AUGUSTA – Michael V. Saxl, former speaker of the Maine House of Representatives, has joined the Portland law firm of Verrill & Dana LLP, as counsel in the firm’s governmental strategies group based in the firm’s Augusta office.

Saxl will also head Maine Street Solutions, the firm’s new governmental and public affairs consulting group.

Saxl was first elected to the Maine Legislature in 1995 to represent House District 31 in Portland.

He was elected to a leadership post in his second term, and became speaker of the House in the 120th Maine Legislature. He did not run again for his House seat because of term limits.

Saxl graduated from Bowdoin College in 1989 and is a 1998 cum laude graduate of the University of Maine School of Law.

Maine Street Solutions will supplement the lobbying practice with an array of consulting and communications services, including coalition building, strategic planning, association and union development, polling, crisis communications, campaign services, and lobbying.

Saxl will work closely with firm members John “Jay” M. Nutting and James I. Cohen, who is also a Portland city councilor.

Verrill & Dana has nearly 90 lawyers, with offices in Portland, Kennebunk and Augusta; Kansas City, Mo.; and Washington, D.C.