Welcome from the Dean
Welcome to the web site of The University of Maine School of Law. I invite you to explore this site and to discover some of the attributes that make Maine Law such a special and distinctive place.
There is a remarkable sense of community at the University of Maine School of Law. Our size allows a close interaction with classmates, faculty and staff. The friends made during three years at this law school become personal and professional friends for a lifetime.
The faculty values excellence in teaching, and our students regularly write strong teaching evaluations. Faculty mentoring and frequent interaction with students outside the classroom contribute substantially to student educational and professional development. Our faculty is also engaged in research and public service, producing nationally and internationally recognized scholarship and influencing state and local policy. Our clinical programs give students an opportunity for hands-on practice experience while in law school, and our Center for Law and Innovation connects the Law School with emerging high-tech companies in Maine.
Our students are diverse in their educational backgrounds and professional experiences prior to coming to law school. We attract graduates of the world's finest colleges and universities. Our average entering age of 28 indicates that the class is a mixture of recent college graduates and seasoned professionals resulting in a dynamic community of students.
Maine Law prepares its graduates for a wide variety of careers in law, business, government and public service. Areas of special curricular strength include business and commercial law, marine law, trial advocacy and international law. Respect for public service is especially strong at Maine Law, both in our curricular program and in a wide range of extracurricular activities. Emblematic of this respect is our principal Distinguished Lecture series, the Frank M. Coffin Lecture on Law and Public Service, which in recent years had brought to the Law School inspiring public servants including former U.S. Solicitor General Drew Days, former Labor Secretary Robert Reich, and Supreme Court Justice Ruth Ginsburg.
Portland, Maine is a splendid community in which to study law—whether you choose to stay in Maine, or go elsewhere after graduation as many of our graduates do. Maine offers a legal, governmental and business community on a human scale. During your time in Law School, you will likely have an opportunity to meet the Chief Justice, the Governor, members of the Congressional delegation, along with leaders of the bar and various civic and business organizations. Each year, for example, the finalists in our School's Moot Court competition argue their cases before all of the justices of the State's highest court.
Finally, Maine Law is a school that gives you the chance to develop talents inside and outside the classroom. We offer a rich array of co-curricular activities—scholarly journals, trial and moot court competitions, student organizations, and public interest opportunities. Our small size provides more students with a greater number of opportunities to extend their learning beyond the classroom.
As you visit our web site, I trust that you will conclude, as we have, that the University of Maine School of Law is indeed a special and distinctive place.
Welcome to Maine Law.
Peter Pitegoff, Dean
