Mary Kahl Bio

Mary Kahl has practiced law in Maine since 1987, including two years as in-house city attorney for the City of Saco (1987-1989) and seventeen years as in-house city attorney for the City of South Portland (1991-2008). She has handled cases at all court levels in Maine – District Court, Superior Court and the Law Court.

Mary’s primary practice areas are municipal law, mediation and animal law. She is experienced in all aspects of municipal law, including land use and zoning, Freedom of Access, personnel and employment issues and law enforcement issues. She has handled complex internal personnel investigations and due process hearings.

Mary is active in state and national legal associations and is a frequent CLE panelist on a variety of topics, including administrative appeals, Maine’s Freedom of Access Act, ethics and land use.

Education:

J.D., New York Law School
B.A., Barnard College

Additional professional training:

Mediation training, Mediation Works, Inc., Boston

Bar Admissions:

Maine
Texas
Illinois
United States District Court, District of Maine
First Circuit Court of Appeals

Professional memberships:

Maine State Bar Association
Chair, Government & Public Sector Lawyers Section
Past chair, Municipal Law Section

American Bar Association
Maine State liaison to the State & Local Government Section
Dispute Resolution Section
Torts and Insurance Practice Section, Committee on Animal Law

International Municipal Lawyers Association
Maine State Chair
Past chair, Municipal Operations Section

Maine Association of Mediators

Representative cases:

• South Portland Police Patrol Association v. City of South Portland, 896 A.2d 960 (ME 2006). Freedom of Access Act suit in which plaintiffs requested a document the city had denied access to based on confidentiality provisions for personnel records. Judgment for city.


• Credit Counseling Centers, Inc. v. City of South Portland, 814 A.2d 458 (ME 2003). Plaintiff appealed decision of assessor that it was not entitled to property tax exemption as a charitable institution. Judgment for city.
• Fickett v. City of South Portland, Cumberland County Superior Court Dkt. No. 97-539 (1997). Plaintiff challenged city’s determination regarding term limits provision in City charter. Judgment for city.


• Breakwater at Spring Point Condominium Association v. City of South Portland, Cumberland County Superior Court Dkt. No. AP-97-028 (1997). Plaintiffs appealed Board of Appeals dismissal of appeal of Code Enforcement Officer’s decision regarding nonconforming use. Appeal denied (judgment for city), the Plaintiffs had failed to specify the nature of the appeal before the Board, the Board was correct in dismissing the appeal accordingly.


• Bailey v. City of South Portland, 707 A.2d 391 (ME 1997). Appeal of a variance granted to a neighbor under the undue hardship standard. Judgment for city.


• South Portland Civil Service Commission v. City of South Portland, 667 A.2d 599 (ME 1995). Plaintiff asserted it had authority to independently engage outside legal services; city had refused to pay for unauthorized services. Superior Court’s summary judgment for city affirmed.


• Burns v. Loranger, 907 F.2d 233 (1st Cir. 1990). Plaintiff asserted strip search violated her constitutional rights and sued under 42 USCA §1983. Summary judgment for city and officer.