How to get to Maine Forum

[Anonymous User]

HYS graduate. Current 2nd yr M&A in Boston. I’ve always wanted to end up in Maine for my career. I know most people think it’s crazy but I really love the far Northeast. I used to go to Kennebunkport every summer for vacation. I personally have no ties to the area though (originally from the South). Is it possible to make the move even in such a ties sensitive area.

[Sackboy]

No real advice here, but I just wanted to pipe in and say that this is not really crazy at all. Not everyone wants to live in one of the typical biglaw major cities (or states). You do you and live an enjoyable life.

[nealric]

Just take I-95 and it will take you right there...


But seriously, if you have no ties, I would start trying to make them. See if you can do some informational interviews. A friend of a friend can be enough of a connection. Folks on the ground in Maine will be able to provide a lot more information than anything here. I'd start now, because I doubt there's anything in Maine like your current practice. It will likely get more difficult as you get more senior.

[Spartan_Alum_12]

I'd say finding a remote job may be your best bet, although I'm not sure how difficult that is being more junior and in your practice area.

[nixy]

I agree with doing informational interviews. Hit up any alums who work in Maine in a job you could conceivably see doing and ask how they got there. You’ll probably find a bunch of die-hard Mainers who will love to talk up the state and people also love to talk about their careers (though I probably don’t need to tell you to avoid acting like vacationing in Kennebunkport gives you great insight into Maine - tourism is super important to the state and it’s fair to want to live there because it’s so darn beautiful, but there’s also a lot of poverty and related issues and a shrinking population etc.).

[dyemond]

You need to have an actually good reason to be in Maine. Make sure to actually research the practice groups, most firms up in the area just do “Business” law which means they are jack of all trades with a big specialization in one thing—it will frequently be a random practice area, like hospitality regulatory work with occasional m&a.

Remote opportunities and WFH in ME/NH/VT are not common, they want you in office, these markets are far less impacted by 2020/2021’s developments and they would prefer (and have no issue recruiting) a top 1% UME grad who is happy to come into office than a CCN grad who will ask for hybrid working arrangements.

If you are serious and considerate, and demonstrate that you’re not looking to live there because it’s trendy but because you’d like to establish a career and contribute to the community, it will be well received.

[Anonymous User]

I seriously considered moving to Maine so looked into this a lot. Maine is extremely sensitive to ties. My spouse is from Maine and from what I was told, that would help, but people would still want more of a narrative. Clerking is probably the most straightforward way into the market, and you should consider state clerkships as well as federal if the goal is stay for your career. I don't know how interested you would be in clerking given your experience, but if you can handle lit for a year, it could be worth it.

[Anonymous User]

I seriously considered moving to Maine so looked into this a lot. Maine is extremely sensitive to ties. My spouse is from Maine and from what I was told, that would help, but people would still want more of a narrative. Clerking is probably the most straightforward way into the market, and you should consider state clerkships as well as federal if the goal is stay for your career. I don't know how interested you would be in clerking given your experience, but if you can handle lit for a year, it could be worth it.

How is a CA1 clerkship seen if not based in Maine?

[OPM]

One of the best ways to get to a much smaller market is to take a state government job for a couple of years. They are often willing to hire super talented folks with less emphasis on ties than many private firms. Admittedly, this is more common for lit folks than transactional, but a stint as a state prosecutor or in the state SGs office, etc. will quickly establish ties and lots of valuable connections to players in the state. Working in-house at the local "very large corp HQd here" sometimes works along the same lines. My sense beyond that is that Maine probably doesn't have many big-city / HYS practice areas so a firm might be tough, and they might be very very sensitive to ties. Frankly, your best bet might be one of those Goodwin or Quinn or whatever fully remote offers and just live in Maine? Or negotiate mostly WFH with your current Boston firm?

[Anonymous User]

The Maine state AG office used to recruit out of H— I think maybe because the former long serving AG is now a professor there. Would be a way to break into the state, and they probably have some roles for people with corporate background. I’m sure it would come with a big paycut (but probably so would any job in maine).

[Anonymous User]

Mainer from away here. (I also grew up down South. But I love it up here.)

Get involved with Live and Work in Maine if you haven't already: https://www.liveandworkinmaine.com/. It's a great resource for prospective new Mainers, and it maintains a job board that has a few in-house positions open.

In the meantime, consider a move to Pierce Atwood or Verrill in Boston with an eye toward pushing for an eventual move to their Portland offices.

[Anonymous User]

I think Brann & Isaacson has quite a few H alumna, I’d start there. I dropped my resume around a few of the firms in Maine and had good response rate, and I have similar ties.