Brendan P. Rielly

Brendan joined Jensen Baird because of its reputation for having smart lawyers who do the right thing. Chairman of the firm’s Litigation Practice Group and Probate Litigation Practice Group, Brendan has experience in a broad range of civil matters in both state and federal courts, including the First Circuit Court of Appeals, as well as before the Maine Public Utilities Commission.  Brendan’s practice area focuses on commercial litigation, including business torts, breach of contract and shareholder derivative suits; real estate litigation, including partitions, easements and rights of way; probate litigation, such as wills and trusts; school law; public utilities law; condominium and home owners’ association litigation; and personal injury. Brendan has also served as local counsel for major law firms in both state and federal courts and has been a speaker at programs sponsored by the Maine School Management Association. Invigorated by the challenges that complex cases present, Brendan enjoys building relationships so he can help his clients solve problems.

“The first question a prospective client often asks is ‘How can you help me?’  No one is ever happy to be in litigation.  My job is to chart the best course to the best possible solution for clients in the most efficient way possible.  Problem solving involves listening to the client, understanding their needs and fears, keeping them informed, and being strategic about litigation.  There’s a lot of looking around corners.”

Brendan graduated from Bowdoin College (magna cum laude) where he was awarded the DeAlva Stanwood Alexander Award as the commencement speaker. He attended the University of Notre Dame Law School (magna cum laude) under the Kiley Scholarship; a full tuition scholarship. He was awarded the Dean’s Award for Academic Excellence in the fields of Environmental Law, Constitutional Law, and Complex Litigation. Brendan served as notes editor for the Notre Dame Law Review in which he published a note entitled Using RICO to Attack Environmental Crime: The Case for Listing Violations of RCRA as Predicate Offenses Under RICO.

Committed to community service, Brendan recently completed 18 years as a City Councilor for the City of Westbrook, with 13 years as Council President. He is a former president of the Westbrook Education Foundation and of Rebuilding Together-Greater Portland, a nonprofit corporation dedicated to renovating houses for low-income individuals and families. 

Brendan is also the author of An Unbeaten Man, an award-winning thriller which won Best Crime Fiction at the 2016 Maine Literary Awards.  Brendan is a member of Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance and International Thriller Writers.  He is the middle of three generations of published Maine authors, including his father and son.  Their books are available on Amazon, at local bookstores and at riellybooks.com.

Brendan lives in Westbrook with his wife, Erica. They have three grown children – Morgan, Shannon, and Maura.