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University of Maine School of Law

246 Deering Avenue
Portland, ME 04102
Phone: 207.780.4341; Fax: 207.780.4018
E-mail: lawadmissions@maine.edu; Website: mainelaw.maine.edu

Introduction

Maine Law is a vibrant and distinctive place to study law. Students study law in a supportive and personalized environment and are prepared for success in today's global economy.

Maine Law holds a pivotal place in state and regional affairs and is a destination point for students, scholars, and civic leaders from near and far. The state's only law school, and one of the smallest in the nation, Maine Law fosters educational and scholarly excellence, professionalism, and public service through a close community of faculty members and students. Our location in the vibrant coastal city of Portland, Maine—the largest city in the state and two hours north of Boston—allows students to benefit from a multitude of hands-on training opportunities offered through clinical programs, externships, community service projects, and employment. We have a tradition of training remarkably distinguished graduates—governors, federal and state judges, prominent lawyers, and civic leaders—who remain close to the law school. We are the law school of the University of Maine System and an administrative unit of the University of Southern Maine (USM).

Location

The law school is located in Portland, one of the most livable cities in the United States, and the largest city in Maine. It has the charm of a small town with the cultural activities of a large city. Opportunities to participate in year-round outdoor activities are abundant.

Faculty

Faculty members are well-regarded for their commitment to teaching, for their accessibility to students, and for their cutting-edge scholarship. They come from a variety of backgrounds and have extensive experience in private practice and public service. They make significant contributions to legislative, judicial, and professional institutions; community organizations; and policy and economic development initiatives. Their research spans matters of state, national, and international interest and examines topics as varied as international treaty practice, Maine tort law, coastal zone management, federal tax elections, constitutional controls over the military, intellectual property, and commercial practice.

Curriculum

Maine Law offers a broad-based curriculum that helps prepare students for practice in all states. The school's strengths are in business and commercial law, environmental and marine law, international law, intellectual property, clinical training, and trial advocacy. Ninety credit hours are required for graduation.

The first-year curriculum is a prescribed program consisting of courses that allow students to develop legal analytical skills as well as the ability to read and understand cases and statutory material. The program provides the foundation course in legal research and writing, including a moot court experience. Most courses after the first year are elective. All students are required to complete Professional Responsibility, Constitutional Law II, and a perspective course—one that places the law in a broader philosophical, historical, or comparative context. Each student must fulfill an upper-level writing requirement through a substantial research paper under the direction of a member of the faculty, through a seminar or independent study, or through membership on the Maine Law Review or Ocean and Coastal Law Journal. Maine Law's practical skills program includes courses in trial practice, negotiation, and alternative dispute resolution. The course in advanced trial advocacy has fielded award-winning teams.

Special Programs

Cumberland Legal Aid Clinic—Third-year students represent clients under faculty supervision in this approved legal assistance office. Students work on family law and domestic matters, juvenile justice, and criminal, consumer, housing, employment, and probate issues at both the trial and appellate levels. The clinic also provides representation for prisoners in a variety of civil matters. All clinical courses work with the state's domestic violence project.

Intellectual Property Law Clinic—Students have the rare opportunity to work with clients involved with developing new products and businesses. Under the supervision of intellectual property lawyers at the Center for Law and Innovation, students work directly with independent inventors, entrepreneurs, and research scientists engaged in technology transfer.

Externships—Students have access to numerous clinical externship opportunities, for academic credit, in many areas. Externships are available with government agencies and nonprofit organizations.

Center for Law and Innovation—The Center for Law and Innovation provides students with courses, conferences, and hands-on experiences to enhance their understanding of the role of law in the development of technological progress and innovation. In addition to offering courses in intellectual property and Internet law, the center provides summer-session technology law courses that bring distinguished scholars and practitioners to the school. Externship opportunities are available with the Maine Patent Program, a unique service program established by the Maine legislature to provide education and legal assistance regarding the patent process to Maine inventors, entrepreneurs, and businesses.

Marine Law Institute (MLI)—The MLI is an ocean and coastal law program that conducts research on laws and policies affecting ocean and coastal resources. The program also supports a student-edited journal and offers courses and seminars in coastal zone law, marine resources law, port security, law of the sea, and admiralty.

Pro Bono Program—The faculty has established a voluntary standard of 80 hours of pro bono legal service for each student during his or her three years of law school and has instituted a means of encouraging students to fulfill that standard while recognizing those who follow through with it.

Joint-Degree Programs—Maine Law and the University of Southern Maine offer the following joint-degree programs: JD/MCP in Community Planning and Development, JD/MS in Health Policy and Management, JD/MA in Public Policy and Management with the Edmund S. Muskie School of Public Service, and a JD/MBA with the School of Business.

International-Exchange Programs—Semester-exchange programs are available with Dalhousie University Schulich School of Law, University of New Brunswick Faculty of Law, National University of Ireland, Université du Maine, and University of Buckingham.

Student Activities

The Student Bar Association performs the varied functions of student government and acts as an umbrella organization of other student organizations, such as the American Constitution Society, Animal Legal Defense Fund, Black Law Students Association, Business Law Association, Environmental Law Society, Federalist Society, Health Law Association, International Law Society, Latino/Latina Law Students Association, Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender Law Caucus, Maine Association for Public Interest Law, Maine Association for Law and Innovation, National Lawyers Guild, Native American Law Association, Prisoner Justice Project, Sports and Entertainment Law Society, and the Women's Law Association.

The Maine Law Review and the Ocean and Coastal Law Journal are scholarly journals managed, edited, and published by students. Students interested in developing written and oral advocacy skills participate in Moot Court and/or the Trial Advocacy Team.

Career Services

The Career Services Office provides a full range of services, including counseling; career resource materials; specific summer, full-time, part-time, and work-study job listings; and extensive on-campus recruiting. The small size of the law school ensures services tailored to meet the specific needs of its students. A number of workshops, speakers, and panel discussions throughout the year assist students in learning about the diverse opportunities available to them.

Expenses, Financial Aid, and Housing

Maine Law offers a reasonable tuition charge to both residents and nonresidents. The FAFSA priority deadline is February 15. A number of scholarships are available for entering students. Candidates for admission will automatically be considered for all scholarships for which they are eligible. There are no dorms for law students, however, there are plenty of rental properties situated around the law school. There is also a privately owned and operated student housing complex located less than five minutes from the law school. For tuition rates for the current year, please visit our website.

Applicant Profile

University of Maine School of Law

This grid includes only applicants who earned 120–180 LSAT scores under standard administrations.

  GPA    
LSAT
Score		 3.75+
Apps		 3.75+
Adm		 3.50–
3.74 Apps		 3.50–
3.74 Adm		 3.25–
3.49 Apps		 3.25–
3.49 Adm		 3.00–
3.24 Apps		 3.00–
3.24 Adm		 2.75–
2.99 Apps		 2.75–
2.99 Adm		 2.50–
2.74 Apps		 2.50–
2.74 Adm		 2.25–
2.49 Apps		 2.25–
2.49 Adm		 2.00–
2.24 Apps		 2.00–
2.24 Adm		 Below 2.00
Apps		 Below 2.00
Adm		 No GPA
Apps		 No GPA
Adm		 Total
Apps		 Total
Adm
175–180 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1
170–174 2 2 2 2 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 7
165–169 7 7 9 9 6 6 6 6 4 4 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 37 36
160–164 12 12 21 21 28 27 30 27 8 7 4 1 4 1 2 0 1 0 0 0 110 96
155–159 25 23 49 48 70 68 47 43 37 25 17 4 10 1 8 1 0 0 5 3 268 216
150–154 21 18 42 20 77 38 76 15 50 12 26 5 17 0 5 0 0 0 4 2 318 110
145–149 12 4 24 4 27 5 43 5 29 2 20 0 7 0 3 0 0 0 7 3 172 23
140–144 2 0 13 1 11 2 12 0 15 2 8 0 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 66 5
135–139 0 0 2 0 2 0 3 0 3 0 2 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 17 0
130–134 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 6 0
125–129 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
120–124 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 83 67 163 105 222 146 218 97 146 52 84 14 46 2 21 1 1 0 21 10 1005 494

Apps = Number of Applicants
Adm = Number Admitted
Reflects 100% of the total applicant pool; highest LSAT data reported.