MSBA Today 

A professional and public service organization of more than 3,100 member lawyers licensed to practice in Maine, the Maine State Bar Association works to promote its members' professionalism and advance their skills and knowledge, helping them meet the legal needs of all Maine people, and to advance Maine's system of justice. Headquartered in Augusta, the MSBA is a voluntary association that serves as an advocate for lawyers, the courts, and the public. In its programs and services for both lawyers and laypeople, the Association is guided by the three pillars of its mission: Liberty, Equality, and Justice.

Because it is a private, voluntary membership organization separate from any branch of government, the MSBA has no role in the admission of people to the practice of law and no role in the regulation or discipline of lawyers. Two arms of the Maine Judiciary, the Board of Bar Examiners and the Board of Overseers of the Bar, are responsible for reviewing admission applications and administering the Maine Bar Examinations, and for investigating and prosecuting grievance complaints alleging that any Maine lawyers have violated the state's Code of Professional Responsibility.

For the Public Good 

The concept of helping those in need has long been an essential part of being a lawyer in Maine. It is captured in the Latin phrase pro bono publico, "for the good of the public," and is built on a simple premise: equal access to justice for all. Pro bono service makes legal representation and recourse available to people who are unable to pay for legal services. The Maine State Bar Association and its philanthropic arm, the Maine Bar Foundation, create opportunities for Maine lawyers to volunteer pro bono work, and instill in its members a sense of responsibility to the legal profession and to the people living in Maine communities. Traditionally, Maine lawyers have ranked at the top of the nation in donating legal services to people unable to afford them.