Clients say Adam “has very broad horizons and a high intellect” and that “he is a great attorney and very effective for his clients.”  Chambers USA

Adam Cote is the Leader of Drummond Woodsum’s Energy Practice and a member of the Business & Corporate Group and Drummond Woodsum Strategic Consulting. Over the course of his more than 20 years advising energy companies, municipalities, non-profits, and Tribal Nations, Adam has established himself as one of Maine’s most experienced and knowledgeable attorneys in the field of energy law. A former renewable energy business owner and gubernatorial candidate, he combines substantial knowledge of public policy, organizational development, law, and regulation with deft political handling to deliver tremendous value to his clients.

Adam’s energy practice includes a focus on renewable energy development, the wholesale purchase of electricity, the development of renewable energy credit policies, renewable portfolio standards, demand response, and non-transmission alternative technologies. In addition to representing solar developers throughout the state of Maine, he regularly advises clients on major wind, hydroelectric, and energy storage projects, including a solar and battery storage development that received one of the largest clean energy grants the State California has ever awarded.

In his robust business and strategic consulting practice, Adam advises clients on a wide array of general corporate matters, including project development and entity formation. He serves as Amazon’s lead counsel in Maine, where the retail giant continues to expand its logistics operation. Local and national media outlets, including Politico and Bloomberg, frequently turn to Adam for political analysis because of his deep knowledge of Maine’s business and government landscapes — expertise that Adam successfully leverages when clients decide to seek legislative solutions.

Adam has been recognized for his notable work in Best Lawyers USA for Energy Law and Energy Regulatory Law, and Chambers USA Maine Guide for Energy and Natural Resources. In 2014, he was one of twelve veterans named a White House “Champion of Change” by the Obama Administration for “advancing clean energy and climate security.”

Adam is also deeply committed to serving his country. He proudly served as a member of the Maine Army National Guard for twenty years and was deployed to Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. He is a recipient of the Bronze Star Medal and the Combat Action Badge, along with numerous other awards and distinctions.

In his free time, Adam spends time with his wife and five active kids in Sanford — his hometown. He coaches football, basketball, and baseball in local youth sports and travel teams. He has served on numerous local and statewide boards including Colby College Alumni Council, the Maine Chapter of the National Football Foundation and Vet2Vet Maine, a non-profit that provides support for Maine veterans. In 2018, Adam was a candidate for Governor of Maine, placing a close second out of seven candidates in the Democratic primary.