Preti Flaherty Hosts Reception at New Zealand Embassy in Washington for 500 Mainers Attending Inauguration

PORTLAND, Maine – Close to 500 guests attended a reception hosted by Preti Flaherty in Washington D.C. on Monday, Jan. 19, to celebrate the Presidential Inauguration of Barack Obama.

Honored guests included Gov. Baldacci, with Maine's First Lady Karen Baldacci and son Jack; Senator Olympia Snowe, Senator Susan Collins, Congressman Mike Michaud, Congresswoman Chellie Pingree, Former Senator William Hathaway, Former Governor Angus King, Former Governor Joseph Brennan and Former Governor John McKernan, Jr.
Preti Flaherty attorneys attending the event included Severin Beliveau, Stephen Langsdorf of Hallowell; Harold Pachios, Greg Hansel, Randall Weill of Cape Elizabeth, Simon Leeming of Canterbury, N.H.; John Doyle, Jr. of Falmouth; Ann Robinson, Jeffrey Talbert, Steve Wilson of Portland; Don Sipe of Auburn, Dan Walker of Freeport and Virginia Davis of South China.

Attorney Severin Beliveau and New Zealand Ambassador Roy Ferguson, who co-hosted the event, presented gifts and gave brief remarks on the connections between Maine and New Zealand. Gov. Baldacci presented Ambassador Ferguson with a Maine Gubernatorial Proclamation declaring January 19, 2009 as "New Zealand Day in Maine."
Emmett Beliveau, the son of Severin Beliveau and executive director of the Presidential Inaugural Committee, took time away from planning the Obama festivities to stop by the party, and addressed guests.

Preti Flaherty has offices in Portland and Augusta, Maine, Concord, N.H. and Boston. With more than 85 attorneys, the firm counsels clients in Maine, regionally and nationally in the areas of business law, energy, environmental, estate planning, health care, intellectual property, labor and employment, legislative and regulatory, litigation, technology and telecommunications. More information about the firm is available at www.preti.com.

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Photo IDs (upper): From left, Gov. John Baldacci, Severin Beliveau, and New Zealand Ambassador Roy Ferguson.

(lower): Harold Pachios, left, Severin Beliveau and Claudia Pachios.