The Clinics at Maine Law, established in 1970 as the Cumberland Legal Aid Clinic, are among the oldest in the nation. A defining program of Maine Law, the Clinics provide law students with practical skills training and they help fulfill the school’s long-standing commitment to social justice.
The mission of the Clinics is to train the next generation of lawyers by promoting access to justice while meeting the acute needs of vulnerable communities. The Clinics provide free legal aid services to over 600 low-income individuals and families annually through its six programs, which include General Practice Clinic, the Refugee and Human Rights Clinic, the Rural Practice Clinic, the Prisoner Assistance Clinic, the Protection from Abuse Program, and the Youth Justice Clinic.
Working under the close supervision of clinical instructors and faculty members, student attorneys enrolled in clinical courses provide direct representation to their clients and gain hands-on lawyering skills conducting client interviews, filing court documents, and standing before a judge. All clinical students are also required to participate in “Lawyering Skills for Clinical Practice,” a semester-long seminar designed to complement and support their case work.
The two centers at Maine Law – the Center for Oceans and Coastal Law and the Center for Youth Policy and Law– drive research and public policy development in Maine and beyond, engaging legal scholars and public policy experts from all over the world. The centers offer students the opportunity to put their education into practice by participating in projects and initiatives to research critical legal matters, engage with the legislative process, and advance policy solutions.