By the time Erin Jackson ‘26 was helping incoming students navigate their first days at Maine Law as a student affairs fellow, she had already become a familiar face across campus. She worked in residential life at Portland Commons, organized “Law and Lattes” meetups at coffee shops around Portland, co-chaired the Women’s Law Association, competed on Trial Team, and spent a year gaining courtroom experience at the Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office.
Now, as graduation approaches, Jackson finds herself at the other end of the journey she once helped others begin.
For Jackson, law school was never simply about earning a degree. It was about becoming the kind of advocate she imagined as a kid growing up in northeastern New Jersey, just outside New York City. Long before Maine Law, there was middle school mock trial, high school competitions, and an early fascination with the idea that lawyers could create meaningful change for people and communities.
“Being a lawyer, for me, has always been about being a passionate advocate for change,” Jackson said.
But when she started researching law schools, many of the environments she encountered felt disconnected from the kind of future she envisioned for herself.
“A lot of schools around New York felt robotic and detached,” she said. “I wanted to do something where I could help people and be part of a close-knit community that cared on a deeper level.”
A close friend suggested Maine Law. One look was enough.
What followed was three years shaped less by a single destination than by exploration. Jackson arrived interested in environmental law while still carrying a strong interest in criminal justice. At Maine Law, she discovered she did not have to choose one path.
“Throughout my time here I was amazed by the number of paths students can follow even though it’s a small school,” she said. “You can forge your own path and you have multiple support networks from faculty, staff, friends, and the Maine Bar and alumni.”
That freedom led her deeply into trial advocacy. Jackson focused much of her coursework and extracurricular work on Trial Team and practical courtroom experience. Through mock trials and competitions, she refined her skills in case theory, courtroom presentation, and advocacy.
But it was her 3L year at the Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office that transformed those lessons into real world practice.
“Every intern there was able to get a trial,” Jackson said. “It’s so unique and I love that it’s something that has been so prioritized for students to get experiential learning.”
She describes the office as both demanding and deeply supportive, a place where students were trusted with meaningful responsibility while being guided through every stage of a criminal case.
“It can feel intimidating because you are given so much discretion, but it’s not a mistake,” Jackson said. “They’re teaching you a skill.”
At the same time, some of Jackson’s most meaningful contributions happened outside the courtroom. Through mentorship programs, student outreach, and informal conversations over coffee, she became someone fellow students could turn to for encouragement and reassurance, particularly those struggling with the pressures of law school. As someone with a supportive family, but no immediate connections to the legal profession, she understood those anxieties firsthand.
In recognition of those efforts, Jackson was named the 2026 recipient of The Morgan Taylor Spirit of Service Award, which honors a graduating student who contributes time and energy to making the Maine Law community a better place through involvement in student organizations, community service groups, and individual efforts. The award recognizes a tenacious, hard-working student who makes extraordinary efforts to ensure all students feel welcome and included as part of the Maine Law community.
That perspective also shapes the future she hopes to build. While Jackson plans to pursue a career in criminal prosecution after graduation, her vision of the work is grounded in accountability, rehabilitation, and public service.
“For me, it’s not about seeking convictions,” Jackson said. “It’s about seeking justice and creating the best outcomes for everyone involved.”
For Jackson, Maine Law did more than prepare her for a legal career. It gave her space to grow into the advocate and person she hoped to become.
