Patricia Ender
Fair Housing Attorney, Augusta
Number of Years at Pine Tree: 38
Where is your favorite place in Maine?
My favorite place in Maine is where I live. We have streams, forests, a lake, and lots of birds and animals. It’s a wonderful, beautiful area. I also love Acadia and the beaches in the south.
What are some hobbies you enjoy outside of work?
I try to exercise every day and walk every day.
Where did you go to law school?
Berkeley Law School
What is your most memorable case Pine Tree?
The Kelderhouse case which required a multi-day trial and resulted in a landmark decision under the Fair Housing Act and the Maine Human Rights Act involving race based discrimination, providing $40,000 in damages and legal fees of $75,000.
Why did you want to work at Pine Tree? What brought you to Pine Tree and what did you do before?
I started at Pine Tree in 1983 as my second job out of law school after moving to the east coast to be near family. I believe in legal services and was looking for a job in that world. I had represented people on race issues on the west coast and had done organizing work, which led to a strong sense of justice, particularly racial justice. I’ve always been involved in public benefits cases and then became involved with landlord/tenant law in Maine. Working on fair housing cases for protected classes meshed well with my experience and interest. I find this work very meaningful.