Since joining Rudman Winchell in 1993, Brent A. Singer, Ph.D., has dedicated the majority of his legal practice to transactional and corporate matters, as well as employment law. His expertise spans the realms of for-profit and nonprofit organizations, employment law and contract litigation. Over his career, Brent has handled over a hundred cases in state and federal courts and before the Maine Human Rights Commission. These cases predominantly involved employer representation, addressing allegations under Title VII, the ADA, the ADEA, the FMLA, the Maine Human Rights Act, as well as disputes over ERISA and employee benefits.

In 1998, Brent notably authored winning briefs before the United States Supreme Court in the groundbreaking case Bragdon v. Abbott, marking the first case the Supreme Court heard under the Americans with Disabilities Act (524 U.S. 624). His commitment to nonprofits extends to aiding in their formation, governance, compliance with employee benefit laws, and navigating tax exemptions.

In the corporate arena, Brent assists in private transactions, including the sale of assets, stock, or interests in limited liability companies. He also guides clients in business formation and prepares organizational and governing documents. His appellate practice includes crafting briefs for the Maine Supreme Court and the First Circuit Court of Appeals, where he has also argued many summary judgment motions.

Representative cases where Brent was principally responsible for briefing include the aforementioned Bragdon v. Abbott (1998), Voisine v. Berube (2011), Hearts With Haiti, Inc. v. Kendrick (2017), and others. For additional cases, including a more comprehensive list of Sample and ERISA cases, please refer to the end of this biography.

Brent’s involvement in the community spans nearly a decade on the Board of Directors of the Housing Foundation, overseeing residential, affordable housing units. He has also served on the Board of Assessment Appeals for the Town of Orono.

Born in Denver, Colorado, Brent was a national merit scholarship semi-finalist and earned one of 40 prestigious 4-year Boettcher Scholarships in 1977. His educational journey led him to the University of Colorado at Boulder, where he initially excelled in electrical engineering before switching to philosophy at the end of his sophomore year. Brent holds a B.A. with distinction, an M.A., and a Ph.D., all in philosophy. Notably, during his academic years, Brent spent two semesters living in a milk truck.

Following the completion of his Ph.D. in philosophy in 1987, Brent continued his academic career as an assistant professor of philosophy at the University of Maine before transitioning to law. Distinguishing himself at Harvard Law School, he became a member of the 1991 Ames Moot Court championship team. Prior to joining Rudman Winchell, Brent gained valuable experience as a judicial clerk for Justice George E. Lohr of the Colorado Supreme Court in Denver, contributing significantly to the drafting of decisions.

Outside the office, Brent has a passion for golf, having carried a 7 handicap at Penobscot Valley Country Club. He maintains an active lifestyle at the New Balance Student Recreation Center and practices a daily stretching routine to stay flexible.

Brent’s personal life includes his late wife, Patricia Singer, fondly known as Beautiful Sam. Their meeting at the Samoset Resort in Rockport in 2002 led to a beautiful marriage years later. Very sadly, Beautiful Sam passed away in March 2023. She was an accomplished skydiver, contributing to one of the largest recreational skydiving schools in the world in Elsinore, California.

Brent shares his home with Roxi, a house cat, and Gizmo, a fast, furry-tailed friend. Gizmo, also known as the Giz, joined Brent’s household in September 2019. Beautiful Sam adored the Giz, and Brent is thankful for both of them.

SAMPLE CASES

Bragdon v. Abbott, 118 S. Ct. 2196 (1998)
Voisine v. Berube, 2011 ME 137 (oral argument)
Hearts With Haiti, Inc. v. Kendrick, 856 F.3d 1 (1st Cir. 2017)(oral argument)
Pastula v. Lane Construction Corp., 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 74199 (D. Me.)
White v. Fleet Bank of Maine, 2005 ME 72
City of Bangor v. Penobscot County, 2005 ME 35 (oral argument)
Cheung v. Wambolt, 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13484 (D. Me.)
Quint v. A.E. Staley Mfg. Co., 246 F.3d 11 (1st Cir. 2001)
Beaver Plant Operations, Inc. v. Herman, 223 F.3d 25 (1st Cir. 2000) (oral argument)
Jordan v. Hawker Dayton, 62 F.3d 29 (1st Cir. 1995) (oral argument)

ERISA CASES

Quirk v. Village Car Co., 2020 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 31990 (D. Me.)
Ballesteros v. Bangor Hydro-Electric Co., 497 F. Supp.2d 1 (D. Me. 2007)
Ballesteros v. Bangor Hydro-Electric Co., 463 F. Supp.2d 97 (D. Me. 2006)
Sidou v. UnumProvident Corp., 245 F. Supp.2d 207 (D. Me. 2003)
Harvey v. Machigonne Benefits Administrators, 122 F. Supp.2d 179 (D. Me. 2000)
McGlaughlin v. Reynolds, 886 F. Supp. 902 (1995)