Katherine L. Porter

Katherine L. Porter is a Portland, Maine employment lawyer and a partner at Pierce Atwood LLP who represents private and public employers and advises emerging companies on workplace policies and practices. She counsels multistate clients on complex employment issues involving accommodations, leave requests, wage and hour requirements, equal pay, whistleblower complaints, layoffs, restructurings, and employee classification. She also helps executives address restrictive covenants, separation strategies, and employment agreements while providing practical guidance on changing workplace obligations.

Katherine earned her J.D. cum laude from Hofstra School of Law and her B.A. in International Relations from Tufts University. She later served as a judicial clerk to the Honorable John A. Woodcock, Jr. in Bangor, Maine. She practiced employment law in New York City at a Wall Street law firm and an international law firm before returning to Maine, where she continued advising employers and startup business clients.

Katherine conducts workplace and independent school investigations involving witness interviews, document review, fact development, and written findings. She also trains human resources professionals on investigation methods and helps clients respond to sensitive internal complaints. She supports corporate transactions by reviewing employment documentation, drafting employment and separation agreements, and advising on representations, warranties, indemnification, and related deal provisions. She also defends employers before federal and state administrative agencies and in mediation.

Katherine L. Porter became a partner in 2026, reflecting her established employment practice and experience advising employers on workplace matters. She has received national recognition for Employment Law – Management and Litigation – Labor and Employment, following earlier honors in corporate and employment categories. She represents Maine in the Employment Law Alliance. She combines counseling, investigations, transactional support, and dispute experience to help employers manage risk and make informed decisions.

Law Office Affiliations

• Partner, Pierce Atwood LLP
• Member, Maine State Bar Association
• Member, New York State Bar Association

Licensed State

• Maine
• New York

Education

• Hofstra School of Law
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• Tufts University
  Bachelor of Arts (BA)