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

Jeff Talbert to Moderate Panel on PFAS Regulatory Action at ABA Toxic Torts & Environmental Law Conference

Jeff Talbert, Chair of Preti Flaherty's Environmental Law Group, will moderate "Regulatory Action: History & Horizon" at the ABA Toxic Torts & Environmental Law Conference. This panel will discuss the 2016 EPA health advisory, the...

Press Coverage

What’s Inside Maine Freight Trains? Public Can Only Hazard a Guess

Due to an exemption from the state's Freedom of Access Act, Maine residents are prevented from reviewing information regarding the transportation through their communities via freight trains of potentially hazardous materials. Rail industry officials...

News

Attorney Jeffrey Thaler Named to 2023 Lawdragon Green 500: Leaders in Energy Law

For the second time, Preti Flaherty attorney Jeffrey Thaler has been recognized by the esteemed legal publication Lawdragon as an elite practitioner in the field of energy law. Jeff is the only Maine-base lawyer...

Press Coverage

Authorities Refuse to Release Records for Maine School Shooter Hoax Calls

On November 15, 2022, multiple law enforcement agencies in Maine received false calls alerting police to active shooter situations at several high schools throughout the state. In the wake of this widespread hoax, the Kennebec...

Publication

FY2024 H-1B Registration Fact Sheet for Employers

Registration Process To file H-1B petitions subject to the FY2024 cap for an employee, you must first electronically register and pay a $10 fee for each electronic registration. The electronic registration includes basic information about...

Publication

Enforcers Make It Easy to Report Cartels

This article was originally published in the American Bar Association  Antitrust Newsletter  on February 8, 2023.  Did you know that global competition enforcers have easy-to-find websites to encourage reporting of anticompetitive conduct? Not only...

News

Benchmark Litigation Names Preti Flaherty 2023 “Maine Firm of the Year”

Benchmark Litigation has named Preti Flaherty as 2023 Litigation Firm of the Year in the State of Maine. The Benchmark Awards honor distinguished litigators and law firms in all 50 states and 10 practice...

Publication

Maine Workers’ Compensation New Year Update 2023

The new year brings proposed legislation, an update to the Medical Fee Schedule, and two recent decisions from the Appellate Division. Proposed Legislation Workers’ compensation bill LD 53 (HP 28) would amend 39-A M.R.S.A...

Event

Bodie Colwell will be a Featured Panelist at ABI Annual Spring Meeting

Bodie Colwell will be a featured panelist on "Danger Ahead! Avoiding and Addressing Ethical Landmines in Attorney Engagement and Compensation" at the American Bankruptcy Institute's Annual Spring Meeting. The panel focuses on disputes regarding engagement...

News

Maine Lawyers and Judges Once Again Show Overwhelming Support of Campaign for Justice

2022 proved to be another challenging year for Mainers. Skyrocketing inflation, an uncertain economic future, an ongoing housing crisis and more factors continue to push more at-risk individuals into a tight spot. Maine’s civil...