Biography

Estelle has a diverse practice spanning commercial and real estate law, land use, health law and trusts, estates, and probate.

As a member of the firm's Corporate and M&A Practice Group, she has represented developers, health care institutions and others in commercial transactions. She also has counseled lenders in various financial workouts in which she has handled commercial litigation and the renegotiation and documentation of outstanding indebtedness. Estelle has represented various parties before municipal planning boards and zoning boards of appeal on such matters as site plans, subdivisions, conditional use permits and variances.

As a member of the firm's Health Law Practice Group, she has counseled nursing facilities on regulatory matters including compliance with fraud and abuse laws and the handling of fines and sanctions imposed under federal and state law. She has also dealt with various corporate, collections and creditors' rights issues for health care providers.

Estelle has advised clients on the preparation of wills and powers of attorney for health care. She has handled probate for many decedents' estates and initiated guardianship and conservatorship proceedings for incapacitated persons.

Estelle's fluency in French has served to involve her in the formation and development of the American Association of the Forum Francophone des Affaires, the American chapter of an international organization that promotes trade among businesses in French-speaking countries. In October 1997, she traveled to Vietnam to attend the Forum's sixth international trade conference. She has also advised clients regarding Federal and State election law and has represented candidates, including former Senator George J. Mitchell, in their election and re-election campaigns for the United States Senate.

Prior to joining the firm, she worked in Washington, D.C., as a legislative assistant for U.S. Senators Edmund S. Muskie and George J. Mitchell. From 1980 to 1984, she advised Senator Mitchell on health and income security issues pending before the Senate Finance Committee. She wrote speeches and analyzed legislation in the areas of health, housing, education, labor, arts and humanities and Native Americans. From 1973 to 1980, she worked for Senator Muskie, advising him in similar areas of the law. Estelle also served as Special Assistant in Canadian Affairs to Maine Governor Kenneth M. Curtis from 1972 to 1973.

A native of Lewiston, Maine, she is a 1971 Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Bates College. She spent her junior year studying at the University of Lausanne in Lausanne, Switzerland. She obtained her law degree in 1982 from the Washington College of Law at American University in Washington, DC and joined Preti Flaherty in 1984.

Estelle lives in Portland.

Professional Activities

  • Cumberland County Bar Association
    • General Committee
  • Maine State Bar Association
  • American Bar Association

Civic and Charitable Activities

  • Board of Directors of the Nathan & Henry B. Cleaves Law Library
  • Senator George J. Mitchell Scholarship Research Institute

Publications

  • Announcement of Committee on Health Care Reform Meeting

Firm Highlights

Event

2023 Maine Employment Law Summit

For nearly 30 years, Preti Flaherty's Employment Law team has provided Maine employers with practical guidance and best practices at our annual Employment Law Summit. Join us  Thursday, October 5  for the 2023 Employment...

News

Matt Warner Named to Cannabis Law Journal Global Top 200 Cannabis Lawyers 2023

Preti Flaherty attorney and Cannabis Business Group member Matt Warner has been named to the list of Global Top 200 Cannabis Lawyers for 2023-2024. A joint publication of  Cannabis Law Report and  Cannabis Law...

Publication

Maine Law Amended to Require More Details When Public Employees Disciplined

Governor Mills recently signed a bill amending the public disclosure requirements for public employees who have been disciplined. Although widely reported as applying to police misconduct, the law applies to all government employees. The...

News

Jeffrey Talbert Named to American College of Environmental Lawyers

Jeffrey Talbert, Chair of Preti Flaherty’s Environmental Law Group, has been invited to become a Fellow in the distinguished American College of Environmental Lawyers (ACOEL). Membership in the premiere association of environmental lawyers is by...

News

Preti Flaherty Litigation Practice Group Adds Four New Attorneys

Preti Flaherty is pleased to announce the addition of four experienced Associates to the firm’s Litigation Practice Group: Stephen Garvey, Michael Hanify, Hanna May, and Tiffany Ottenga. Stephen Garvey is a graduate of Boston...

Publication

How to navigate the legal side of nondisclosure agreements

Preti Flaherty attorney Kristy Abraham has authored an article for  MaineBiz  on navigating the legal side of nondisclosure agreements (NDAs), outlining six questions for organizations to review before entering into a NDA.

Press Coverage

Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting Wins Public Records Dispute with York County Jail

Press Coverage

Maine Media Organizations Oppose Foreign Electioneering Ban

Question 2 on Maine’s November ballot asserts that corporations owned or controlled by foreign governments do not have the same rights to political speech as companies here in the U.S. and that foreign governments should be prohibited...

Publication

Municipal Update: Maine Legislature Acts to Clarify Sales of Tax-Acquired Properties

Early this week, in response to the  United States Supreme Court’s recent decision in  Tyler v. Hennepin County, Minnesota  (598 U.S. (2023)) , the Maine Legislature passed emergency legislation establishing a new process for...

Publication

Schutz and Harriman Author Article for MLRC on Mill's Veto of Constitutionally Fraught Legislation

In an article for the Media Law Resource Center's July 2023 Media Law Letter,  Preti Flaherty attorneys Sig Schutz and Alex Harriman explore Gov. Janet Mills' recent veto of L.D. 1610, “An Act to Prohibit Campaign Spending...