Sara P. Cressey

Sara joined the Refugee and Human Rights Clinic as a Staff Attorney in May 2022 and became a Visiting Professor of Law in July 2023. She supervises the work of student attorneys in the clinic in their direct representation and broader advocacy and outreach work and serves as an advisor to students who are interested in immigration law and human rights. Sara co-teaches Lawyering Skills for Clinical Practice, a two-credit course required for new clinic students across all five of Maine Law’s clinical programs in which students learn best practices for the core lawyering skills they will need for their clinic work. In addition, she teaches substantive classes related to the work of the Refugee and Human Rights Clinic, including on defensive asylum and immigration research. Sara occasionally guest lectures in other courses.

Sara previously practiced at the law firm Drummond Woodsum in Portland, Maine. She was a member of the firm’s Trial Services Group and represented schools, businesses, and individuals in matters at the trial and appellate levels in state and federal court. Sara also worked on several amicus briefs on behalf of Tribal Nations filed at the federal appellate level, including the U.S. Supreme Court. In addition, she served as a volunteer lawyer for the non-profit Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project (ILAP) in Portland, providing both direct representation and assistance with planning pro se trainings as part of ILAP’s Afghan Assistance Project. During her time at Drummond Woodsum, Sara also served as a Bar Coach to recent Maine Law graduates preparing for the bar exam, providing mentorship and guidance throughout the bar preparation process.

Prior to joining Drummond Woodsum, Sara completed two federal clerkships, first for Chief Judge Jon D. Levy at the U.S. District Court for the District of Maine and then for Judge Kermit V. Lipez at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. Sara earned her law degree, summa cum laude, from the University of Maine School of Law and was awarded the Maine Law Outstanding Scholastic Achievement Award for Immigration Law and the Maine Law Foundation Alumni Award. She earned her B.A., magna cum laude, from Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts, and was awarded the Paul F. Cressey Prize (no relation) for excellence in the field of anthropology.