School of Law

University of Maine, School of Law History

University of Maine School of Law was established in 1962 and is a public institution. The campus is in an urban area in Portland. The primary mission of the law school is to educate students to serve the public and private sectors with distinction; to contribute to the advancement of the law through scholarly and professional research and writing; and to engage in public services aimed at improving the legal system. Students have access to federal, state, county, city, and local agencies, courts, correctional facilities, law firms, and legal aid organizations in the Portland area. Portland is the major urban and legal center in the state. Facilities of special interest to law students are the Cumberland County Superior Court, the Maine Supreme Judicial Court, and the Federal District Court. Housing for students is available in university dorms, but most students prefer to find housing in and around Portland. All law school facilities are accessible to the physically disabled.

University of Maine, School of Law Academics

Students may take relevant courses in other programs and apply credit toward the J.D.; the maximum number of credits varies and must be approved. The following joint degrees may be earned: J.D./M.A. (Juris Doctor/Master of Arts in public policy and management), J.D./M.B.A. (Juris Doctor/Master of Science in Business Administration), J.D./M.C.P. (Juris Doctor/Master in Community Planning and Development), and J.D./M.S. (Juris Doctor/Master of Science in health policy and management).

Maine Law offers an Integrated Clinical Education Program to third-year students and includes civil practice and criminal defense under the auspices of the Cumberland Legal Aid Clinic. This clinic includes the General Practice Clinic, Prisoner Assistance Clinic (civil matters), and Criminal Law and Family practicum’s. A transactional Intellectual Property Clinic is available. All clinics are open to third-year students and range from 3 to 6 credits. Students can also gain academic credit for work at many nonprofit and government agencies through an extensive externship program. Seminars in commercial law, consumer law, constitutional law, intellectual property law, and international law are open to second- and third-year students. The Frank M. Coffin Lecture on Law and Public Service is held annually, along with the Godfrey Distinguished Visiting Lecturer and the Deans Distinguished Lecture Series. The Student Bar Association and other student organizations also offer guest lectures. There is a 1-semester option at Dalhousie Law School in Halifax, Nova Scotia; the University of New Brunswick, Canada; University College, Galway, Ireland; University of Buckingham, England; Universit

University of Maine, School of Law Unique Programs

Library

The law library contains 330,999 hard-copy volumes and 132,739 microform volume equivalents, and subscribes to 5691 serial publications. Such on-line databases and networks as LEXIS, LOIS, OCLC First Search, RLIN, and WESTLAW are available to law students for research. Special library collections include EU and U.S. government publications depository and Canadian and British Commonwealth law reports and statutes. The ratio of library volumes to faculty is 18,389 to 1 and to students is 1283 to 1. The ratio of seats in the library to students is 1 to 1.

Special Consideration

The law school recruits minority and disadvantaged students through law school admissions forums, scholarship assistance, contacts with law school minority organizations, and mailings to minority candidates through Law Service’s C.R.S. Requirements are not different for out-of-state students. Transfer students must have one year of credit, have attended an ABA-approved law school, and have superior academic credentials.

University of Maine, School of Law Admissions

Some figures and information in the capsule and in this profile are from an earlier year. Check with the school for the most current information. In a recent first-year class, 694 applied, 280 were accepted, and 75 enrolled. Six transfers enrolled. The median LSAT percentile of a recent first-year class was 65; the median GPA was 3.31 on a scale of 4.0. The lowest LSAT percentile accepted was 15; the highest was 92.

Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree and take the LSAT. The most important admission factor is academic achievement. No specific undergraduate courses are required. Candidates are not interviewed.

The application deadline for fall entry is March 1. Applicants should submit an application form, LSAT results, transcripts, TOEFL (for foreign-educated applicants only), a nonrefundable application fee of $50, and 1 letter of recommendation. Notification of the admissions decision is beginning in December each year through April. The latest acceptable LSAT test date for fall entry is February. The law school uses the LSDAS.

University of Maine, School of Law Financial Aid

In a recent year, about 89% of current law students received some form of aid. The average annual amount of aid from all sources combined, including scholarships, loans, and work contracts, was $21,115; maximum, $31,235. Awards are based on need. Required financial statement is the FAFSA. Check with the school for current deadlines. Special funds for minority or disadvantaged students include 3 full-tuition scholarships available for each class. First-year students are notified about their financial aid application before or at the time a nonrefundable tuition deposit is due.

University of Maine, School of Law Students

About 53% of the student body are women; 6%, minorities; 2%, African American; 4%, Asian American; and 1%, Hispanic. The majority of students come from Maine (72%). The average age of entering students is 27; age range is 21 to 60. About 21% of students enter directly from undergraduate school, 14% have a graduate degree, and 82% have worked full-time prior to entering law school. About 3% drop out after the first year for academic or personal reasons; 97% remain to receive a law degree.

Students edit the Maine Law Review, and the Ocean and Coastal Law Journal. The second-year Moot Court Board is chosen by internal competition. Board members compete in a number of regional, national, and international competitions, such as the National Moot Court Competition, Jessup International, and the Trilateral Moot Court competition with Canadian law schools. Other competitions include the National Mock Trial Competition. Student organizations include the Student Bar Association, Black Law Students Association, the Maine Association for Public Interest Law, Environmental Law Society, Maine Law and Technology Association, and the Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Law Caucus. Local chapters of national associations include the National Lawyers Guild, International Law Society, and the Federalist Society.

The law school operates on a traditional semester basis. Courses for full-time students are offered days only and must be completed within 3 years. For part-time students, courses are offered days only and must be completed within 5 years. New full- and part-time students are admitted in the fall. There is a 7-week summer session. Transferable summer courses are offered.