Maine Pro Bono & Community Legal Resources

With thousands of miles of pristine forests, the state of Maine's nickname - the Pine Tree State - is an apt one. Out of the approximately 1.3 million people who live in this sparsely populated state, about 12.3% live at or below the U.S. federal poverty level. As a result, there is a considerable need for pro bono and community legal services in the state. Fortunately, the small population is adequately served by a variety of topnotch legal resources. Information about those resources is outlined below.

Pro Bono Services in Maine

The Maine Volunteer Lawyers Project, or VLP, is run by the Maine Bar Foundation and has been developed to address the legal needs of the state's indigent and low-income population. Lawyers throughout the state volunteer their time and services to the VLP, which helps put those in need with the appropriate resources. Contact information for the Maine Volunteer Lawyers Project is as follows:

Maine Volunteer Lawyers Project
88 Federal Street
Portland, ME 04101
Phone: 207.774.4348

Maine State Bar Association
124 State Street
Augusta, ME 04330
Phone: 207.622.7523


Maine Community Legal Resources

In addition to the extensive volunteer network of pro bono lawyers that is facilitated by the Maine Volunteer Lawyers Project, there are plenty of exceptional community legal resources available around the state. A selection of the most useful ones are outlined below.

Legal Services For The Elderly -- Legal Access Project
9 Green St., # 4333
Augusta, ME 04331
Phone: 207.621.0087

Pine Tree Legal
88 Federal Street
Portland ME 04112
Phone: 207.774.8211

The Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project (ILAP)
309 Cumberland Ave., Ste 201
Portland, Maine 04112
Phone: 207.780.1593


Although Maine is a vast and lightly populated state, there is still a huge need for free legal assistance. As a result, plenty of resources are readily available. If you or someone you know is facing legal trouble and don't have the financial means to retain an attorney, be sure to look into the topnotch services that have been outlined above. Nobody in the state of Maine should have to face legal problems alone.