Bernstein Shur Welcomes Four New Attorneys to the Firm

Bernstein Shur, one of Northern New England’s largest law firms, recently welcomed Grady Burns, Lisa Prosienski, J. Hanover Shinay and Dhivya Singaram to its Portland, Maine office.  

Grady Burns is an associate attorney who joins the firm’s Municipal & Governmental Services Practice Group. His practice will provide clients with a wide range of services, including land use and environmental permitting, general municipal law, zoning compliance, administrative and judicial appeals, and enforcement actions. Grady served as an Auburn City Councilor prior to joining Bernstein Shur, and now uses that experience to inform the work he performs on behalf of his municipal and private clients. Grady earned his JD from the University of Maine School of Law, summa cum laude, and received the September 2020 Kenneth R. Clegg Award for Excellence for obtaining the highest combined score on the Maine Bar Exam. He received both a Bachelor of Arts in History and a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education (Social Studies) from the University of Maine at Farmington, summa cum laude. 

Lisa Prosienski has joined the Government & Public Affairs and Municipal & Governmental Services Practice Groups as an associate attorney. With a deep background in political work, Lisa brings a unique and practical perspective to election law, shaping laws and policy, navigating all levels of government, and building strong organizations and coalitions. Lisa’s practice will also support general municipal matters. Lisa received her JD from the University of Maine School of Law, where she served as Editor-in-Chief of the Maine Law Review. Before earning her law degree, Lisa spent two decades as a political advisor, where she gained extensive experience advising state and national leaders from Maine to Arizona. She successfully developed coalitions, managed nationwide campaigns, and utilized her organizational skills to win elections and advance public policy.  Lisa holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and Political Science from the University of Maine at Farmington.

J. Hanover Shinay, an associate attorney, joins the firm’s Real Estate Practice Group, where they will assist clients with complex commercial real estate transactions, energy projects, and matters that transcend the boundary between real estate and environmental practice. J received their JD from the University of Maine School of Law, summa cum laude, where they served as the President of the LGBTQ+ Law and Policy Group and received the CALI Award seven times. Before earning their law degree, J received their Bachelor of Fine Arts in History and Art Design from the Pratt Institute, highest honors, and spent nearly a decade working in art academia in Brooklyn, New York. J was a member of the 2023 Summer Associate class at Bernstein Shur.

Dhivya Singaram joins the firm’s Labor and Employment Practice Group as an associate attorney, where she will focus on a breadth of areas including litigation, regulatory compliance, and workplace disputes. She earned her JD from the University of Maine School of Law, where she served as the Vincent L. McKusick Fellow, was an editor on the Maine Law Review, and received the CALI Award for Evidence & Trial Practice. She holds her BA from Bowdoin College, where she received the Award for Distinguished Public Sociology and worked in India as a Bowdoin Global Citizens Fellow. Prior to joining Bernstein Shur, Dhivya gained work experience as the engagement coordinator at the ACLU of Maine and a paralegal at a small Portland firm. She interned at Bernstein Shur as a member of the 2023 Summer Associate class.

These new associates bring a wealth of knowledge and experience, with which they will further the support and success of several practice groups.

To learn more about careers at Bernstein Shur, visit, www.bernsteinshur.com/who/careers/.