Skelton Taintor & Abbott

About Skelton Taintor & Abbott

Skelton Taintor & Abbott is a full-service law firm operating from a downtown Lewiston office at 491 Lisbon St, serving clients across Maine’s inland commercial and government centers as well as the New England coast. The firm traces its practice to 1853 and presents itself as one of Maine’s top-ranked full-service firms, bringing business and finance law, trademarks, copyrights, trade secrets and unfair competition, employment law, litigation, disputes and appeals, real estate, personal injury, divorce and family law, and personal legal services together under one roof. Industry-focused work extends to government, municipal, schools and counties, alongside administrative law, commercial litigation, construction disputes, elder law, trust and estate planning, financial institutions, foreclosures and loan workouts, insurance coverage, and zoning and land use.

The client base spans small businesses and larger corporations to municipalities, school districts, and individuals pursuing personal injury or family matters. The personal injury practice advertises a no-fee-unless-we-win arrangement, while business-side services cover formations, acquisitions and mergers, and legislative and regulatory matters. Attorneys named in public feedback include Amy Dieterich, Christian Jones, Andrew Zulieve, Braden Clement, and William Skelton.

Reviews are sharply divided, and the firm’s overall rating reflects that spread. Positive accounts repeatedly highlight individual attorneys described as calm, responsive, well prepared, and thorough, with several clients noting they felt listened to, kept informed, and supported through stressful matters. Business clients in particular praise quick response times and attentive guidance on company legal needs, and a few reviewers point to the firm’s community involvement. A smaller set of comments focuses on the office itself, describing a friendly, professional environment and organized document-signing appointments.

Negative reviews cluster around communication rather than legal strategy. Multiple reviewers report unreturned phone calls and emails, delayed or absent updates on estate and family matters, and initial inquiries that were neither accepted nor clearly declined. One reviewer describes being told a time-sensitive matter could be handled and then waiting two weeks for a refusal; another raises concerns about billing and missed deadlines. A handful of comments criticize attorney performance in divorce and family cases, including negotiation and domestic-abuse experience, and one mentions an abrupt exchange with a senior partner. These patterns suggest a firm with deep service breadth and strong individual advocates whose responsiveness can vary by attorney and matter.