There are several agencies and services in Maine that offer some form of legal assistance to certain people with legal problems under certain conditions. Connecting people in need with the appropriate service is a matter of matching legal issues with agency missions, areas of service, income guidelines, funding constraints and geographical reach.
The Lawyer Information Service is often a good place to start, but there may be more appropriate options. Below is a list of legal service providers that can provide free or low-cost legal services:
Cumberland Legal Aid Clinic
Providing legal assistance to low-income individuals with court matters in Cumberland, York, Sagadahoc, and Androscoggin counties, as well as to individuals incarcerated in the Maine state prison system. A program of the University of Maine School of Law in Portland.
1-877-780-2522 Cumberland Legal Aid ClinicConsumers for Affordable Healthcare (COAHC)
Provides guidance in identifying coverage options and applying for health care assistance programs. Additionally, CAHC’s Health Law program provides legal assistance in filing appeals for claim denials and resolving other disputes with private health insurance companies. Health Care HelpLine:
1-800-965-7476 www.mainecahc.orgDisability Rights Center of Maine (DRCME)
Free legal services for people with physical, sensory, mental, learning and/or cognitive disabilities for issues relating to their disability, such as access to vote, housing, employment, government services, and education; and denial of assistive technologies.
1-800-452-1948 www.drcme.orgImmigrant Legal Advocacy Project (ILAP)
Free and reduced-fee help with immigration, deportation, citizenship, and domestic violence issues.
1-800-497-8505 www.ilapmaine.orgLegal Services for the Elderly (LSE)
Free help for people over 60, socially or economically disadvantaged. Civil matters: 1-800- 750-5353. Help with Medicare Part D denials, access to MaineCare, and Low Cost Drugs for the Elderly.
1-877-774-7772 www.mainelse.orgPine Tree Legal Assistance, Inc. (PTLA)
Free legal services. Pine Tree Legal Assistance has several offices across the state, and conducts courthouse assistance programs at some courts. For more information, contact the Administrative Office staff:
774-4753 www.ptla.orgSenior Living
Seniorliving.org provides information to guide seniors in protecting themselves against common fraud tactics and popular scams.
seniorliving.org Common elder scamsVolunteer Lawyers Project (VLP)
This is the main mechanism by which private attorneys take pro bono cases statewide. Civil only. Some information available via hotline at:
1-800-442-4293 contact@vlp.org www.vlp.org
Get a referral and up to 30 minutes’ consult with a qualified, local lawyer for $35
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Phone lines are open Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Hours may vary. Online referral requests may be made 24/7.
