Agnieszka A. (Pinette) Dixon

Attorney

Agnieszka A. (Pinette) Dixon

Attorney

Phone: 207.253.0532 Fax: 207.772.3627 Email: adixon@dwmlaw.com

84 Marginal Way, Suite 600 Portland, ME 04101-2480

Assistant: Gabrielle Barber Email: gbarber@dwmlaw.com

About

Aga Dixon has a diverse practice serving schools, municipalities, nonprofits, and Tribal Nations on a broad range of land use, energy, public finance, and climate change issues.

Aga represents landowners, environmental nonprofits, and local governments on the full spectrum of land use, conservation, land management, planning and zoning matters.  A former senior land use planner, she brings unparalleled insights to her clients, and regularly prepares local ordinances to address emerging land uses (including climate change adaptation and solar development), assists clients with public proceedings, renders legal opinions, litigates land use matters, and advises officials daily on myriad legal issues.

Aga also has substantial expertise in energy law and assists public sector clients with reaching net zero goals and lowering their energy costs by negotiating renewable energy power purchase agreements and net energy billing credits agreements, solar leases, and related transactions.  She enjoys advising clients on issues and opportunities presented by new State and Federal legislation affecting governance and budgets.

Aga advises school clients on emerging topics in school law, including the creation and operation of education service centers and compliance with federal award/grant administration rules.  She provides Tribally-Controlled Schools with stem-to-stern legal guidance and representation on school construction projects involving 638 grants and PL 100-297 construction funding, as well as post-construction issues and audits, serves as bond counsel, and advises public sector clients on all aspects of public finance (including tax-exempt bonds, equipment lease purchase financing, borrowing and budgets, procurement, and energy/air quality improvement projects).

When she is not lawyering, Aga enjoys spending time in nature – biking, hiking, camping, sailing, and paddling – with family and friends.

Education

University of Maine School of Law, J.D., magna cum laude, 2013

Dartmouth College, B.A., cum laude, 1999

Judicial Clerkship

Hon. Ellen A. Gorman, Maine Supreme Judicial Court

Representative Clients & Matters

  • Successfully litigated a case before the Maine Law Court (MSAD 6 Board of Directors v. Town of Frye Island, 2020 ME 45), which ultimately prevented the Town of Frye Island from withdrawing from MSAD 6. As a result, the school district avoided the loss of roughly $1.5 million in annual assessments that support the school budget and education.
  • Advised several Tribally Controlled Schools (including the Laguna Department of Education), municipalities, quasi-municipal districts, and other public entities on Federal (including ISDEAA) award/grant administration, procurements, and audits, and negotiated complex, multi-party PL 93-638 and PL 100-297 construction contracts between owners, contractors, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
  • As a former land use planner, Aga coordinated regulatory reviews of significant and controversial development projects for the Maine Land Use Planning Commission (formerly, “LURC”), including a five-year administrative review of the largest land development and conservation project in Maine’s history.
  • Assisted many municipalities in drafting ordinances and moratoria governing emerging land uses such as medical and adult use marijuana business establishments, short-term rentals, and solar farms.

Recognition

  • Edward S. Godfrey Leadership Award
  • Maine Law Alumni Association Award
  • Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation Fellowship

Memberships

National Association of Bond Lawyers
Member

Maine State Bar Association
Member

Community/Public Service

Allagash Wilderness Waterway Foundation
 Board Member

Past Presentations

From July 21, 2021 9:00 am

2021 Maine School Finance Summer Institute (Virtual!)

For 2021, we are taking our School Finance Summer Institute virtual using Zoom, a cloud-based video-conferencing service. The Institute program has been designed with busy educators in mind.

From May 24, 2021 9:30 am

Davis-Bacon… and Eggs

From October 4, 2019 12:00 pm

Maine School Business Officials 6th Annual Law Seminar

From July 24, 2018 11:00 am

2018 Maine School Finance Summer Institute

From November 9, 2017 12:00 pm

Maine School Business Officials 4th Annual Law Seminar

From September 22, 2017 12:00 pm

Current Hot Topics in Sign Regulation

From September 8, 2017 12:00 pm

A New Take on School Consolidation: The Budget Bill Reforms and Other Critical Developments in School Law

From October 21, 2016 12:00 pm

Maine School Business Officials 3rd Annual Law Seminar