Preti Flaherty recently announced the formation of New England’s first dedicated Municipal Broadband Practice Group.

Recognizing the importance of broadband service and recent availability of new funding opportunities, Preti Flaherty brought together a team of strategically chosen attorneys to help communities pursue initiatives to establish and expand broadband accessibility. Combining extensive municipal, finance, and telecommunications legal experience with knowledge of communications businesses and technologies, the Municipal Broadband Practice Group helps clients simplify and streamline the often-complex planning and implementation of telecommunications projects. This cross-disciplinary group unites key members of the firm’s Municipal Law and Finance, Energy & Telecommunications, and Business Law practice groups, representing decades of experience working with municipalities, advising telecommunication utilities, and participating in the negotiation and management of some of the region’s most significant public utility and broadband infrastructure agreements.

Kristin M. Collins is co-chair of the Municipal Broadband Group and one of the principal attorneys in the firm’s Municipal Law and Finance Group. She has represented more than 30 municipalities, ranging from the smallest of towns to the state’s larger service-center municipalities, and has extensive experience in the structuring of interlocal agreements.

Joseph G. Donahue is co-chair of the Municipal Broadband Group and a senior partner in the firm's Energy & Telecommunications Group. He specializes in regulatory, transactional, and business issues relating to public utilities, and has been involved in many public utility regulatory and policy matters affecting Maine citizens and businesses.

Bonnie L. Martinolich is co-chair of the Municipal Broadband Group, a partner in the firm’s Business Law Group, and leads the Business Law Group’s Public Finance team. Her practice consists of advising clients on development- and contract-related issues, including entity formation, mergers and acquisitions, real estate acquisitions, and public and tax-exempt financing.

Speaking on behalf of the group, Kristin Collins said, “The attorneys in our Municipal Broadband Group are trusted names in municipal, telecommunications, and business law. Central to our success is our depth of experience and nuanced understanding of the complex governmental and technological landscape. Formalizing our efforts into this first-of-its-kind practice group represents the latest responsive evolution of the innovative services clients have come to expect from Preti Flaherty.”

For more on Why Getting Connected Matters More Than Ever, visit our Northern New England Municipal Blog.