For incoming Maine Law student Connor McGoldrick, the path to law school was shaped by strong mentors, athletic opportunity, and years spent working with young people in crisis. Born and raised just outside of Philadelphia, McGoldrick’s early years were marked by both promise and challenge. A gifted student and athlete, he admits that boredom sometimes led him into trouble.
“I was fortunate to be driven academically and athletically,” he recalled. “Even more importantly, I had a strong support system and mentors that helped me navigate some of the trouble I got myself into.”
That combination of talent and support led McGoldrick from public school to the prestigious Penn Charter in Philadelphia, and later to Princeton University, where he played Division I water polo. During college, he took time away from the pool to explore another calling—helping young people who, like himself, faced difficult choices and turbulent circumstances.
During his time at Princeton, he also began working with youths in a residential treatment facility off campus, an experience he found rewarding. After graduating, he joined the Montgomery County Youth Center, a juvenile detention facility, where he worked closely with youth charged with serious offenses. Many of his cases involved “direct file” youth—teenagers tried in adult court for crimes ranging from grand theft auto to attempted murder.
The work was demanding, both emotionally and physically, but deeply meaningful.
“As much as I loved the direct work, I realized I wanted to create an impact on a larger scale,” McGoldrick said. His years in direct care gave him a unique patience and empathy for kids in crisis, especially those whose thought processes and decisions he could understand firsthand. “I felt well equipped to deal with what they were going through, and I wanted to use my background to help them find better paths forward.”
That realization set him on the road to Maine Law, gravitating towards the school’s Youth Justice Clinic and Center for Youth Policy & Law. McGoldrick will serve as the Youth Justice Fellow, working with the Center for Youth Policy and Law. The position offers him the opportunity to learn from experienced, nationally-recognized faculty like Professors Sarah Branch and Jill Ward and to engage with both litigation and policy work.
“Here, I can focus on the details of an individual’s case and use those insights to create models that could serve as a flagship for other states,” he added.
Outside the classroom, McGoldrick is settling into life in South Portland—cycling, fishing, and enjoying Willard Beach while the weather lasts. Looking ahead, he hopes to stay in Maine after graduation, building a career in youth advocacy and trial work.
“I’ve taken a longer road than some to get here,” he reflected. “It feels good to finally be in the place I know I want to be, ready to take what I’ve learned, good and bad, and make as large of a difference in the lives of others as I can.”
