promotion of other recruitment and professional development opportunities to advance diversity, equity and inclusion at the firm.

Community Engagement. We value the communities in which we practice and the organizations that foster healthy communities and bring change.  Across the firm, we are involved in organizations related to diversity and inclusion in bar associations, pro bono assignments, and charitable and non-profit organizations. We provide funding and sponsorship for attorneys to seek leadership roles in professional and community organizations, and support attendance at conferences relating to diversity and inclusion.

Our attorneys are now or recently have been members of, support, and in most instances, have held leadership positions in the following organizations, among others:

  • American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE)
  • Campaign for Justice
  • Campaign for Legal Services
  • Forum Francophone Des Affairs
  • Goodwill Industries of Northern New England
  • Hallowell Food Bank
  • Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project (ILAP)
  • International Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation (IWIRC)
  • Justice Action Group
  • Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
  • Lawyers for Civil Rights
  • Maine Adaptive Sports and Recreation (MASR)
  • Maine and American Bar Foundations
  • Maine Equal Justice Partners
  • Maine Justice Foundation
  • Maternal Health Alliance of Maine
  • The Mitchell Institute
  • National LGBT Bar Association
  • New Hampshire Bar Foundation
  • Prosperity ME
  • Susan L. Curtis Foundation
  • United Way
  • Volunteer Lawyers Project (VLP)

Firm Highlights

Event

Accessing Police Misconduct Records

Preti’s Sigmund Schutz will be one of the Maine panelists in New England First Amendment Coalition’s Accessing Police Misconduct Records series. This series continues NEFAC’s freedom of information lessons and builds on the information...

Publication

Failure to Follow Your Contract's Notice Requirements Can be Costly

In Kinetic Systems, Inc. v. IPS-Integrated Projects Services, LLC et. al., No.: 20-cv-1125 (D.N.H. February 6, 2024), the U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire granted summary judgment for a general contractor...

Event

Sigmund Schutz to moderate panel at 36th Annual Media and the Law Seminar: Under Attack! Existential Threats to Journalism and Free Speech

From unlawful searches and seizures of newsrooms and highly contentious litigation to physical harassment and calls for violence online, journalists and news organizations are under attack like never before. At the 36 th Annual...

Publication

November 7, 2023 Election Results

Maine’s November 2023 statewide elections were exclusively referendum questions, four were citizen initiatives, and four were proposed amendments to the Maine Constitution. Of these, Questions 5, 7 and 8 were placed on the ballot...

News

David Van Slyke Named to 2024 Lawdragon Green 500: Leaders in Environmental Law

Preti Flaherty’s Managing Partner David Van Slyke has been recognized by Lawdragon as one of the top 500 environmental lawyers in the U.S. It’s the third time he has been named to this prestigious...

News

Preti Flaherty Welcomes Trust and Estate Attorney Elise Salek to the Firm

Preti Flaherty is pleased to announce that Elise Salek has joined the firm’s Trusts & Estates Practice Group. Practicing out of the firm’s Concord, New Hampshire office, Elise brings nearly three decades of experience...

News

Attorney Jeffrey Thaler Named to 2024 Lawdragon Green 500: Leaders in Energy Law

Preti Flaherty’s attorney Jeffrey Thaler has been recognized by  Lawdragon  as one of the top 500 Leaders in Energy Law. This is Jeff’s third time named to this prestigious list since the first publication...

Publication

Helping Employers Navigate the New Independent Contractor Rule and Compliance Challenges

On March 11 th , the United States Department of Labor’s (DOL) new Independent Contractor Rule goes into effect.  As your organization readies itself for compliance, it’s imperative to scrutinize your independent contractor classifications...

Publication

USCIS Announces H-1B Registration Period for FY2025: New “Beneficiary Centric” Registration Process and Increased Fees

USCIS has recently announced a series of changes that will impact the FY2025 H-1B registration system and cap filing season. H-1B Registration Period and Organizational Accounts As in prior years, under this process, prospective petitioners...

News

Benchmark Litigation Names Preti Flaherty 2024 “Maine Firm of the Year"

Benchmark Litigation has named Preti Flaherty as 2024 Litigation Firm of the Year in the State of Maine. Through extensive peer- and- client reviewed research, as well as analysis of casework; the Benchmark Awards...