Christopher Northrop

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 a belief that all individuals, regardless of geography, income, or circumstance, deserve equal protection under the law.

In 2006, Northrop joined the University of Maine School of Law to launch 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 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, student attorneys live and work in Fort Kent for a semester or a summer. They provide free legal representation to qualifying individuals and families in northern Maine, a region that often faces significant barriers to justice due to distance from advocates and limited resources.