Chris originally became a member of Pierce Atwood in 1982. Chris rejoined the firm in 2001 as a partner in the Business Group following a five-year term as chief administrative officer and general counsel at American Skiing Company, where he managed all of ASC's capital markets transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and resort development transactions. Chris serves as the head of our Business Practice Group and serves on the firm's Management Committee. Chris has a unique combination of technical legal skills and hands-on business and finance experience, which enables him to integrate these disciplines into strategies that match client objectives and provide clients with a competitive advantage.
Chris' practice has three areas of focus:
- Corporate finance and transactional representation: Chris' work involves all aspects of corporate, securities, and commercial law, focusing on representing entrepreneurs and middle-market companies in a wide variety of transactional settings.
- Resort and hospitality industry: Chris continues to be active in the hospitality sector with projects ranging from resort acquisition and disposition to numerous hotel developments to representation of Maine's first gaming development.
- General counsel representation: In addition to his work as American Skiing Company's general counsel, Chris' experience includes acting as "external" general counsel for several large to mid-size companies including two of Maine's largest insurance companies. Chris' forte is in managing complex commercial transactions and development projects in time-sensitive environments, and in accessing all sectors of the capital markets. While at American Skiing, Chris was responsible for over $1 billion in U.S. capital markets in financings ranging from as small as $30 million to as large as $350 million, structured the acquisition of SKI, Ltd., and the Steamboat Springs, Heavenly and Canyons resorts, and directly oversaw the development of seven major hotels ranging from 150,000 square feet to 580,000 square feet. Chris was one of the moving forces behind the successful launch of Maine Employers Mutual Insurance Company, now one of the State's largest property and casualty insurers. Chris acted as both its counsel and interim CEO in connection with its initial start-up.
Recent Experience
- Representation of Cate Street Capital, Inc. in connection with acquisition, disposition and financing of their portfolio of companies, including private placements, structured finance, tax advantaged finance, and traditional M&A activity. The Cate Street portfolio includes Clean Runner (process equipment manufacturing); Red Desert (water reclamation facility); Sunlight Partners (solar technology development); Thermogen Industries (biocoal manufacturing); Purified Plastics (recycling and manufacturing facility); Burgess Biopower (75 MW renewable power generation facility) and Organic Nutrition Industries (renewable proteins)
- Global representation of Maine Guaranteed Access Reinsurance Association in connection with the organization of this state-mandated reinsurance program for the high risk segment of Maine’s individual health insurance market
- Representation of The Olympia Companies, a New England based hotel developer, in connection with the acquisition, development and financing of hotels and related mixed-use projects throughout the eastern United States, including projects located in New England, North Carolina, Florida and Illinois.
- Representation of State Line Scrap Co., Inc., a large metals recycling business in connection with the sale of its business to Prolerized New England Company LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc. This representation included the successful sale of a large, multi-facility metals recycling operation, including disposition of assets located in Massachusetts and Rhode Island
- Representation of Waterville Valley Holdings, LLC, a company sponsored by the Sununu family in connection with the acquisition of the Waterville Valley Ski Resort in Waterville Valley, NH from Booth Creek Holdings, and the debt and equity financing required for the acquisition
- Representation of The Waldron Group in connection with the acquisition, disposition and financing of its portfolio of companies
- Acted as lead counsel to Hannaford Bros. Co. in the $175 million acquisition of Victory Markets, a 20-store grocery store chain located primarily in Massachusetts
- Represented a Texas-based deep water equipment manufacturer in several strategic acquisitions, including the acquisition of a Massachusetts-based manufacturer of deep sea mineral exploration/transaction equipment in a transaction valued in excess of $50 million
Honors & Distinctions
Chris is recognized in
Chambers USA for corporate and M&A law. He is also included in
The Best Lawyers in America for Mergers & Acquisitions.
Professional Activities
Member, Maine State Bar Association Member, American Bar Association
Publications
Chris was recently featured on the Baldacci on Business TV program on Portland's CTN5 station discussing ways new and emerging companies can raise capital.
Civic Activities
Chairman, Maine Governmental Facilities Authority