Lisa A. Gilbreath

Lisa Gilbreath is a partner in the Environmental, Land Use, and Energy Infrastructure Development, Acquisition & Financing practice groups. Lisa works on a wide variety of environmental and energy matters, offering clients strategic advice in regulatory, legislative, and judicial proceedings.

In her environmental practice, Lisa assists clients with numerous issues including regulatory enforcement proceedings, energy and environmental litigation, federal and state environmental permitting, development and defense of Environmental Assessments and Environmental Impact Statements under NEPA, air quality legislative and regulatory activities, hazardous substances and hazardous waste management, and contaminated property remediation and litigation. Notably, Lisa was named 2023 Best Lawyers "Lawyer of the Year" in Portland, Maine for Environmental Litigation.

Lisa has broad experience obtaining federal, state, and local regulatory approvals for major energy infrastructure projects – as well as successfully defending those approvals on appeal – and works closely with her colleagues in the Energy Infrastructure practice group to provide clients with comprehensive development and siting counsel, particularly in the renewables space.

Lisa's clients include transmission, solar, wind, biomass, hydro, and battery storage developers, as well as electric and natural gas utilities and clients with cogeneration capabilities. She also assists energy project owners and developers with due diligence in connection with energy infrastructure acquisitions, and represents electric utilities in major rate case proceedings, mergers and acquisitions, certificates of convenience and necessity, affiliate transactions, and other regulatory proceedings. Lisa’s background in energy law gives her a unique ability to advise clients in matters that intersect environmental and energy law issues.

Prior to joining Pierce Atwood Lisa was a senior managing associate in the New York office of Dentons US LLP. There, she represented energy generation, distribution, transmission, and retail companies in a range of regulatory, litigation, and legislative matters, and represented clients in complex commercial litigation in state and federal court. Lisa has also worked for state environmental agencies in California and Kansas, and interned with the Office of the Maine Attorney General in the Natural Resources and Government divisions.

At Pierce Atwood, Lisa is a member of the firm's Pro Bono Committee, and is dedicated to providing legal work for the public good.

Honors & Distinctions
  • Recognized as an "Up and Coming" environmental attorney by Chambers USA (2023)
  • Named "Lawyer of the Year" in Maine for Environmental Litigation in The Best Lawyers in America® (2023)
  • Recognized by The Best Lawyers in America® for Environmental Law and Litigation - Environmental (2022-present)
Professional Activities
  • Member, Energy Bar Association, Electricity Regulation Committee
  • Member, Maine State Bar Association (Environmental & Energy Law Section)
  • Member, New England Women in Energy and the Environment
  • Member, New York State Bar Association
  • Alumna, Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association Leadership Academy
  • Alumna, NARUC rate school, "The Basics Practical Regulatory Training for the Electric Industry"
Publications
  • Co-author, What Maine's Recent PFAS Crackdown Means for Companies, Law360 (June 2022).
  • Co-author, A Practical Guide to Land Use in Maine, MCLE New England (2021, 2023 supplements).
  • Co-author, Maine PFAS Tracker, providing the latest news and updates on Maine standards and proposed actions on PFAS (2019-present).
  • Presenter, Forever Chemicals: Recent PFAS Developments. Environmental Law in Maine seminar (September 2022).
  • Presenter, Superfund and Contaminated Property Issues in Maine. Environmental Law in Maine seminar (September 2022).
  • Presenter, Forever Chemicals: Recent PFAS Regulation, Legislation, and Litigation. Maine State Bar Association Summer Meeting, (June 2022).
  • Presenter, Siting and Permitting for Energy Projects: Legal Challenges and Managing Risks. Strafford CLE seminar (April 2022).
  • Presenter, Transmission Line Development in the Northeast. Pierce Atwood and Daymark Energy Advisors webinar (July 2021).
  • Moderator, Maine Legislature Environment & Natural Resources Committee Session Preview. E2Tech webinar (February 2021).
  • Presenter, What a Utility Company Should Know When Faced with Sampling for Emerging Contaminants. MGP Conference, Philadelphia, PA (October 2019).
  • Presenter, Hazardous Waste Requirements and Compliance Issues. Environmental Law in Maine seminar (September 2019).
  • Presenter, Federal and Maine Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Acts: Compliance Requirements and Penalties. Environmental Law in Maine seminar (September 2019).
  • Presenter, Contaminated Property – Liability, Transactions, and Remediation. Environmental Law in Maine seminar (September 2019).
Civic Activities
  • Board of Directors, Maine Gun Safety Coalition (2018-present)