James F. Cloutier - Portland, ME

Jim Cloutier practices in business advising and finance, litigation and real estate development and representation, including commercial real estate matters. Related to these are service to clients in financial planning and estate matters, which can include both the positive - asset preservation and income management , and the negative - loan and business liability work outs, bankruptcy and foreclosure issues.

Typical small business issues include entity representation for small corporations and LLCs, assistance in self directed IRA enterprises, and real estate matters such as like kind exchange tax deferral transactions, commercial financings and refinancing. Jim has extensive financial and enterprise management experience as a former Councilor and Mayor of Portland, as a Board member and officer of a local financial institution and through other responsibilities, including service as a board member of the Maine Turnpike Authority and the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners.

Jim also represents clients in the courts of Maine in civil litigation matters, often involving real estate issues. He has extensive litigation experience in title underwriting, Maine lien law and contractor law issues and boundary and land area use issues.

Jim has tried dozens of cases - jury and non-jury - over thirty years and has briefed and argued cases before the Maine Supreme Judicial Court over twenty times.

Community Involvement

Jim has served approximately ten years on the Portland City Council, including a term as Mayor of Portland. During that service, he led the Finance Committee several times and the Economic and Community Development Committee for several years. Signature development plans for the Portland Waterfront and Bayside redevelopment area were significant accomplishments during this service, as well as the preservation of large tracts of open space and trails in Portland.

Jim is currently serving as Chair of the Cumberland County Commission, and as a Board member of the Maine Turnpike Authority and cPort Credit Union. He has served on the boards of a regional soup kitchen as the Chairman of te Board of the regional waste to energy plant, the regional Council of Governments, and a variety of other civic organizations.