Municipal Law and Finance

Municipal Broadband

Recognizing the importance of broadband service and the availability of new funding sources, Preti Flaherty has formed a municipal broadband practice group. It is a collaborative effort of our Municipal Law and Finance, Energy and Telecommunications, and Business Law Groups.  This multidisciplinary practice is the result of decades of experience working with municipalities and leading the negotiation and management of some of the region’s most significant public utility and broadband infrastructure agreements. Preti Flaherty’s attorneys have direct experience establishing and funding local broadband projects in Maine and are well-known for the successful representation of municipal and county governments, publicly owned utilities, school districts, and other public entities across New England. Combining extensive municipal, telecommunications and business law experience with deep knowledge of communications businesses and technologies, we help clients simplify and streamline the complex planning and implementation of major telecommunications projects.

Our municipal broadband capabilities and experience include:

  • Interlocal agreements and utility district formation
  • Public-private broadband partnerships
  • Public rights of way for communications infrastructure
  • Infrastructure siting, acquisition, and leasing
  • Wired and wireless communications and broadband infrastructure
  • State and local regulatory compliance issues
  • Local, state, and federal broadband policy
  • Federal and state licensing and compliance
  • Telecommunications service negotiations and contracting assistance
  • Environmental, permitting, zoning, and land use issues
  • Broadband and telecommunications advocacy

A Reliable Network

Preti Flaherty attorneys have been trusted names in municipal, telecommunications and business law for decades. Central to our success is our depth of experience and nuanced understanding of the complex government and technological landscape. From traditional matters like administrative hearings and enforcement proceedings to cutting-edge issues across the rapidly evolving IT-communications-media spectrum, we provide clients with clear insight and guidance to help them overcome broadband barriers, make critical infrastructure decisions, and establish state-of-the-art communications systems.

Firm Highlights

Event

Bodie Colwell joins ethics panel at the Northeast Bankruptcy Conference & Northeast Consumer Forum

An annual conference, this year's Northeast Bankruptcy Conference and Consumer Forum will focus on sophisticated financial scenarios practitioners often face and provide insights on current consumer bankruptcy issues. Preti Flaherty's Bodie Colwell is a...

Press Coverage

Oxford Police Chief: Officer Tried to De-escalate Pursuit Before Fatal Crash

Officials from the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office have refused to provide documentation of the department's policy on police chases following the fatal high-speed crash of Nicholas Liebowitz in Gray, Maine, on Friday, April 28, 2023. Chief...

News

14 Preti Flaherty Attorneys Selected as Chambers USA Leaders in Their Field

Fourteen Preti Flaherty attorneys and six practice groups have been selected for inclusion in the 2023 Chambers USA Guide to America's Leading Lawyers for Business , the highly regarded directory of leading attorneys and...

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

Municipal Update: Effect of Recent Supreme Court Decision on Sale of Tax Foreclosed Properties

Yesterday, the United States Supreme Court issued its opinion in  Tyler v. Hennepin County, Minnesota  (598 U.S. _____ (2023)). The Supreme Court held that Hennepin County had violated the Fifth Amendment’s takings clause by...

Publication

Post Sackett: What Is the Scope of the Clean Water Act?

The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) rendered a decision in Sackett et ux. v. EPA addressing what Justice Alito referred to as a “nagging question” of what water bodies are covered under...

News

Maine Justice Foundation Opens Applications for the 2023 Access to Justice Tax Credit

The Maine Justice Foundation is pleased to announce that applications for the 2023 Access to Justice Tax Credit Program will open on June 1, 2023. The Foundation will accept applications from eligible attorneys from...

Publication

H-2B Visa Program Summary

The H-2B classification allows foreign nationals who are citizens of certain named countries, with limited exceptions, to accept temporary non-agricultural employment in the United States, after the employer has obtained temporary labor certification by...

Publication

Bankruptcy Court Injects Uncertainty in Municipal Tax Foreclosures

Last October, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maine issued a ruling of concern for municipalities. The case ( In re Riendeau , 645 B.R. 321 [Bankr. Me. 2022] ) established that...

News

Maine Justice Foundation LGBTQ+ Fund Seeks Applications for 2023 Grants

The Maine Justice Foundation is pleased to announce a round of grants from the LGBTQ+ Fund. The Foundation will accept applications for grants from organizations working to advance awareness and understanding of LGBTQ+ issues...