Katherine R. Knox

Kate works where the law, the Legislature, the governor and politics meet. Among the most highly regarded lobbyists and election law attorneys in Maine, she helps navigate the complex reality of elections and public policy.

No challenge is too big, no campaign impossible. Kate takes on the tough – some might say, impossible – work that can change the world. With Kate, there’s no quit. She keeps working until she wins. Period.

Kate has lobbied in Augusta for nearly 20 years, and you’ve likely heard of many of her clients. She helped to pass ground-breaking legislation to establish ranked-choice voting in Maine and was instrumental in Maine’s first-in-the-nation ballot initiative legalizing same-sex marriage. She’s helped to elect Democrats from the school board to the governor’s office.

Additionally, she stood up to the overreach of a governor when he tried to rollback abortion access, health care and the rights of immigrants and asylum seekers.

Kate’s body of work extends beyond politics, elections and social justice. She’s helped clients to pass major changes in Maine’s tax laws, fought to ban flavored cigarettes, expanded access to fertility care, and defends nurses and health care.

She understands and can translate the often-complicated work of writing legislation to solve practical problems.

At the State House, Kate is known for her strong democratic connections and relationships.

Kate has served as General Counsel to the Maine Democratic Party for the past 10 years, working with and representing Democratic candidates up and down the ticket – from state legislators to presidential candidates. Post-election, Democrats know that she is a trusted ally and Republicans know that she’s an honest broker who will keep her word.

Kate also holds a master’s degree in social work and worked as a family therapist for families facing severe mental illness. The skills she learned and her experience helping others keeps her calm and compassionate even on the hardest days.

Outside of her work at Bernstein Shur, Kate was recently appointed by Mayor Kate Snyder to the newly created “Racial Equity Steering Committee” charged with reviewing public safety and law enforcement issues in the city of Portland.

Kate regularly guides her clients in:

• Drafting legislation and administrative rules, and any other lobbying-related services;
• Adhering to government ethics requirements and reporting requirements;
• Political action committee formation and governance;
• Ballot questions campaigns;
• Representing clients in compliance and ethics issues before the Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices; and
• Advising large national trade associations, public interest groups, corporations, candidates seeking public office.

When Kate isn’t working, she is…

Pursuing her passions: eating, traveling, entertaining friends and family, spending time with her son and two daughters, or finding ways to resolve social justice issues. Kate serves on the boards of Palaver Strings and Maine’s Child Welfare Services Ombudsman’s office. During the school year, you may find her at the University of Maine School of Law, where she is an adjunct professor.