maine

bar admission administrative agency:

bar admission administrator
maine board of bar examiners
p.o. box 140
augusta, me 04332-0140
tel: 207/623-2464
fax: 207/622-0059
website: http://www.mainebarexaminers.org
website: http://www.mainebar.org
website: http://www.mebaroverseers.org

bar admission options:

without bar examination
reciprocal admission for attorneys admitted in new hampshire or vermont . maine bar admission rule 11a permits attorneys who are licensed to practice law in either new hampshire or vermont and have been primarily engaged in the active practice of law in that jurisdiction (either new hampshire or vermont) for at least three years prior to the date of application to become admitted to the maine bar without examination, provided that the applicant:
graduated from an american bar association-approved law school;
is a member in good standing in all jurisdictions where admitted;
has not failed the maine bar examination within five years of the date of application and must not have resigned, been disbarred or suspended from the maine bar;
has satisfactorily completed the multistate professional responsibility examination;
produces satisfactory evidence of good moral character; and
produces evidence of having completed at least 15 hours of continuing legal education in maine practice and procedure in courses approved by the maine board of overseers of the bar (within one year of the date of application.

with bar examination
examination required for all other applicants, who will take either the modified bar examination or the maine bar examination.
1. modified bar examination: an attorney applicant who has been admitted by examination to practice in any u.s. jurisdiction may elect to take the modified bar examination if the applicant has:
a) taken the mbe within the 61 months prior to the date of the current examination and scored a passing grade which has been established by the board; or
b) been in active practice of law in a jurisdiction in which the applicant is licensed for at least three of the preceding five years. for this purpose, "active practice of law" includes:
(1) the teaching of law full-time at a law school accredited by the aba; or
(2) service as a judge on a full-time basis.
2. maine bar examination: all other applicants.

examination components-modified bar examination:
1. academic: state essays, and may include the mee and/or the mpt. attorney applicants with an mbe score of 155 or higher need only take a two-question essay exam.
2. ethics: mpre scaled score of 75 is transferable from any jurisdiction.

examination components-maine bar examination:
1. academic: mbe, state essays, and may include the mee and/or the mpt.
2. ethics: mpre scaled score of 75 is transferable from any jurisdiction.

examination dates:
february (deadline: december 20 of the preceding year)
july (deadline: may 20)

application/admission fees:
$400.00 (attorneys admitted to another jurisdiction for more than one year); $350.00 (all other applicants).


other state bar requirements:

1. graduation from an accredited college or university.

2. graduation from a law school provisionally or fully accredited by the aba at the time of graduation; or (with approval of the board of bar examiners) the successful completion of two-thirds of the requirements for graduation from such a law school and, within the following 12 months, full-time study of law in the law office of an attorney in the active practice of law in maine for at least one year; or graduation from a foreign law school with a legal education that, in the board's opinion, is equivalent to that provided in those law schools accredited by the aba.

3. character check by the board of bar examiners.

4. required annual fees:
$87.00 (resident: 0-3 years after the date of first admission in any jurisdiction);
$192.00 (resident: three or more years after the date of first admission in any jurisdiction);
$87.00 (non-resident: 0-3 years after the date of first admission in any jurisdiction);
$122.00 (non-resident: three or more years after the date of first admission in any jurisdiction).


regulation of in-house counsel:

maine bar admission rules do not address in-house counsel. however, maine bar rules, rule 3. code of professional responsibility, contains a provision that would appear to consider in-house counsel practice without being admitted to the maine bar to be the unauthorized practice of law (rule 3.2(a)(1)).


bar association status:

[ ] mandatory

[x] voluntary
annual dues: $30.00 (first year after admission); $85.00 (next three years); $205.00 (thereafter).


specialty certification:

the maine board of overseers of the bar may approve certifying organizations, and attorneys may advertise their certification or other recognition of expertise conferred by organizations approved by the board. aba-approved programs may be approved by the board without additional investigation of the certifying agency.

areas of specialization include:

business bankruptcy
civil trial advocacy
consumer bankruptcy
criminal trial advocacy
creditors' rights
elder law
estate planning
family law trial advocacy
professional liability (accounting; legal; medical)