A new University of Maine System Business & Law Clinic is offering free support to startups and early-stage businesses while giving law and graduate business students hands-on training.
The clinic, a partnership between the University of Maine School of Law and the University of Maine Graduate School of Business, was recently launched at the Maine Center. It is housed at 300 Fore St. in the Old Port neighborhood of Portland.
In its first semester, eight law and business students worked with more than a dozen businesses across Maine, gaining practical experience in legal and business development services.
The clinic, which aims to expand to 12 students, is touted as the first of its kind in the nation.
Eight students are already on a waitlist for this summer and six for the fall, according to a spokeswoman for the University of Maine System.
Erin Cusenbary, an attorney with experience in transactional law for emerging companies, and entrepreneur-in-residence Hugh Stevens co-direct the clinic.
“More than teaching students how to draft a contract or structure a deal, this clinic prepares them to be leaders, problem-solvers, collaborators and trusted advisors in a rapidly evolving economic and legal landscape,” said Leigh Saufley, president and dean of Maine Law School.
“Our students learn by doing, our partners in business gain valuable support and our state’s economy benefits from a new wave of innovative companies equipped to succeed,” she added.
Saufley was honored as a Mainebiz Business Leader of the Year in 2023.
The initiative is part of the Clinics at Maine Law, where students provide nearly 18,000 hours of combined pro bono legal services each year.
Prospective clients can submit applications through the Maine Law website.
