Image of the Maine State Capital building, Augusta, Maine.  Banner image for Soltan Bass LLC

What We Do

We bring about change that protects our clients’ interests.

Charlie Soltan and James Bass conduct their legal practice in the fields of legislative advocacy, regulatory law, administrative, and land use law.

Maine House of Representatives.Charlie and James advise multinational, national, along with state and local clients attempting to navigate Maine’s Legislature and Executive branch agencies. Charlie and James offer regulatory advice to utilities and other entities before the Maine Public Utilities Commission and other administrative bodies.

Their office is located within a short distance of the Maine State House and the majority of the State’s regulatory agencies and courts. Since 2007, Charlie has annually been named one of the Best Lawyers in America® in the specialty of Administrative law. His law firm has also achieved first tier ranking since 2010 and for 2014-2015, Charlie was named Lawyer of the Year for Augusta, Maine in the field of Administrative Law.

Charlie and James represent clients large and small on a variety of matters before Maine’s Legislative, Executive and Judicial branches. They assist clients in creating regulatory, legislative and public policy strategies to meet the challenges in today’s marketplaces, provide advocacy services and advice to a diverse body of clients, and manage crises that may develop relative to regulatory or legislative activity.

Maine State capital building, Augusta, Maine.In the regulatory arena, the firm has an active practice advising participants in the insurance and energy fields. The firm is deeply engaged in the myriad of energy related debates and cases currently pending in Maine before the Legislature and the Maine Public Utilities Commission. The firm’s practice regularly takes Charlie and James before many state agencies in administrative, rule making, enforcement and contractual proceedings. Charlie and James also regularly advise insurance companies, both property and casualty, including in the medical malpractice arena, and life and health companies, as well as agents, on matters before the Maine Bureau of Insurance and the Maine Legislature.

James also co-owns Cushnoc Brewing Co. in downtown Augusta, Maine, a craft brewery and wood-fired pizza eatery. Skilled at navigating municipal, state, and federal liquor licensing for breweries, wineries, and distilleries, James has first-hand experience starting a food and beverage business. From corporate formation to licensing under Maine’s Bureau of Alcoholic Beverages and Lottery Operations to workplace and employment policies and procedures, James is well equipped to advice tomorrow’s brewers and chefs.

With regard to its land use practice, James advises real estate developers and property owners in municipal zoning, site plan, subdivision, and development permitting; Maine DEP Site Location of Development Act and Natural Resources Protection Act approvals; representation before municipal boards; and counsel throughout the development project.