Expanding Perspectives. Creating Opportunities. Removing Barriers.
Join Maine’s legal community and other first-year law students in our flagship student initiative, the
Maine Diversity Summer Associate Program
About the Program
For the past eight years, a growing coalition of Maine organizations have embraced the responsibility to deliberately seek out and connect with talented law students who may not have had the opportunity to make connections to our close-knit legal community. These organizations have worked together to provide first-year law students with opportunities to perform substantive legal work, engage with other students, and learn from practicing lawyers.
We recognize that the strength that comes from a diversity of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives is a critical component to providing exceptional client service. We also recognize the value of creating an inclusive work environment where all attorneys and staff feel they belong and can perform their best work.
Our goal is to intentionally open the aperture, ensuring students with varied experiences, challenges, or influences have access to meaningful private law firm or corporate legal department opportunities. We believe this will contribute to the richness and excellence of our individual organizations and the Maine legal community as a whole.
This is the goal of the Maine Diversity Summer Associate Program.
Who Should Apply?
First-year law students attending law school anywhere in the United States are invited to apply.
Candidates must have a strong academic record, excellent writing ability, and strong analytical and interpersonal skills. All of the participating organizations are equal employment opportunity employers, and we welcome applications regardless of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity / gender expression, disability status, or any other identity.
How to Apply
Applications will open on November 17, 2025 and will be accepted until January 14, 2026.
Interested students should use the red APPLY button below to submit a cover letter, resume, current law school transcript, and brief personal statement based on the prompt below.
Prompt: (500-700 words):
Please share a personal experience, intellectual pursuit, or formative influence that has shaped your perspective, how that perspective influences how you approach collaboration, problem-solving and/or advocacy, and how you plan to bring that perspective to this program and your future legal career. We are interested in learning about how your unique experiences, ideas, or influences have shaped the way you think, solve problems, or approach challenges.
Interviews will be conducted on Tuesday, January 27th and offers will be extended shortly thereafter.
What Accepted Students Can Expect
Accepted 1L students will each receive a job offer from one of the eleven participating organizations and will be hired into the program, a ten-week paid internship, running from May 24- July 31, 2026. Students accepted to the program will have the opportunity to experience legal practice and life in Maine, participate in professional development programs, and build their social and business networks within the firm and the larger legal community.
Housing
Along with short term apartment rentals in Portland, University of Southern Maine has affordable rental Suite and Apartment style housing available for D1L students during the summer at the Gorham or Portland campuses. More details will be provided during the interview process in January 2026.
Participating Organizations
The program is expected to expand in the future to include additional law firms, corporate legal departments, nonprofits, and other legal service providers.
Please direct any questions regarding how your organization can participate in next year’s program to MaineDiversity1Lprogram@gmail.com.