PRACTICE FOCUS
Real Estate

Michael L. Lane is a partner practicing with Preti Flaherty’s Real Estate Group.  He has represented clients in all aspects of real estate and land use law, including acquisitions, dispositions, obtaining federal, state and local regulatory approvals; commercial and public financing; title and conveyancing matters. Mike has built a strong timberlands practice representing mills, land management companies and industrial land owners in complex timberlands transactions, including acquisitions, sales, operating agreements, underwriting timberland titles, Land Use Regulation Commission (LURC) development compliance and permitting (list of recently obtained LURC permits).  He routinely appears before municipal planning boards, LURC and the Department of Environmental Protection to permit residential, commercial and industrial projects.

REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS

• When Preti Flaherty represented the owner in the sale of the hydroelectric assets of the Rumford Falls Power Co. in Rumford, Maine to an affiliate of Brookfield, formerly known as Brascan, at a purchase price in excess of $100 million, Mike was responsible for negotiating and drafting water rights agreements and preparing the $78 million title policy. The electrical generating facility and adjacent paper mill had been operated as an integrated operation, requiring intricate real estate structuring, including shared water rights and cross-easements. The matter also involved complex contractual arrangements for the sharing of key infrastructure components during a post-sale transition period.
  
• Mike was solely responsible for all aspects of the real estate, title and zoning matters when Preti Flaherty represented the buyer in the purchase of the former Georgia-Pacific pulp and paper mill in Old Town, Maine. Mike handled all aspects of the due diligence, acquisition, and subsequent disposition of three chip mills associated with the Old Town mill located in Milo, Milford and Houlton.  The matter involved DEP, LURC and local permit transfers, along with completion of the DEP VRAP program.
  
• Mike currently represents the developer of a residential subdivision development in the heart of Kennebunkport, Maine. The plan calls for a mix of different types of residential housing over the 87-acre parcel and is the largest residential development in the town’s history.
  
• When Preti Flaherty represented the buyer in the purchase and $100 million redevelopment of Saco Island, Mike took the lead on all real estate title and land use permitting matters, including being the principal architect of numerous agreements with Central Maine Power, Florida Power and Light, Island Terrace Association and the City of Saco.
  
• He represented Pleasant River Lumber Company in its acquisition of the assets of Cold Stream Lumber Company.
  
• Mike also obtained two rezoning approvals for Gardner Land Company, Inc., for residential subdivisions within LURC’s jurisdiction (ZP 705 and 706).
  
• He has the distinction of obtaining approval of the first and only LURC Level 2 subdivision in Maine.
  
• Mike has worked with individuals, land trusts and business clients on matters relating to conservation easements and land conservation. 
  

PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS/AWARDS

• Mike is recognized in the Chambers USA Guide to America’s Leading Business Lawyers, the highly regarded legal directory which ranks firms and individual attorneys.
  
• He is a regular presenter at continuing education classes on the topics of real estate and environmental law.

CIVIC INVOLVEMENT

• President, Maine Forest and Logging Museum
• Chairman, Town of Richmond Planning Board
• Member, Society of American Foresters
• Member, Forest Resources Association

Admissions

Maine, 2001; U.S. District Court for the District of Maine, 2001; New Hampshire, 2006.

Education
J.D., University of Maine, 2001 (Cum Laude)
B.A., University of Maine, 1996 (Summa Cum Laude)

Joined Firm:
2006