Attorney News & Announcements

Experience

  • 2011 to Present - The Bennett Law Firm, P.A., Portland, Maine - President and Treasurer - Practice of Labor and Employment Relations Law and Litigation
  • 2010 to 2011 - The Bennett Law Firm, P.A., Portland, Maine - Treasurer - Practice of Labor and Employment Relations Law and Litigation
  • 1992 to 2010 - The Bennett Law Firm, P.A., Portland, Maine - President and Treasurer - Practice of Labor and Employment Relations Law and Litigation
  • 1988 to 1992 - The Bennett Law Firm, P.A., Portland, Maine - Member - Practice of Labor and Employment Relations Law and Litigation
  • 1985 to 1988 - Fulbright & Jaworski, Houston, Texas - Associate Attorney - Practice of Labor and Employment Relations Law and Litigation

Education

  • Phillips Academy (cum laude, 1978)
  • Harvard University (A.B., cum laude, 1982)
  • Boston University (J.D., cum laude, 1985; M.B.A., 1986)

Selected Professional Honors

  • 2012 AV® Preeminent Attorney Rating in Labor & Employment Law
  • The Nation's Top 100 Most Powerful Employment Attorneys
  • Fellow, ABA College of Labor and Employment Lawyers
  • Fellow, American Bar Foundation, State of Maine Chair
  • Best Lawyers in America
  • Chambers USA
  • Boston University School of Law Silver Shingle Award for Service to the Profession
  • Fellow, Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section Foundation
  • ABA TIPS Public Service Honor Roll
  • A-V Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
  • Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers
  • New England Super Lawyers
  • Super Lawyers National Business Edition
  • Who's Who (Various Publications)

Academic Honors

  • Edward F. Hennessey Distinguished Scholar (ranked 1st in third year law school class of 425 students)
  • Paul Liacos Scholar (second year of law school)
  • John Harvard Scholarship (Junior year of college)
  • Harvard Scholarship (awarded twice, Sophomore and Senior years of college)

Admissions

  • U.S. Supreme Court - 1993
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, First Circuit - 1992
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit - 1987
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit - 1986
  • U.S. District Court, Districts of Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Texas, Southern and Western Districts
  • Maine - 1987
  • New Hampshire - 2007
  • Massachusetts - 2007
  • Texas - 1985

Professional Memberships

  • Maine State Bar Association
  • Massachusetts Bar Association
  • New Hampshire Bar Association
  • State Bar of Texas (inactive)
  • American Bar Association
    • Member, John Marshall Award Selection Committee to the ABA Justice Center Coordinating Council, 2010 - 2011
    • Task Force on Leadership Diversity Initiative, Member 2006-- ; Chair, 2009 - 2010
    • Member, ABA Task Force on Federal Agency Preemption of State Tort Laws, 2009 - 2010
    • Chair, Tort, Trial and Insurance Practice Section, 2007 - 2008
    • Chair Elect, Tort, Trial and Insurance Practice Section, 2006-2007
    • ABA Standing Committee on Judicial Independence, 2006 –
    • Executive/Administrative Committee, Tort, Trial and Insurance Practice Section, 2003 –2009
    • Vice-Chair, Tort, Trial and Insurance Practice Section, 2005-2006
    • Section Officers' Conference, Member, 2003--; Executive Committee, 2004-2005
    • Council Member, Tort, Trial and Insurance Practice Section, 2000—2009
    • Chair, Long Range Planning Committee, Tort, Trial and Insurance Practice Section, 2005-2006; Member 2010--
    • Secretary, Tort, Trial and Insurance Practice Section, 2003-2005
    • Fall Meeting Arrangements Chair, 2004-2005
    • Scholarship Board, Member, 2001-2002
    • Committee on Employment Law & Litigation, Chair, 1993-1995, Chair Elect, 1992-1993, Vice Chair, 1989-1992 and 1995--
    • Public Relations Committee, Chair, 1995-1997, Member and Chair-Elect, 1994-1995
    • Membership Committee, Chair, 1998-2000, Member and Chair Elect, 1997-1998
    • Family Life Committee, Chair, 1997-1999
    • Task Force on Strategic Alliances, Member at various times
    • Task Force on Law Student Involvement, Member at various times
    • Communications Coordinating Group, Member at various times
    • Financial Committee, Member at various times, including currently
    • Electronic Media Coordinating Group, Member in past
    • Member, Labor Law and Law Practice Management Sections
  • Fellows of the American Bar Foundation, Maine State Chair, 2010 -
  • The International Society of Primerus Law Firms, Director, 2000-2007; Regional Vice-President, 2000-2005, Charter Member, 1998-Present
  • Boston University School of Law, Board of Visitors, 2003--; Alumni Association President, 2002-2003; President-Elect, 2001-2002; Vice-President, 2000-2001; Treasurer, 1999-2000; Executive Committee, 1997--, Member
  • The Association of Trial Lawyers of America: Member, 1983-1996. (Young Lawyers Advisory Committee, 1991-1996; Employment Rights Section Executive Committee, 1993-1996)
  • Million Dollar Advocates Forum

Teaching

  • Faculty, University of Southern Maine Department of Continuing Education for Business, Personnel Law, 1989-- 2010;
  • Employee and Labor Relations, 1995--2009
  • Faculty, American Institute of Banking, Portland and Kennebunk, Maine, Personnel Law, 1990
  • Guest Lecturer, Hotel and Hospitality Industry, Southern Maine Technical College, Personnel Law, 1993-1998
  • Guest Lecturer, University Maine School of Law, Employment Litigation, 1995

Community Service

  • Portland Museum of Art (Human Resources Committee, 2010--)
  • Portland Stage Company (Board of Trustees, 2006--)
  • Ingraham (Member, Board of Directors, 2003-2008)
  • St. Joseph's Manor (Board of Trustees, 1994-2003; President, 1996-1998; President-Elect, 1995-1996; Treasurer, 2001-2003)
  • Junior Achievement of Maine, Inc. (Board of Trustees, 1992-2001)

Seminars, Speeches and Presentations
Peter has given over 200 legal presentations in over 20 states. The following is a partial list of seminars, speeches and presentations that he has conducted:

  • Peter Bennett to Speak at the Nevada Limited Jurisdiction Judges 2014 Winter Seminar
  • February 9, 2011, Augusta, Maine, Kennebec Valley Human Resource Association, "Employment Law Update"
  • November 3, 2010, Social Media and Employment Law Webinar, "The New Frontier"
  • June 8, 2010, Labor & Employment Law Webinar, "Navigating Uncharted Waters: Protection of Confidential Information in a Mobile Society"
  • January 26, 2010, Portland, Maine, "Fundamentals of Employment Law"
  • November & December, 2008 and February, 2009, at numerous locations in Maine and New Hampshire, Presenter, "The Employee Free Choice Act - The Most Dramatic Change in Labor Law Since 1935"
  • August 8, 2008, Ellis Island, New York, ABA Annual Meeting, Ellis Island Reception on Diversity, "From Generation to Generation" and presentation of TIPS Liberty Achievement Awards
  • March 6, 2008, Phoenix, AZ, Welcome Remarks at ABA TIPS Conference, "Masters of the Courtroom: A Display of Innovative and Proven Trial Techniques"
  • September 7, 2007, Chicago, Illinois, Facilitator, ABA Section Officers Conference, "Effective Relations with Section Staff"
  • August 10, 2007, San Francisco, California, ABA Annual Meeting, "Why Be Active in the Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section?"
  • May 23, 2006, South Portland, Maine, "Employment Law from A to Z"
  • January 6, 2006, Boston, Massachusetts, "Mental Disabilities Pose Challenge for Litigants Under ADA," (Labor and Employment Relations Association)
  • December 2, 2005, Augusta, Maine, "The Legal Issues Managing Difficult Employees and Situations in the Workplace," (Maine Association of Payroll Professionals)
  • September 14, 2005, Portland, Maine, "Maine FMLA Update 2005," (Council on Education in Management)
  • June 9-11, 2004, South Portland, Maine, "Twelfth Annual New England Payroll Conference"
  • November 19-21, 2003, Chicago, Illinois, "National Workers' Compensation & Disability Conference & Exhibit"
  • July 22-24, 2003, Hyannis, Massachusetts, "Twenty-Third Annual National Workers' Compensation and Occupational Medicine Seminar"
  • January 3, 2003, Washington, D.C., "When Zero Tolerance Makes Zero Sense: An Employer's Perspective," (The Industrial Relations Research Association)
  • August 10, 2002, Washington, D.C., "Violence in the Workplace: How to Predict and Prevent It While Protecting Employee Rights," (ABA Annual Meeting; Labor and Employment Law Section)
  • March 1, 2002, New York, New York, "Restoring Professionalism to the Profession," (American Bar Association; 2d Circuit Meeting of Law Student Division as Representative from TIPS)
  • November 9, 2001, Atlanta, Georgia, "Handling Employee Misconduct Caused by a Disability," (American Bar Association National Program Co-Sponsored by TIPS and Labor and Employment Law Section. Served as Program Co-Chair)
  • September 22, 2001, Rockport, Maine, "Employment Law Update" (Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel - Fall Meeting)
  • August 5, 2001, Chicago, Illinois, "Employee Misconduct and the Americans with Disabilities Act," (American Bar Association 2001 Annual Meeting)
  • July, 2001, Portland, Maine, "Bringing Professionalism Back to the Legal Profession," (Kiwanis Club)
  • January 25, 2001, Rockland, Maine, "Litigating Sexual Harassment Cases: Tips and Twists," (Maine State Bar Association) (Moderator)
  • July 8, 2000, New York, New York, "How to Find a Job," (American Bar Association; 2000 Annual Meeting Law Student Division Luncheon as Representative from TIPS)
  • April 8-10, 1999, Chicago, Illinois, American Bar Association Second Annual National Institute on the Americans with Disabilities Act (Faculty and Co-Chair)
  • December 17, 1998, Boston, Massachusetts, "Bullet-Proofing Clients from Sexual Harassment Claims," (Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, Inc.)
  • October 22-23, 1998, Boston, Massachusetts, "Emerging Issues in Employment Discrimination Litigation," (American Bar Association: TIPS)
  • August 2, 1998, Toronto, Canada, "Trial Demonstration of a Workplace Electronic Monitoring Invasion of Privacy Case," (ABA Annual Meeting)
  • July 29, 1998, Presque Isle, Maine, "How to Prepare Your Company Against a Unionization Campaign" (Northeast Society for Human Resource Management)
  • January 22-24, 1998, New Orleans, Louisiana, ABA First Annual National Institute on the Americans with Disabilities Act (Co-Chair and Faculty)

Publications
Author

  • "A Strategic Approach to Employment Cases in the Courtroom" in "Inside the Minds: Courtroom Strategies", Aspatore Books, 2008
  • "Adding Real Value for the Client" in "Inside the Minds: Domestic and International Litigation Strategies: Leading Lawyers on Trial Preparation, Risk Assessment, and Best Practices for Prosecution and Defense", Aspatore Books, 2007
  • "Defamation Claims Arising Out of the Employment Relationship," 33 Tort and Insurance Law Journal 857 (1998)
  • "Mediating or Arbitrating an Employment Discrimination Claim," Employment Discrimination Litigation: Developments and Strategies, American Bar Association, 2000
  • "Supreme Court Defines Employer's Liability for Sexual Harassment," TortSource, 1998
  • "Direct Examination of the Defendant," The Practical Litigator, ALI-ABA, 1999
  • "Direct Examination of the Defendant in a Wrongful Discharge Action," Litigating the Employment Tort Case: A Guide for Plaintiff and Defense Attorneys, American Bar Association, 1995

Contributing Author and Editor
Guide to Equal Employment Practices, Warren Gorham & Lamont, 1998

Contributing Author

  • Bullet Proofing Clients From Sexual Harassment Claims, Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education, 1998
  • "Foreword," Litigating the Sexual Harassment Case: A Guide for Plaintiff and Defense Attorneys, American Bar Association, 1994

Editor

  • Insurance Coverage of Employment Disputes, American Bar Association, 1996
  • Board of Editors, Personnel Law Update - National Edition, Council on Education in Management, 2004-2007 (Monthly Circulation: 14,000)