Jump to Navigation

Attorney Profiles

Thomas R. Kelly 
Portland, Maine
Partner, since January 1, 2003
phone (207) 772-6565
fax (207) 773-5001
email Email Me

Thomas R. Kelly is a veteran real estate, contract and business lawyer, and he has plenty of experience helping individual Maine citizens address myriad legal needs. Tom's approach is to use the law as a "tool" to assist his clients. His job is to seek solutions to his client's problems.

Since graduating with honors from the University of Maine School of Law in 1992, Tom has developed a well rounded practice. He has handled cases involving litigation, insurance, real estate, survey disputes, court appeals and brief writing, wills, business agreements, contracts, legal briefs, zoning, land use and variance appeals, easements and town roads, subdivisions, workers' compensation, mortgage foreclosures and legal research.

Tom's practice at RK&M has diversified over time. Now the firm's senior real estate and contract lawyer, Tom still enjoys his opportunities to write legal briefs and to present before the Maine Courts, including the Supreme Judicial Court, formerly his primary tasks.

Tom has become the principal attorney representing the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland in real estate and corporate matters, continuing firm founder, Bob Robinson's, forty years of legal service to the Diocese. His service on the Town of Brunswick's Planning Board has provided him insight into how best to present his client's position to the volunteer boards that make up municipal committees and boards across Maine. Tom acquired an in-depth working knowledge of Maine's water rights, flowage and dam laws, while representing the new owner of the former Maine Public Service electrical generation properties in Aroostook County. Tom 's first legal job, managing a collection, bankruptcy and mortgage foreclosure practice with a senior attorney, has been a firm foundation for the remainder of his practice.

The firm regularly calls upon Tom to provide real estate, business, probate and contract advice to its Prepaid Legal clients. When the client needs more than consultation, Tom is prepared to act, whether the task at hand requires the preparation of a deed, presentation of the client's position to an opposing party, or the filing of a lawsuit or appeal.

Tom is a long-term Maine transplant, having arrived from Pennsylvania in 1980 to join family members here. He presently lives in Brunswick, with his wife Kathleen O'Connor, and his two teenagers, Conor and Ann Kelly. Tom is a member of the Brunswick-Freeport Babe Ruth Board, a soccer coach, and avid sailor. Kathleen has been a faculty member and administrator at Bowdoin College for the past twenty years. Conor enjoys history studies, baseball, soccer and ice hockey. Ann enjoys gymnastics and lacrosse, and she is an avid reader.

Areas of Practice:
Real Estate Law
Business & Commercial Law
Business Organizations
Contracts
Trial Practice and Civil Litigation
Estate and Trust Planning and Administration
General Practice
Administrative and Municipal Law
Real Estate and Land Use
Water Rights
Appellate Practice
Zoning Law
Insurance Law
Products Liability Law
Workers' Compensation Law
Personal Injury -- Plaintiff
Personal Injury -- Defense
Litigation Percentage:
25% of Practice Devoted to Litigation
Bar Admissions:
Maine, 1992
Massachusetts, 1992
U.S. District Court District of Maine, 1992
Education:
University of Maine School of Law, Portland, Maine, 1992
J.D.
Honors: Cum Laude
Honors: Faculty Commendation Award
Law Review: Editor, Maine Law Review, 1990 - 1992


Haverford College, Haverford, Pennsylvania, 1980
B.A.
Major:  Philosophy


Professional Associations and Memberships:
Maine State Bar Association, 1992 - 1999
Member


"COMP," The Maine Workers' Compensation Journal
Associate Editor


Brunswick Planning Board
Chair


Brunswick Planning Board
Vice-Chair


Brunswick Planning Board, 1994 - 1999
Member


Brunswick - Freeport Babe Ruth League, 2005 - Present
Board Secretary


Brunswick Planning Board, 1997 - 1999
Chair


Brunswick Planning Board, 1997
Vice-Chair