Governor LePage announces new Chief Legal Counsel

AUGUSTA – Governor Paul R. LePage announced today that Carlisle McLean has been promoted to Chief Legal Counsel. She has served as Governor LePage’s General Counsel since 2012 and Senior Natural Resources Policy Advisor since 2011.

“Carlie has been a valuable member of our staff, and I am confident that she will make an excellent chief legal counsel,” said Governor LePage. “She is skilled in a wide variety of areas, and she is an extremely competent and highly respected lawyer and policy advisor.”

Prior to joining the Office of the Governor, she practiced law with Preti Flaherty law firm from 2005 to 2011, where she handled matters ranging from permitting and compliance of energy and development permits to obtaining LURC rezoning and development permits. She also handled negotiations and settlements at Superfund Sites throughout New England and nationally.

Previously, McLean worked with the Yale Center for Environmental Policy, Trustees for Alaska, the New York State Office of Attorney General, the Pace Land Use Law Center and Freehills Law Firm in Sydney, Australia.

McLean will replace former chief legal counsel Michael Cianchette, an officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve who is being deployed to Afghanistan.