Maine Board of Overseers of the Bar

The Maine Supreme Judicial Court has adopted the Maine Rules of Professional Conduct, effective August 1, 2009. On the same date Maine Bar Rule 2-A (Aspirational Goals for Lawyer Professionalism), Maine Bar Rule 3 (Code of Professional Responsibility) and Maine Bar Rule 8 (Contingent Fees) have been abrogated, as they are replaced by the Maine Rules of Professional Conduct.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Board of Overseers of the Bar is to encourage and promote competent and ethical practice by members of the Maine Bar, and to make these standards known to members of the public, so that they have confidence in the legal profession in Maine.

The Board accomplishes its mission by:

registering and regulating attorneys licensed to practice in Maine;
approving and providing continuing legal education programs;
requiring that all attorneys licensed to practice in Maine have met the Maine Supreme Judicial Court’s continuing legal education standards;
providing guidance to attorneys on ethical issues through written advisory opinions issued by the Professional Ethics Commission, as well as an ethics hotline;
informing members of the public of their rights concerning proper attorney behavior and the availability of fee arbitration;
enforcing Maine’s code of ethics for attorneys; and
endeavoring to achieve the best possible legal representation of clients through all of these measures.