Bernstein Shur’s David Soley Shares
Experience as Trial Attorney and Developer

PORTLAND, Maine – Bernstein Shur, one of northern New England’s largest law firms, announced today that the head of its Real Estate Litigation Group, David A. Soley, has published The Real Estate Litigation Handbook to share his more than 25 years of professional experience with the industry.

Real estate litigation is unique in that it offers some of the most challenging legal principles and strategies for trial attorneys. Soley’s handbook was written to guide attorneys through these distinct challenges. Drawing directly from his experience both as a real estate litigator and developer, the book provides readers with insights and guidance on cases involving boundaries, easements, access to land, title and other real estate disputes.

Offering step-by-step examples of drafting complaints, sample pleadings, motions, injunctions and more, the handbook is focused on providing real estate trial attorneys with valuable time-saving tools to tackle any case, no matter now unique or complicated.

“Like my great-grandfather, grandfather, father, and brothers, real estate is in my blood,” said Soley. “I am excited about the opportunity to translate an exciting lifetime of real estate litigation and entrepreneurship into a practical guide to winning trials over property disputes.”

David A. Soley heads the Real Estate Litigation Group at Bernstein Shur in Portland, Maine. He graduated with honors from Bates College in 1980 and from the Emory School of Law in 1984. Soley lives with his family on the coast of Freeport, Maine, where he has served two terms as the Chair of the Freeport Town Council.

The Real Estate Litigation Handbook is published by the American Bar Association and is available for sale at the publisher’s site for $89.95.

For more information, visit:

http://www.abanet.org/abastore/index.cfm?section=main&fm=Product.AddToCart&pid=5310391

About Bernstein Shur

Widely regarded as one of New England’s most entrepreneurial firms, Bernstein Shur is a multi-service law firm with more than 100 attorneys in offices in Maine and New Hampshire. Founded in 1915, the firm provides practical and innovative counsel in the areas of business law, litigation, and municipal law to clients throughout the region and around the world. Bernstein Shur is Maine’s exclusive member of Lex Mundi, the world’s leading association of independent law firms. More information is available at www.bernsteinshur.com.

Contact:

Ralph St. George, 207 774-1200

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Lewiston, MAINE (February 25, 2010) – More than 100 community members, officials and residents came out this morning to celebrate the completion of the Birch Hill Senior Housing Project that has created affordable homes on what had been a long-vacant property

Photo from left to right: Jim Delamater, Northeast Bank; Ron Philips, Coastal Enterprises; Margaret Bean, Maine Housing (behind); Lucie Ottati, Birch Hill Resident; Kevin Reilley, Benchmark Construction (behind); Governor John E. Baldacci; Richard Berman, Development Collaborative; Mayor Laurent Gilbert, City of Lewiston.

The event at the corner of Birch and Knox streets in Lewiston featured speakers from the collaborating partners of the project who spoke on the importance of affordable senior housing in Maine, the various challenges that the project faced and the successful collaboration of local and state organizations. Facility tours were given and refreshments were provided by Willie Bean’s.

“Birch Hill is one of those projects that has truly had a positive impact on the community. These economic times are unprecedented, and capital is the difference between a project like Birch Hill coming to fruition or simply being a plan on the shelf. That is why we believe it is imperative for those of us who can, to work together to continue to invest in our future,” said Jim Delamater, President and CEO of Northeast Bank.

“The real story of Birch Hill is in how it got created. It is a story of collaboration and leadership. It involved collaboration of many key partners and it is a story of leadership as each partner had to exert their individual leadership to create the development. Hopefully, we will see more projects like this over the coming year and we are thankful that this development came to fruition for the residents and the community,” said Richard Berman of Developers Collaborative.

Also featured at Thursday’s event was Lucy Ottati, a new resident of the Birch Hill Apartments. She shared her gratitude and excitement about her new home.

“It’s a joy to wake up every day in a place surrounded by activity. To look outside my apartment and see kids getting off the school bus and having people around really makes me feel part of a community, and I’m just honored to be living here.”

Local and state officials were also present, including representatives from Senator Olympia Snowe’s and Congressmen Michael Michaud’s’ offices. Mayor Larry Gilbert of Lewiston spoke about the project being a part of Lewiston’s revitalization and the city’s goals for the future.

“The City of Lewiston continues to seek out and embrace opportunities to grow and develop through worthwhile projects like this one, even amidst the struggles of the current economy. . . We will continue to invest and reach out to our partners to do what needs to be done to meet the needs of our community and our residents.”

Gov. John E. Baldacci attended the event as the keynote speaker. He congratulated the partners of the project on their success and also spoke on the importance of collaborative development in the state.

The Birch Hill Senior Housing project has created 20 units of simple yet elegant affordable elderly rental housing in a new building in downtown Lewiston. The unit mix includes 17 one-bedroom units and 3 two-bedroom units, with 5 units to be fully handicapped accessible. All 20 of these units will be targeted to households aged 55 or older with incomes at or below 60% of Area Median Income (AMI). Wireless broadband access is built in to the facility and a computer is available in the community room for residents. The building also has a laundry room available to residents.

The Birch Hill Senior Housing project started construction a year ago on a 15 year vacant lot in the heart of Lewiston’s downtown. Its completion was made possible through a public-private partnership between the City of Lewiston, Lewiston Housing Authority, Maine State Housing Authority, Coastal Enterprises Inc., Northern New England Housing Investment Fund, Benchmark Construction, Developers Collaborative and Northeast Bank.

About Northeast Bank

Northeast Bank, a leader in delivering one-stop shopping for financial services, is headquartered in Lewiston, Maine and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Northeast Bancorp (NASDAQ: NBN). The Company has approximately $612 million in assets as of December 31, 2009 and operates 26 retail outlets, including 11 bank branches, 15 insurance offices and 3 financial centers serving the financial needs of western, central, mid-coastal and southern Maine, as well as seacoast New Hampshire. Information regarding Northeast Bank can be found on its website at www.northeastbank.com or by contacting 1-800-284-5989.

Fan NEB on Facebook * Join the NEB group on LinkedIn * Follow NEB on Twitter: @northeast_bank * Check out the NEB YouTube Channel

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For Immediate Release:

Studio to Host Public Service Competition

February 23rd, 2010 – Portland, Maine The national 7DAYPSA competition will be coming to The Maine Studios in Portland in May. The contest is the brainchild of Duncan Putney and Andre Stark of Original Concept & Development and is a way for film makers to showcase their talent while helping local charities. The first competition was held in 2009 in association with the Flickers film festival in Rhode Island. This year’s Rhode Island competition is just wrapping up and will benefit Big Sisters of Rhode Island and The Sensational Child.
Like their Rhode Island counterparts, teams of film makers, called “Agencies”, will obtain their information packets between May 13th-15th and will have only seven days to write, shoot and edit Public Service announcements(PSA) for a local charity. One local charity is selected for every four agency teams that register. The charities are selected by a committee provided by the host organization and are not announced until agencies begin filming. The final produced PSAs will be judged and an awards ceremony will be held. Public Service Announcements of exceptional quality may also be submitted for national recognition such as Emmy or Telly awards.
The Portland competition is being hosted by The Maine Film Collaborative at The Maine Studios. Sponsors for the event include Allagash Brewing Company, WCSH-6 and Fox Maine News 23. Both television stations have agreed to air the winning entries in support of the selected charities. “I have seen work from the 48 hour film festival in Portland, and have great expectations for the 7DAYPSA submissions.” said local competition organizer, Krystal Kenville. “I am very excited to see what the teams from Maine can put together for this amazing project!”  Following the success of the competition in Rhode Island; Maine is only one of a number of states to host competitions. “We’re hoping this expands to more venues. Competitions in Boston, as well as New Hampshire and Connecticut are in the works.” Kenville shared. “Venues in Dallas, Baltimore and Los Angeles have also been approached.”

An information session for the competition will be held at The Maine Studios on Presumpscot street in Portland on February 28th at 9AM. Additional information can also be found at www.7DayPSA.org and www.MaineFilms.org.

The Maine Studios is an eco-friendly Film Studio located in Portland; Maine’s largest city.  With over 43,000 square feet of production and office space, this facility is one of the largest film studios in the Northeast.  www.mainefilms.org

Lewiston, MAINE (February 22, 2010) – Northeast Financial, located at Northeast Bank, announces the hiring of two new financial consultants, Matthew Simard* and Michael Robin*, and one new registered customer services specialist, Helen Belisle.  Simard & Robin are Registered Representatives and Investment Adviser Representatives of Commonwealth Financial Network.

Simard, Belisle and Robin have joined Northeast Bank as a team of financial specialists who will help clients pursue their financial goals through creating and implementing a comprehensive long term plan.  This is an ongoing process that will be specifically tailored to their clients’ needs and risk tolerance.

“In the current economy, people are looking to experienced professionals for help, so we are excited to bring on Matt, Helen, and Mike to our team of experts who provide our customers with the financial information they need,” says Jim Delamater, President and CEO of Northeast Bank.

Simard has as Bachelor of Administration in Economics from Colby College in Waterville. He also sits on the Board of Advocates for Children and lives in Auburn.

Robin also has a Bachelor of Administration in Economics, with a focus in Financial Markets, from University of Maine in Orono. He volunteers at the Animal Refuge League in Westbrook and resides in Gray.

Belisle attended school at Mid Maine State College in 1994 and is an active volunteer with United Way and various elder services in her community. She lives in Greene.

*Securities and advisory services offered through Commonwealth Financial Network, Member FINRA / SIPC, a Registered Investment Adviser. Investment and Insurance products are: not insured by the FDIC; not a deposit or other obligation of, or guaranteed by, the financial institution; and subject to investment risks, including possible loss of the principal amount invested.

About Northeast Bank

Northeast Bank, a leader in delivering one-stop shopping for financial services, is headquartered in Lewiston, Maine and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Northeast Bancorp (NASDAQ: NBN). The Company has approximately $612 million in assets as of December 31, 2009 and derives its income from a combination of traditional banking services and non-traditional financial products and services including insurance and investments; operating eleven traditional bank branches, fourteen insurance offices and three investment centers that serve seven counties in Maine and two in New Hampshire. Information regarding Northeast Bank Insurance Group, Inc. and Northeast Bank can be found on its website at www.northeastbank.com or by contacting 1-800-284-5989.

Photo from Left to Right:  Mike Robin, Helen Belisle, and Matthew Simard

Grant from Nellie Mae Education Foundation recognizes

efforts to put students at the center of learning

Wiscasset, ME –The Wiscasset schools of RSU 12 (http://wiscasset.maineadulted.org) have been selected as a recipient of the Nellie Mae Education Foundation’s Catalyst for Change awards, which recognize existing examples of personalized, student-centered learning experiences across New England. Twelve schools and education organizations have received a one-time grant of $50,000.

“We are thrilled that the hard work and commitment to personalized learning is receiving this recognition,” said Anne Fensie, Adult Education Director. “It is our hope that we can collaborate on successful models of student directed learning with other schools in the region to capitalize on the school reform initiatives that promote personalized learning. In addition to actively engaging students in learning, the Wiscasset schools have created a change in the school culture that makes students believe that the logical choice is to attend some form of postsecondary training or college.”

“The selection process has helped us become more aware of efforts already taking place across the region to put students at the center of the educational experience,” said Mary Sylvia Harrison, Vice President of Programs for the Nellie Mae Education Foundation.  “We’re pleased to recognize these schools and organizations, and we look forward to further exploring how to build on the momentum for innovation that these models create.”

All Catalyst for Change applicants were asked to clearly articulate how they define, implement and/or promote personalized, student-centered learning through their school models, policy change or advocacy efforts.  Applicants were also asked to present a clear rationale for their particular approach and provide supporting evidence of the approach’s contributions to the improvement of educational outcomes for middle and high school students, especially the underserved.  Applicants also had to show that their programs were a core facet of schooling and not a stand-alone program.

Wiscasset Middle School will utilize the award to ensure the successful continuation of Expeditionary Learning. This program engages students in authentic opportunities that allow them to be out in the community doing “real” work that has significant impact as they do research regarding our local environment, especially the watershed areas. Wiscasset High School will enhance personalized learning by enabling additional programming for at-risk students and supporting the implementation of Response to Intervention. The funds will also support initiatives to bring students out into the community for experiential learning with local professionals, including after school and summer programming. Wiscasset Adult & Community Education will increase the availability and intensity of services for out of school youth, especially as they transition to postsecondary education. In addition, these funds will be utilized in coordination with the Maine Department of Education Office of Adult Education to create additional self-paced curricula aligned with the Maine Learning Results and modified for adult learners at various educational functioning levels, which can then be distributed to adult education programs throughout the state.

Twelve schools and organizations from across New England were selected to receive Catalyst for Change awards, including: Sheepscot Valley Regional School Union # 12 (Wiscasset, ME); Boston Arts Academy (Boston, MA); Boston Day & Evening Academy (Boston, MA); The Domus Foundation (Stamford, CT); Jobs for Maine’s Graduates (Augusta, ME); Northeast Kingdom Learning Services (Newport, VT); Q.E.D. Foundation (Amherst, NH); Springfield Renaissance School (Springfield, MA); Steps to Success (Brookline, MA); Vermont Rural Partnership (East Hardwick, VT); Vermont Youth Conservation Corps (Richmond, VT); and Young Voices (Providence, RI).

For more information about the Nellie Mae Education Foundation, visit www.nmefdn.org