Walter Frederic McKee

Walter McKee formed McKee Law in 2012. Mr. McKee’s work focuses on litigation.

Mr. McKee's criminal defense practice ranges from traffic offenses to murder. He has been involved in countless high-profile criminal cases in Maine over the past 25 years and is a veteran of over 200 fully contested civil and criminal jury trials. Mr. McKee's practice is statewide and also includes representation of criminal defendants in federal criminal matters in Maine's federal district courts as well as the First Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston. As one Federal judge put it, Mr. McKee's defense of the accused is nothing less than "outstanding" and rises "above and beyond the call of duty."

Mr. McKee's personal injury practice focuses on automobile accident cases but also includes premises liability and general negligence matters. He has handled numerous, significant automobile collision cases and has obtained substantial settlements and verdicts in a variety of negligence cases. In his first ten years of practice alone he successfully settled or received trial verdicts in excess of $10,000,000. He served for six years on the Board of Governors of the Maine Trial Lawyers Association and is a strong advocate for corporate responsibility in Maine.

But that's not all he does. Mr. McKee also maintains an active general litigation practice that runs the gamut from litigation of real estate cases and business matters to probate and construction to name but a few. There's virtually no matter that he has not fought and litigated over. He also represents professionals before dozens of State of Maine licensing boards.

Mr. McKee is recognized around the state as one of Maine’s premier attorneys. He is a "New England Super Lawyer," is listed in Best Lawyers in America, and is AV rated in Martindale-Hubbell. In 2015 he was inducted into the prestigious American College of Trial addition to his work with clients, Mr. McKee served as president of the Maine Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (MACDL) from 2006-2008 and continues to work as chair of MACDL's Legislative Committee and as its Treasurer. In this capacity he testifies regularly before the Maine Legislature on criminal legislation, and his advocacy in this arena has been called "polished" and the work of someone who "doesn't break." For his work on behalf of MACDL Mr. McKee received MACDL's highest award, the President's Award, in 2011. Mr. McKee’s work to ensure fairness for people accused of crimes was also recognized in 2012 when he received the prestigious Louis Scolnik Award from the ACLU of Maine.

Mr. McKee also served for five years as the Chair of the state's Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices. At his confirmation hearing he was described as someone who was one of the state's "most talented and skilled attorneys" who was "respected by judges and his colleagues" for being someone "absolutely by the book" and "a straight shooter." In 2007 Mr. McKee was asked to serve on the selection committee for the first Federal Defender in Maine. In 2009 he was tapped to serve on a similar committee to make recommendations to Congress and the President for the appointment of the United States Attorney for Maine. Since 2019 he has served on the Governor’s Judicial Nominations Advisory Committee.

Mr. McKee lives in Hallowell with his wife, Kristin Aiello. Kristin is Managing Attorney at the non-profit Disability Rights Maine where she is actively engaged in the representation of persons discriminated against because of their disabilities. A former Commissioner on the Maine Human Rights Commission, Kristin was appointed in 2018 by the Supreme Judicial Court to serve on the Executive Committee of the Stakeholder Working Group for Civil Justice Reform for Maine’s Courts. She also serves on the United States District Court, District of Maine, Local Rules Committee.

Mr. McKee is an avid runner, skier, mountaineer and violinist; was a private pilot for many years; and served for eight years as a JAG officer with the Maine Army National Guard. For 15 years he also co-hosted the weekly local cable television show "It's the Law!” The show reached over 1,000,000 people throughout Maine.

Mr. McKee is also active in community affairs having served for many years as the middle / distance event coach for the Hall-Dale Middle and High School track teams, as a soccer coach with the Hall-Dale Youth Soccer program, and as the president of the Pineland Suzuki School (PSS). PSS is a non-profit local music school that his children attended that teaches violin and cello using the world-renowned Suzuki method.

Mr. McKee does not sleep.

Admitted: 1993, South Carolina; 1994, Maine and U.S. District Court, District of Maine; 1995, U.S. Court of Appeals, First Circuit; 1999, U.S. Supreme Court

Education: University of Maine School of Law, J.D., 1993; University of Maine, B.A., summa cum laude, 1989

Member: Maine Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (Member, Board of Directors, 1995-1998; 2003-present; President 2006-2008); Kennebec County Bar Association (President, 2006-2008); National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers; Maine Trial Lawyers Association (Member, Board of Governors, 2006-2012); American Association for Justice.

Military: Captain, J.A.G. Corps, Maine Army National Guard, 1996 – 2004

Reported Cases: Hebert v. International Paper Co., 638 A.2d 1161 (Me. 1994); U.S. v. Lagasse, 87 F.3d 18 (1st Cir. 1996); State v. Nelson, 714 A.2d 832 (Me. 1998); Legasse v. Bangor Publishing Co., 741 A.2d 442 (Me. 1999); Gafner v. Down East Community Hospital, 735 A.2d 969 (Me. 1999); U.S. v. Destefano, 201 F.3d 429 (1st Cir. 1999); U.S. v. Meader, 195 F.3d 66 (1st Cir. 1999); Newbury v. Virgin, 802 A.2d 413 (Me. 2002); U.S. v. Hartsock, 253 F. 24 (Me. 2003); Evans v. Willingham, 413 F. 155, 159-60 (D.); Muther et al. v. Flaherty et al., 2011 ME 32, 2011 ME 33, 2011 ME 34, 2013 ME 39; Tucker v. Lilley / Troubh Heisler v. Lilley, 2015 ME 36; State v. Knight, 2016 ME 123; State v. Hanscom, 2016 ME 184; Avis Rent A Car Systems v. Burrill, 2018 ME 81; Greene v. New England Suzuke Institute, 2018 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 104772.

Speaker / Presenter / Faculty: Maine Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Annual Seminar, Criminal Legislative and Case Law Changes, 2006 – present; Maine State Bar Association Legal Year in Review, Criminal Legislative Changes, 2005 – present; Maine Trial Lawyers Association Litigation Institute, 2008; Maine Trial Lawyers Association Evidence Series, 2007; Maine Trial Lawyers Association, College of Trial Advocacy, 2011, 2016, 2019; Maine Commission on Indigent Legal Services Training Seminar, 2011; Maine Licensed Private Investigators Association, Annual Seminar, 2011.