Former Gov. Angus King Joins Bernstein, Shur, Sawyer & Nelson

King to provide strategic and legal advice to clients considering expansion or starting new business in Maine

PORTLAND, Maine (December 1, 2003) - Former Gov. Angus S. King, Jr., has joined the law firm of Bernstein, Shur, Sawyer & Nelson and will provide strategic and legal advice to the statewide firm's business clients, Gregory Tselikis, the managing shareholder, announced today.

King, a two-term Maine Governor and former business owner, will use his public and private sector expertise and experience to primarily assist the firm's business clients, including international clients, who want to enter the state or expand their existing Maine operations.

"I am very excited about this opportunity to join one of Maine's premier law firms," King said. "I am familiar with the work they do and the skills of the attorneys in the firm. I am especially excited about the prospect of working with the firm to bring new business to Maine and to expand its international practice. This is a good fit for me."

King will work out of the Portland office of Bernstein Shur, where he will serve as special counsel to the firm.

The addition of King further bolsters the firm's large and varied legislative and government relations practice. Earlier this year, Larry Benoit and Kay Rand (King's former chief of staff), two of Maine's most effective and distinguished public policy strategists, joined to form BSSN Resources, a government relations consulting subsidiary of Bernstein Shur that focuses on assisting clients in their dealings with both state and local governments and agencies.

"Gov. King's presence at the firm puts the last piece in place," Tselikis said. "As a lawyer and governor, Angus offers unique skills and experience to our growing legislative and private development groups. His presence will ensure that we continue to offer unparalleled experience in all aspects of governmental relations and large-scale business consulting and development. We can't be more thrilled to have him aboard."

King's decision to join Bernstein, Shur marks another significant development in his post-Blaine House life. Since returning from an extended tour of the U.S. with his family, he has joined the boards of the Nature Conservancy, Lee Auto and Hancock Lumber. King, who lives in Brunswick with his wife Mary Herman and two children, also is teaching at Bowdoin College and consulting with a merger and acquisition services company.

In addition to his experience in governmental and state regulatory matters, King has a proven track record in the private sector. Before serving as governor from 1994 to 2002, he started an energy conservation business, Northeast Energy Management Inc. He sold the company before running for governor.

Bernstein, Shur, Sawyer & Nelson is one of northern New England's largest law firms with more than 70 attorneys in offices in Portland and Augusta, Maine and Manchester, New Hampshire. The firm provides legal services in all major subject areas, including corporate and commercial law, litigation and trials, municipal and governmental affairs, education law, construction law, employment law and tax and estate planning. Bernstein, Shur also has an active practice in bankruptcy, health law, environmental law, technology and commerce, legislative law, intellectual property, public utilities and other regulated industries. For more information, visit the Bernstein, Shur web site at www.bssn.com.

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