Christopher Northrop, Director of Maine Law’s Rural Practice Clinic and Emeritus Professor of Law, recently received the Attorney Change Agent Award from Disability Rights Maine, recognizing his decades-long commitment to defending the rights of youth and increasing access to justice for underserved populations across Maine.
For more than three decades, Professor Northrop has been a leading voice for young people and marginalized communities in Maine’s justice system. His career has been defined by his belief that all individuals—regardless of geography, income, or circumstance—deserve equal protection under the law. The Change Agent Award celebrates this enduring dedication and the profound impact of his work as both an advocate and educator.
After earning his law degree in 1989, Northrop began his career representing indigent and low-income clients in North Carolina. Four years later, he moved to Maine and dedicated his practice to youth defense and juvenile advocacy. His skill and passion for defending system-involved youth soon made him a cornerstone of Maine’s juvenile justice community.
In 2006, Northrop joined the University of Maine School of Law to launch what became a critically important section of the Clinics at Maine Law —the Juvenile Justice Clinic, which he directed for 16 years. The clinic offered law students hands-on experience representing young clients in real cases while promoting a model of advocacy rooted in empathy, dignity, and systemic change.
Under his leadership, the clinic evolved into the Youth Justice Clinic in 2022, expanding its focus to meet the changing needs of Maine’s young people. That same year, Northrop was appointed Co-Director of Clinical Programs at Maine Law, where, along with Professor Anna Welch, he helped strengthen the school’s network of experiential learning opportunities—including supporting the creation of the Rural Practice Clinic.
Now as the Director of the Rural Practice Clinic in Fort Kent, Northrop continues to advance access to legal services for rural Mainers. Through this first-of-its-kind Clinic in Maine, student attorneys live and work in Fort Kent for a semester or a summer and provide free legal representation to indigent individuals and families in northern Maine—regions that often face significant barriers to justice due to distance and limited resources.
Although he retired from full-time teaching in 2024 and was conferred Emeritus status, Northrop’s impact on Maine Law and the state’s legal landscape remains profound. His work embodies the school’s commitment to service, practical education, and justice for all.
