Cumberland Legal Aid Clinic

The Cumberland Legal Aid Clinic, a program of the University of Maine School of Law, is a small legal services provider in which clients are represented by third-year law students specially licensed by the state and federal courts to provide legal services to low-income clients. The student attorneys practice under the supervision of fully-licensed attorney faculty members.

The Clinic represents low-income individuals with legal cases in Southern Maine courts (Cumberland, and in parts of York, Sagadahoc, and Androscoggin Counties) for most kinds of civil, criminal, juvenile, and family law matters. The Clinic assists in civil cases including divorce, parental rights and responsibilities, general civil litigation, civil-rights litigation, and non-fee-generating tort litigation. The Clinic represents clients at both the trial and appellate levels. The Clinic asks clients to pay a $10 administrative fee. In some cases, clients may be asked to pay court and other significant costs. The Clinic does not otherwise charge for its services. The Clinic also represents clients in protection from abuse and harassment litigation in all service areas. Individuals qualify for our services when: their household gross income falls within the Clinic’s financial guidelines; the court is within the Clinic’s geographic service area; and the Clinic has openings for new clients. The Clinic does not provide legal advice or information over the phone and does not maintain a waiting list of potential clients. The Clinic cannot provide services on a walk-in basis.