May 21, 2025
Laura O’Neill Joins Brann & Isaacson
Brann & Isaacson, a Maine-based law firm founded in the 1920s with offices in Lewiston and Portland, is pleased to welcome Laura O’Neill as Of Counsel. A former educator herself, O’Neill will join the Municipal and Education teams at B&I.
O’Neill is a seasoned education lawyer with experience across the United States. Prior to joining B&I, she consulted with the California School Boards Association and was staff attorney for the Oakland Unified School District in Oakland, California. She served as an attorney with the Education practice at Drummond Woodsum. Most recently, O’Neill was Of Counsel to School and College Legal Services of California.
“Laura O’Neill is an experienced and versatile attorney with expertise in education law, and a strong background serving clients as an advocate and an advisor,” said Nat Bessey, Partner at B&I, who will work closely with O’Neill. “Laura’s skills and knowledge will be an asset to our practice and to our clients in a range of areas, particularly our public sector and school law practice. We are excited to welcome her to our firm and look forward to working with her to support our clients.”
O’Neill received her J.D. from the U.C. Davis School of Law where she was an Education Pioneer Fellow. Prior to pursuing her law degree, O’Neill taught in the greater Boston area and worked as an editor developing online education content after earning her Master’s in Education from Harvard Graduate School.
A resident of Yarmouth—where she lives with her husband, two teenage sons, and family dog—O’Neill regularly fills in as a K-1 substitute teacher at her local school. She started doing this during the pandemic when schools were short-staffed. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time outdoors and singing with the choir of the Episcopal Church of St. Mary in Falmouth.