Sometimes the nature of your consumer problem will require the assistance of an attorney. Here are some suggestions for finding legal assistance and what to do if you need to file a complaint against an attorney.
Finding an Attorney
Ask Your Friends
Ask your friends or someone you know and trust for the names of lawyers they’ve used who do good work.
Lawyer Referral Service
The Maine State Bar Association sponsors the Lawyer Referral Service. For a $35 referral fee, you’ll receive a 30-minute consultation with a lawyer in your area to explore whether you have a case worth pursuing.
Pine Tree Legal Assistance
Pine Tree Legal Assistance has attorneys in six offices throughout Maine who provide free legal service in certain subject areas to low-income individuals. To find out if you’re eligible for legal help from Pine Tree and whether it handles your type of problem, contact the office nearest you. Pine Tree has offices in Augusta (207-622-4731); Bangor (207-942-8241); Lewiston (207-784-1558); Machias (207-255-8656); Portland (207-774-8211); and Presque Isle (207-764-4349). It also provides legal services to members of the Wabanaki Nations and any other indigenous community residing in Maine through the Pine Tree Indigenous Peoples Unit, which can be contacted at 1-877-213-5630.
Legal Services for Maine Elders
Legal Services for Maine Elders handles miscellaneous cases at no charge for people who are over 60 years old. It has offices in Augusta, Bangor, Lewiston, Presque Isle, and Scarborough. You can reach Legal Services for Maine Elders by calling its Statewide Legal Helpline at 1-800-750-5353.
Volunteer Lawyers Project
The Maine Volunteer Lawyers Project(“VLP”) is a legal aid organization whose volunteer lawyers provide free legal assistance and representation on civil matters to low-income Mainers. In southern Maine, you can call VLP at 1-800-422-4293 on Mondays from 1 to 3:30 P.M. and Fridays from 9 to 11:30 A.M.; and in northern Maine at 1-888-956-4276 on Tuesdays from 5 to 7 P.M. and Thursdays from 10 A.M. to noon.
Clinics at Maine Law
Clinics at Maine Lawis a program through the University of Maine School of Law which provides free representation by student attorneys (who are supervised by licensed attorney faculty members) to low-income people who have civil, criminal, juvenile or family law matters in Southern Maine courts. Clients are asked to pay a $10 administrative fee, and in some cases, court and other costs. The Clinic’s resources are limited. If you’re seeking legal help, you can call the Clinic at 207-780-4370 or 1-877-780-2522 between 8 A.M. and 4:30 P.M., Monday through Friday, to see if the Clinic is taking new clients.
Filing a Complaint About an Attorney
If a lawyer fails to do the work contracted for or deceptively charges for services not provided, then their client may have a legal claim against them. Generally, these claims must be asserted in court within 6 years from the date of the act or omission giving rise to the injury. However, actions alleging professional negligence in the rendering of a real estate title opinion must be brought within 6 years of the discovery of the negligent act or omission, but not later than 20 years from the date of the act or omission. Additionally, an action alleging professional negligence in the drafting of a last will and testament must be brought within 6 years of the discovery of the discovery of the negligent act or omission.
Fee disputes between lawyers and clients may be resolved through the Fee Arbitration Commission of the Board of Overseers of the Bar.
Complaints of ethical misconduct by lawyers should be directed to the Board of Overseers of the Bar. Complaint forms and more information are available on the Board’s How to File a Complaint page. Examples of ethical misconduct include:
- Serious neglect of a client’s case or of a client. Examples would be a lawyer’s failure to file papers or documents with the Court within time periods prescribed by law, or persistent failure to communicate with clients on a timely basis.
- Failure to return a client’s property on request.
- Failure to account to clients concerning the status of funds being held by the lawyer.
- Commingling or failure to keep a client’s funds separate from a lawyer’s own funds.
- Engaging in work for a client notwithstanding the existence of a conflict of interest.
Filing a Complaint about a Staff Member of the Office of the Attorney General
For members of the public who would like to file a complaint against a staff member of the Office of the Attorney General, please see our external complaint policy.