Pierce Atwood
Pierce Atwood LLP is a full-service regional law firm founded in 1891, headquartered in Portland, Maine, operating seven offices across New England and Washington DC. It serves corporate, institutional, governmental, and high-net-worth clients across 40+ practice areas with 150+ attorneys.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1891
- HeadquartersNew England, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Pierce Atwood does
Pierce Atwood LLP is a full-service regional law firm founded in 1891 and headquartered at Merrill's Wharf in Portland, Maine. The firm operates seven offices spanning Portland, Augusta, Boston, Providence, Portsmouth, Concord, and Washington DC, employing 501-1,000 people including over 150 attorneys. It delivers counsel across more than 40 practice areas, with concentrated depth in energy and renewable energy regulatory work, trusts and estates/private wealth, banking and financial services regulation, bankruptcy and creditors' rights, litigation, real estate, intellectual property, immigration, and mergers and acquisitions. The client base spans large corporations, financial institutions, energy companies, government entities, small and mid-sized businesses, and high-net-worth individuals across New England and nationally.
The firm's revenue model is traditional professional services billing, relying on hourly rates tiered by attorney seniority, fixed fees for specified matters, and contingency arrangements where applicable. Pricing is engagement-specific and not publicly disclosed; billing occurs monthly. Distribution is direct through attorney-led client engagements supported by a thought leadership apparatus that includes a website, the Maine Appeals blog, attorney-authored client alerts and newsletters, webinars, seminars, and active presence on LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube, and JD Supra. Named enterprise engagements include Casella Waste Systems (multi-acquisition representation), AVANGRID (NECEC hydropower project), Cambridge Trust Company ($110M affordable housing financing), Electronic Recyclers International (IP counsel), and NEWSME Landfill Operations (three-decade representation).
The firm holds Chambers High Net Worth Band 1 rankings for Trusts & Estates in Maine and Rhode Island for ten consecutive years, Chambers USA recognition across energy, banking, bankruptcy, and litigation, and Legal 500 Boston Elite status for Banking & Finance. Best Lawyers in America recognized 83 Pierce Atwood attorneys across 50 practice areas in 2026, up from 77 in 2025 and 61 in 2024. The firm is privately held as a limited liability partnership under managing partner Molly Liddell, with no disclosed parent company, institutional investors, or M&A history.
Pierce Atwood firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Pierce Atwood
- Legal name
- Pierce Atwood LLP
- Website
- https://pierceatwood.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1891
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Pierce Atwood LLP is a full-service regional law firm founded in 1891, headquartered in Portland, Maine, operating seven offices across New England and Washington DC. It serves corporate, institutional, governmental, and high-net-worth clients across 40+ practice areas with 150+ attorneys.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Pierce Atwood industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Legal Services
- NAICS
- Offices of Lawyers (541110)
- SIC
- Services-Legal Services (8111)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Family & Private Client (Trusts & Estates) Law (BPAHAAAK)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Real Estate & Construction Law (BPAHAAAE)
Keywords
Where Pierce Atwood is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New England
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices7 records
Markets served
Pierce Atwood business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Legal Services Billing: Traditional law firm revenue through hourly billing, fixed fees for specific services, and contingency arrangements where applicable. Clients include businesses, institutions, and individuals across diverse industries.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Monthly | Traditional hourly billing with rate cards by attorney level |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Pierce Atwood product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Pierce Atwood is a multiservice law firm delivering comprehensive legal counsel across more than 40 practice areas, including energy, real estate, litigation, bankruptcy and creditors' rights, banking and financial services, trusts and estates, immigration, intellectual property, mergers and acquisitions, and tax. Services are sold through direct attorney-client engagements out of seven offices across New England and Washington, DC, and span both transactional work and litigation representation.
Product overview
Pierce Atwood is a multiservice law firm offering comprehensive legal services across multiple practice areas. The firm provides legal counsel through its network of offices throughout New England (Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Washington DC). Services span specialized practice groups including Energy, Real Estate, Litigation, Bankruptcy & Creditors' Rights, Trusts & Estates, Immigration, Intellectual Property & Technology, and numerous other legal disciplines. The firm serves clients ranging from individuals and small businesses to large corporations and institutions, delivering both transactional and litigation services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Energy Law Practice Legal services for power traders, public utilities, natural gas producers, pipelines, energy storage companies, and renewable energy developers covering FERC and state regulatory representation, project development, interconnection, and project finance.
- Real Estate Law Practice Legal counsel on commercial real estate matters including transactions, development, financing, and land use, with separate Boston commercial real estate and Maine real estate practice groups.
- Litigation Services Representation in commercial litigation, appellate matters, arbitration and mediation, class action defense, and probate litigation for businesses and individuals.
- Banking and Financial Services Practice Regulatory representation before the Federal Reserve, OCC, FDIC, CFTC, and state banking departments for national and international financial institutions, plus financing transactions and troubled loan workout work.
- Trusts and Estates Practice Estate planning, wealth transfer, trust administration, and charitable giving services for high net worth individuals and families, led by attorneys recognized in Chambers High Net Worth.
- Bankruptcy and Creditors' Rights Practice Bankruptcy and creditors' rights representation, including restructuring matters, recognized in Chambers USA rankings.
- Mergers and Acquisitions Practice Legal counsel on mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and corporate reorganizations for buyers, sellers, and target companies.
- Intellectual Property and Technology Practice Intellectual property counsel including patent prosecution, trademark strategy, IP portfolio management, and technology-related legal issues for corporate clients.
- Immigration Law Practice Counsel on employment-based immigration, corporate immigration compliance, and visa matters for businesses and individuals.
- Tax Practice Counsel on federal, state, and local tax matters including tax credit, tax strategy, and tariff strategy for corporate and individual clients.
Companies that use Pierce Atwood
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Pierce Atwood technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Pierce Atwood partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Casella Waste SystemscoreOngoing client relationship representing Casella in multiple acquisitions of waste disposal assets including a $47 million acquisition in western Massachusetts and Albany, NY, as well as multiple Maine acquisitions (Oceanside Rubbish, Central Maine Disposal)
- Electronic Recyclers International (ERI)coreU.S. intellectual property counsel to ERI, the largest recycler of electronic waste in North America, providing patent and trademark strategies and IP portfolio management
- AVANGRIDcoreServing as legal counsel for AVANGRID's NECEC hydropower project bringing clean energy to New England
- NEWSME Landfill OperationscoreRepresented NEWSME Landfill Operations, operator of Maine's largest state-owned landfill, in licensing, expansion, and regulatory matters over three decades
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Pierce Atwood competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Preti Flaherty: Maine-headquartered full-service firm with offices across New England, offering overlapping practices in energy, litigation, real estate, and corporate law. Competes directly for the same regional institutional clients.
- Verrill Dana: Portland, Maine-based full-service law firm with comparable headcount and a similar regional New England footprint. Direct competitor for corporate, litigation, and trusts & estates work in Maine.
- Bernstein Shur: Portland, Maine-based multi-service firm serving New England clients across corporate, real estate, energy, and litigation practices — direct head-to-head competitor for mid-market and institutional clients in the region.
Broad incumbents
- Brown Rudnick: Boston-based full-service firm with practices in bankruptcy, litigation, energy, and corporate law. A comparable Boston/New England competitor, particularly for distressed and restructuring matters.
- Choate Hall & Stewart: Boston-based full-service firm with deep private client, real estate, and corporate practices. Overlaps with Pierce Atwood in serving high-net-worth clients and New England-based enterprises.
- Nixon Peabody: Larger national full-service firm with offices in Boston and other East Coast markets. Competes with Pierce Atwood on energy, banking, real estate, and trusts & estates matters, particularly for clients needing broader geographic reach.
- Mintz Levin: Boston-based full-service firm with a similar energy regulatory, real estate, and litigation bench. Larger scale and broader national footprint make it an incumbent competitor for cross-border or multi-state matters.
- Husch Blackwell: Mid-size national full-service firm with comparable headcount and a similar mix of energy, real estate, banking, and litigation practices. Competes for institutional and middle-market clients seeking multi-state capability.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Pierce Atwood social profiles
Digital presencePierce Atwood financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Pierce Atwood leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Pierce Atwood funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Pierce Atwood M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Pierce Atwood
What does Pierce Atwood do?
Pierce Atwood is a multiservice law firm delivering comprehensive legal counsel across more than 40 practice areas, including energy, real estate, litigation, bankruptcy and creditors' rights, banking and financial services, trusts and estates, immigration, intellectual property, mergers and acquisitions, and tax. Services are sold through direct attorney-client engagements out of seven offices across New England and Washington, DC, and span both transactional work and litigation representation.
Is Pierce Atwood a public or private company?
Pierce Atwood is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Pierce Atwood founded?
Pierce Atwood was founded in 1891. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Pierce Atwood based?
Pierce Atwood is headquartered in New England, United States, in the North America region.
How does Pierce Atwood make money?
One revenue line is on record: legal Services Billing.
Who are Pierce Atwood's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Preti Flaherty, Verrill Dana and Bernstein Shur. Broad incumbents are Brown Rudnick, Choate Hall & Stewart, Nixon Peabody, Mintz Levin and Husch Blackwell.
Does Pierce Atwood have an API?
No public API is recorded for Pierce Atwood.
What industry is Pierce Atwood in?
Pierce Atwood's product category is Legal Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAAAK, Family & Private Client (Trusts & Estates) Law, with a secondary code of BPAHAAAE, Real Estate & Construction Law. Its NAICS code is 541110 and its SIC code is 8111.