Board of Overseers of the Bar

STATE OF MAINE JUDICIAL BRANCH PANDEMIC MANAGEMENT ORDER

By Order of February 23, 2021

The Supreme Judicial Court has issued PMO-SJC-11

In its Order, the Court extended the automatic grace period established by Maine Bar Rule 5(l)(1) for attorneys to comply with their MCLE requirements. The grace period now runs until 4:30 p.m. on April 30, 2021. Please see below for the link to the Court’s Order.

Attorneys lacking 2020 credit hours will be able to earn and report until April 30, 2021. Please note, the Board’s website reporting portal will close for administrative purposes at 4:30 p.m. on February 26, 2021. The portal will reopen at 8:00 a.m. on March 5, 2021.

Once the portal reopens, attorneys should click on MyBoardAccess to log in and complete the reporting process. After logging in, any necessary documents can be uploaded on the 2020 portal.

Important reminder: per CLE policy, approved providers report attorney attendance for live programming directly to the Board. Providers do so via a roster within 30 days of the program. To ensure accuracy and efficiency, the Board uses only that roster for entering CLE credits. Please do not submit the provider certificates you received to the Board, as those certificates are for your records.

Thank you for your cooperation and feel free to contact the Board office with any questions.

In light of the evolving concerns surrounding the COVID-19 virus and in an effort to slow the rate of infection, the Board of Overseers of the Bar has implemented precautionary measures. These new protocols include restricting building access only to staff and partnering with CLE providers to present live streaming and educational programs. Please feel free to contact our office at 207-623-1121 with any questions or concerns and check our website for changes to scheduled hearings or programs. We want to make thoughtful decisions about any programmatic revisions. We will continue to monitor the advice of local and state officials, as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and adjust plans as appropriate.

Please keep up to date on all the latest Pandemic Management Orders issued by the Maine Supreme Judicial Court. Among the important details, is the Court's suspension of the in-person requirement for Maine Bar Rule 5 CLE programs.

Please refer to our partners at the Maine State Bar Association and their website for all the latest information regarding Court matters and pertinent Orders.

We thank you for your patience and support. Let’s all do what we can to help keep our community healthy.

The Board and its Mission

The Maine Board of Overseers of the Bar was created by the Maine Supreme Judicial Court in 1978 to govern the conduct of lawyers as officers of the Court. The Board is an independent agency under the jurisdiction of the Court.

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 on several fronts including attorney registration, continuing legal education requirements, ethical guidance, and attorney regulation. [Read more]

Ethics Helpline for Registered Maine Attorneys

The Board of Overseers of the Bar provides assistance to Maine attorneys through its "Ethics Helpline" on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays - 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. To speak with one of the Board's staff attorneys, call the Board's office at 207-623-1122. [Read more]

In Memoriam

The In Memoriam page is dedicated to honoring those members of the Maine Bar who have passed away in recent years. When available, links to full obituaries and news articles are also accessible. Click here to view the In Memoriam page.

Court News

Announcements and News Releases for the Maine Supreme Judicial Court

Upcoming CLE Presentations by Bar Counsel

Date Session Title Organization Location Speaker

Hearings & Notices

Date Time Respondent Location
2/24/2021 10:00 AM Charles T. Ferris, Esq. Video Conference: This hearing will be live-streamed via YouTube and is open to the public to view. Direct access link will be posted prior to the hearing.

View complete hearing schedule

Recent Decisions & Orders

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Date Respondent Issued By Order Disposition/Conduct
2/8/2021 Clifford M. Ginn Single Justice Consent Order Immediate Interim Suspension
1/7/2021 Richard L. Rhoda, Esq. Grievance Commission Reprimand Communication, Confidentiality, Prejudicial Conduct
12/18/2020 Charles T. Ferris, Esq. Grievance Commission Order Rejection of Stipulated Report
11/19/2020 Thomas S. Carey, Esq. Grievance Commission Reprimand Confidentiality of Information; Safekeeping Property, Client Trust Accounts, Interest on Trust Accounts; Misconduct
11/19/2020 Daniel T. Rush, Esq. Single Justice Receiver Appointment Receiver Appointment

View all decisions