With her background in land use planning and extensive experience before regulatory authorities, Helen is able to provide valuable services to clients from initial project inception and feasibility analyses through administrative review processes and public hearings, final project implementation, and, when necessary, appellate litigation. Helen's familiarity with the licensing processes and issues facing Maine's business community makes her an effective and persistent advocate for clients' interests in rulemaking and legislative proceedings at the state level in Augusta.
With over 20 years of experience in permitting complex development projects, Helen represents clients before state and federal agencies, guides them through proceedings before municipal boards, and provides both deep legal expertise and practical, strategic advice. This approach has proven successful in licensing numerous controversial projects, as well as resolving enforcement actions and promoting clients' objectives in a variety of planning and permitting settings.
Prior to joining Pierce Atwood in 1996, Helen worked in Connecticut, first as a transportation planner and then as a land use attorney at the Hartford offices of Robinson & Cole LLP. Helen has continued to apply this experience, focusing her practice, in particular, on municipal zoning, solid waste licensing, and permitting under Maine's comprehensive Site Location of Development Act. Helen also understands and facilitates the diverse real estate transactions necessary to bring projects to fruition after approval.
Recent Experience
- Advising and representing Hannaford Bros. Co. in local, state and federal licensing of multiple new locations in Maine, including the first LEED platinum-certified supermarket in the nation, located on Augusta's Cony Circle
- Representing Central Maine Power in multiple local licensing processes required to construct its approximately $1.5 billion Maine Power Reliability Program, involving approximately 350 miles of transmission lines and associated infrastructure such as substations
- Providing governmental relations services in Augusta to the Maine Real Estate & Development Association, including drafting bills and testimony, lobbying in favor of key legislative initiatives and representing the organization in state agency stakeholder processes
- Representing the operator of the only State-owned landfill in municipal ordinance drafting and adoption proceedings, as well as participating and preparing comments in critical state rulemaking initiatives
Honors & Distinctions
Helen is included in
Chambers USA.
Professional Activities
Member, Maine State Bar Association
Member, American Planning Association, Northern New England Chapter
Member, Maine Association of Planners
Publications
Product Stewardship, Stormwater, and Brownfields – Maine Innovates, Natural Resources & Environment, Fall 2010 (co-author).
Rites of Spring: Regulation of Vernal Pools, The Yankee Planner (Vol. 26, Issue 3, December 2008)
Civic Activities
Board of Directors, Maine Association of Planners, 2006 – 2010
Secretary, Maine Association of Planners, 2008 - 2010