Jackson & MacNichol

Bios

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  Francis Jackson

  Founding Partner, Disability Lawyer

  At Jackson & MacNichol, client service comes first. Founding partner Francis M. “Jack” Jackson wouldn’t have it any other way. “What distinguishes us more than anything else, I believe, is that we really do care about our clients, and we’ll go the extra mile for them,” Jack says. “I have a wonderful staff, and I’ve received numerous compliments on how attentive and caring they are. When you couple that with our expertise, it makes me very proud.” Jack has practiced law for more than 30 years, with a focus in the disability area. He likes that his practice allows him to make a significant difference in the lives of people facing difficulties. “Most of our clients come to us feeling very overwhelmed. They’re having physical and emotional problems — often both — and they’re just under a lot of pressure,” he says. “We try to make a connection with the client and let them know we’re in their corner. We’ll do everything we can to push their claim forward and try to take some of the weight off their shoulders.” Before launching Jackson & MacNichol, Jack practiced general civil and criminal litigation, including employee benefits and personal injury cases. “We narrowed it down to doing Social Security disability cases,” Jack says. “I decided it was something I enjoyed, and I was good at it.” After he had established his Social Security disability practice, a change in federal legislation allowed Jack to expand the firm’s practice areas to include representation of veterans seeking disability benefits. “It’s nice to give back to people who served our country, and it’s an area where people need enormous help and support,” he says. In addition to representing clients before the Veterans’ Administration, Jack has pursued claims before the Court of Appeals for Veterans’ Claims and the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. “In both Social Security and Veterans’ claims, we pursue cases on appeal, which is not something that a lot of other firms will do,” he says. “Nobody wins all of their cases, and that includes us. But I think if you asked any judge or client, they would say that we work hard and do our best to make every case a winning case.” Jack graduated summa cum laude from Bowdoin College in 1974. He went on to earn his law degree from the University of Maine School of Law in 1977, where he was on the law review staff and a member of the national moot court competition team. While in law school, he was selected to participate in the Mental Health Law Project in Washington, D.C. Also, the Maine Bar Foundation has honored him with awards for his pro bono work with the Volunteer Lawyers Project. In his spare time, Jack enjoys reading and traveling with his family.

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  Link: Francis Jackson

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  Murrough O'Brien

  Disability Lawyer

  When the law firm of Jackson & MacNichol needed a legal research and writing specialist, founding partner Francis Jackson turned to the man who taught him legal writing at the University of Maine School of Law more than three decades ago: Murrough O’Brien. Murrough’s writing skills earned him a role as a writing instructor during his third year of law school, where Jackson was one of his students. Writing has played a major role in his legal career ever since. The key to legal writing, he says, is to make complex issues understandable for the reader. “The law can have a lot of mystery to it,” says Murrough, who prepares briefs for hearings and appeals with Jackson & MacNichol. “So, you have to make it simple and explainable.” Murrough is a graduate of Harvard College. He served in the Navy and worked as a newspaper reporter before going to law school. Upon graduation, he posted the third highest score on the Maine Bar Exam in 1975. He practiced general litigation, including real estate matters, before focusing his practice on Social Security disability in the late 1980s. He then joined Jackson & MacNichol in 2005 in what he thought would be a part-time role. “But I’ve gone at it full time,” Murrough says. “What’s driven me all along is that I don’t look at this like a job. I really enjoy what I do, and for me, this is a dream job. I think people become lawyers because they have a sense of pursuing justice, and for me, this is a great place to do it.” In addition to preparing for hearings and drafting appellate briefs, Murrough also serves as a mentor to other attorneys in the law firm, helping them to successfully navigate cases. “A lot of it is attention to detail and scheduling,” he says. “We make sure we get it done on time.” In addition to his law practice, Murrough has served as the executive secretary to the Maine Judicial Council and as the president of Youth and Family Outreach social services agency. In his spare time, Murrough enjoys reading, traveling, canoeing and kayaking.

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  Penny Gronbeck

  Veterans Disability Lawyer

  Penny Gronbeck is a veterans’ benefits attorney at Jackson & MacNichol who has a passion for helping people with disabilities and advancing the cause of social justice. “As a veterans’ benefits lawyer, I’m able to hit on both of those fronts, which is very satisfying,” she says. “I really like being there for those who could use a little help.” Gronbeck travels throughout the country representing veterans who suffer from injuries and illnesses connected to their service in the Army, Navy, Air Force or Marines. Her clients have fought in conflicts ranging from Vietnam to current operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. “You can be entitled to benefits for any service-connected disability, and that can include back pain, post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, anxiety, depression or illnesses related to Agent Orange or herbicide exposure, including diabetes, ischemic heart disease, Parkinson’s disease or leukemia,” she says. “I also represent widows of veterans who died because of a service-connected injury or disability.” Gronbeck says she is inspired by her clients to work hard on their cases and represent them in hearings before the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and in appeals before the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims. “The people I see have really given everything they had to serve their country,” she says. “They signed up with the promise that they would be taken care of when they got home. In too many cases, that’s not what has happened. My role is to help them get through that and help them receive the benefits they deserve.” The experience of working closely with veterans has been eye-opening, she says. “I know some basic military history, but that’s not the same as seeing what the people who actually have served went through in battle,” Gronbeck says. “The media tends to tell the stories about the glory of war. This is about the trauma.” Before joining Jackson & MacNichol, Gronbeck graduated with honors from Pitzer College in 1999 with a degree in linguistics. She earned her law degree from the Boston University School of Law in 2008. She is admitted to the Maine Bar and the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, and she is a member of the National Organization of Veterans’ Advocates (NOVA). In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, collecting vintage and modern comic books and listening to music.

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  Michael Cahill

  Disability Lawyer

  Michael graduated from Amherst College in 2006 and the University of Maine School of Law where he earned his law degree with honors. During his legal education he worked as a student attorney with the Cumberland Legal Aid Clinic. In addition he has worked in public interest legal services, including working as a MAPIL fellow for Legal Services for the Elderly and a Horace Libby fellow with the Maine Public Utilities Commission. Michael believes that working at Jackson & MacNichol provides him an opportunity to continue to serve those who need legal services during trying times in their lives. Although he grew up in upstate New York, Michael has fallen in love with Maine where he and his wife reside. During his free time he enjoys developing his library of books and music, and getting out into nature.

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  Marc Pepin

  Disability Lawyer

  Please welcome Marc Pepin, our newest associate at Jackson & MacNichol. Marc recently started in our Social Security Disability practice area. A 2004 graduate of the University of New England, Marc worked in the mental health field until 2012 when he received his law degree. While attending law school, Marc served as a judicial intern for the Honorable Peter W. Agnes, Jr., of the Massachusetts Superior Court and was awarded the 2012 Dean’s Award. He comes to our firm after practicing in Massachusetts where he attended law school and then practicing in northern Maine for a period of time. Marc is driven and motivated in his pursuit of life and passionate about the practice of law. Before joining Jackson & MacNichol, Marc represented clients not only in Social Security Disability, but also in Workers’ Compensation and in personal injury. Marc enjoys fighting for people facing the stress of a disability application. This gives him the opportunity to use his skills to reduce the stress our clients feel and frees them to focus on living their lives. In his spare time, Marc enjoys spending time in the greater Portland area with his wife, and pursuing crossfit and golf.

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