Your Trusted Legal Partner in Maine: Pine Tree Legal Assistance Inc.

Pine Tree Legal Assistance Inc. Introduce

For many residents of Maine, accessing the legal system can be a challenge, especially for those with low incomes. The cost of legal representation can be a significant barrier, leaving many to navigate complex legal issues on their own. This is where organizations like Pine Tree Legal Assistance Inc. come in. As a nonprofit dedicated to providing free civil legal services, Pine Tree Legal Assistance has a long history of helping Mainers with a wide range of legal problems. This article provides a detailed look at their services, their mission, and what they offer to the community.

Pine Tree Legal Assistance Inc. is a cornerstone of the legal aid community in Maine. For decades, they have worked to ensure that state and federal laws affecting people with low incomes are upheld and that systemic barriers to justice are addressed. They operate on the belief that fairness, justice, and equality should be accessible to all, regardless of income or wealth. Their mission is to provide free civil legal assistance in cases where it can make a difference in one’s ability to meet basic human needs or enforce fundamental human rights, such as access to housing, food, income, safety, and healthcare.

While they receive far more requests for help than they can accommodate, they are committed to providing some level of assistance to as many people as possible. This can range from offering legal advice over the phone to providing self-help materials and, in some cases, full legal representation. Their work is vital for many Mainers who would otherwise have no legal recourse. However, as noted in a client review, the demand for their services can sometimes outpace their resources, leading to difficult situations where they may not be able to provide the full representation they initially hoped to offer. This highlights the immense need for their services and the challenges they face in meeting that need.

The Portland office of Pine Tree Legal Assistance Inc. is centrally located at 88 Federal St, Portland, ME 04101, USA. This location is convenient for clients in the Greater Portland area and is accessible from various parts of the state. The office’s proximity to major roads and public transit options helps to ensure that people can reach them for their appointments.

A key aspect of their commitment to serving the community is their focus on accessibility. The building features a wheelchair-accessible entrance, a wheelchair-accessible parking lot, and a wheelchair-accessible restroom. These accommodations ensure that individuals with mobility challenges can comfortably access the legal help they need. The office also has a general restroom available for visitors. To manage the high volume of requests, they operate on an appointments-recommended or required basis. This ensures that when a client is seen, they receive the dedicated time and attention needed to discuss their legal issues effectively.

Pine Tree Legal Assistance Inc. handles a broad range of civil legal issues, with a focus on areas that most directly impact the lives of low-income Mainers. While they do not take criminal cases or traffic violations, they are a powerful resource for civil matters.

Services Offered:

Civil Legal Aid and Free Legal Services
Tenant Eviction and Rental Assistance Program
Child & Spousal Support
Child Custody, Divorce & Parental Rights
Domestic Violence, Sexual Abuse, and Sexual Assault
SSI Benefits, Medicaid Services
Brief Assistance, Legal Advice, Legal Assistance
Home Repairs
Job Training
Tax Problems
Pro Bono work and Legal Advocacy

This comprehensive list shows that Pine Tree Legal Assistance is a vital resource for addressing the most common and urgent legal challenges faced by vulnerable populations in Maine. Their work is a critical component of the state’s justice system, providing help where it is often needed most.

Pine Tree Legal Assistance Inc. has several features and highlights that define its mission and its impact on the community.

Features and Highlights:

Dedicated to Low-Income Mainers: The organization’s entire mission is centered on serving individuals and families with low incomes. This specialization allows them to develop expertise in the legal problems most relevant to this population.
Comprehensive Civil Legal Aid: They offer a wide range of services, from family law and housing to benefits and tax problems. This comprehensive approach means clients can often find help for multiple interconnected issues under one roof.
Accessibility: The office provides wheelchair-accessible entrances, parking, and restrooms, demonstrating a strong commitment to serving all members of the community without physical barriers.
Commitment to Justice: While they face resource limitations, their mission remains focused on upholding laws and addressing systemic barriers to justice. The fact that their clients win nine out of ten times in formal court or agency hearings where they have extended help is a powerful testament to their effectiveness.
Self-Help Resources: Beyond direct representation, they offer a vast library of online self-help tools and information, empowering Mainers to advocate for themselves when direct assistance is not possible.

For those who need to get in touch with Pine Tree Legal Assistance Inc., here is the contact information for their Portland office.

Contact Information:

Address: 88 Federal St, Portland, ME 04101, USA

Phone: (207) 774-8211

What is worth choosing about Pine Tree Legal Assistance Inc. is their unwavering commitment to justice for all. While the client review highlights the painful reality of resource limitations, it also underscores the immense trust and high expectations people have for the organization. The review mentions that "in the past they've been amazing," showing that for many years, they have provided life-changing legal help. The disappointment expressed by the client is a direct result of the high hopes the organization instills—hopes that come from a history of providing "amazing" service.

For a person in Maine seeking legal help, particularly when they have low income, Pine Tree Legal Assistance Inc. is a vital starting point. Their existence fills a critical gap in the justice system, offering a lifeline to those who cannot afford private counsel. While the challenges of high demand and limited resources are real, the organization’s mission, its broad range of services, and its dedication to accessibility make it an invaluable asset to the community. They are a beacon of hope for many, working tirelessly to ensure that even the most vulnerable in our state have a voice and a chance at a fair outcome in the legal system. Their work is about more than just legal cases; it's about making our society more equitable and just for everyone.

Pine Tree Legal Assistance Inc. Services

Attorney
Brief Assistance
Child & Spousal Support
Child Custody
Civil Legal Aid
Criminal Cases
Divorce & Parental
Domestic Violence
Family And Probate
Free Legal Services
Home Repairs
Job Training
Legal Advice
Legal Advocacy
Legal Assistance
Legal Help
Legal Problems
Medicaid Services
Pro Bono
Rental Assistance Program
Sexual Abuse
Sexual Assault
Short Term Rentals
Ssi Benefits
Tax Problems
Tenant Eviction

Pine Tree Legal Assistance Inc. Details

Accessibility
Wheelchair accessible entrance
Wheelchair accessible parking lot
Wheelchair accessible restroom

Amenities
Restroom

Planning
Appointment required
Appointments recommended

Pine Tree Legal Assistance Inc. Photos

No photos available at the moment.

Pine Tree Legal Assistance Inc. Location

Pine Tree Legal Assistance Inc.

Maine Cumberland County Portland East Bayside Federal Street

88 Federal St, Portland, ME 04101, USA

Pine Tree Legal Assistance Inc. Reviews

An average rating of ★3.5 from 118 user reviews.

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★ 5★ 4★ 3★ 2★ 1

In the past they've been amazing. I'm not sure what has changed. I feel more than disappointed in having had my hopes brought way up just to have my case for help closed before I was ever even represented. I was told the lawyer would represent me, then told in January they'd have time, now in January they just are going to vanish. I haven't even been to court yet and the case is for the best interest of my child. If they offer to represent you don't be surprised if they do little more than talk on the phone and send you off without actually representing you. I give two stars because in the past they were amazing but I don't see any reason to ever ask them for help again after this. Vulnerable low income people don't need false hope they need straight forward honesty. I could have been seeking help for over an month but was told I'd be represented.
December 27 · Mishale Starling
In the past they've been amazing. I'm not sure what has changed. I feel more than disappointed in having had my hopes brought way up just to have my case for help closed before I was ever even represented. I was told the lawyer would represent me, then told in January they'd have time, now in January they just are going to vanish. I haven't even been to court yet and the case is for the best interest of my child. If they offer to represent you don't be surprised if they do little more than talk on the phone and send you off without actually representing you. I give two stars because in the past they were amazing but I don't see any reason to ever ask them for help again after this. Vulnerable low income people don't need false hope they need straight forward honesty. I could have been seeking help for over an month but was told I'd be represented.
December 27 · Mishale Starling
Call hours are listed for 9-11 am for Thursday. I have been calling since 9, have called every ten minutes, right up until 11, phone doesn't even ring, just says line is busy, and hangs up on me. In a day and age where we have multiple lines and the capability to put someone on hold, it just seems like a very convenient way to get out of doing work. Everyone I know has told me to call them for help, so I intend to call everyone I know and let them know about this and ask them to tell everyone they know. My family has been natives of Maine since the very first colonies, and the other side of my family are native Americans whose tribes have always been in Maine, we are related to a huge amount of the population of the state, and I can say with full confidence that Maine is getting worse and worse and no longer cares for its populace and this all today really brought it home for me. Absolutely disgraceful and disappointing.
December 05 · sunshine wright
Call hours are listed for 9-11 am for Thursday. I have been calling since 9, have called every ten minutes, right up until 11, phone doesn't even ring, just says line is busy, and hangs up on me. In a day and age where we have multiple lines and the capability to put someone on hold, it just seems like a very convenient way to get out of doing work. Everyone I know has told me to call them for help, so I intend to call everyone I know and let them know about this and ask them to tell everyone they know. My family has been natives of Maine since the very first colonies, and the other side of my family are native Americans whose tribes have always been in Maine, we are related to a huge amount of the population of the state, and I can say with full confidence that Maine is getting worse and worse and no longer cares for its populace and this all today really brought it home for me. Absolutely disgraceful and disappointing.
December 05 · sunshine wright
If you’re looking for a firm that will put their interests ahead of yours, this is the firm for you. I’d recommend you beg, borrow, or steal to avoid any interaction with Pine Tree Legal. Your interests will not be represented but the lawyers interests in doing less work will be represented. Avoid at all costs
November 14 · Eamonn Maunsell
If you’re looking for a firm that will put their interests ahead of yours, this is the firm for you. I’d recommend you beg, borrow, or steal to avoid any interaction with Pine Tree Legal. Your interests will not be represented but the lawyers interests in doing less work will be represented. Avoid at all costs
November 14 · Eamonn Maunsell
I had been in contact with them as a tenant of a rental case, they replied helped me out and appointed me to a lawyer the lawyer reached out and offered to help with the case and even gave some instructions to follow up with him, after I obliged he gave me instructions to follow on what would be needed I was very confident I was in the right hands. Two weeks before my trial he went completely unresponsive on me through text via email won’t reply or answer questions or even say he wouldn’t represent us just totally ignored. I reached out to the original lady who helped us get that far Amy Mearn to let her know what happen she also has decided to be unresponsive leaving me with a few days to go in and fend for myself in this trial I was confident in with them by my side, now I’m left with questions on how to go about it and what to do they have totally failed me 100% and haven’t even supplied a reason as to why or why not they would reply or help me this is a serious matter to leave someone in a completely blank space.. thanks for nothing Pine Tree.
March 22 · Degan Libby
I had been in contact with them as a tenant of a rental case, they replied helped me out and appointed me to a lawyer the lawyer reached out and offered to help with the case and even gave some instructions to follow up with him, after I obliged he gave me instructions to follow on what would be needed I was very confident I was in the right hands. Two weeks before my trial he went completely unresponsive on me through text via email won’t reply or answer questions or even say he wouldn’t represent us just totally ignored. I reached out to the original lady who helped us get that far Amy Mearn to let her know what happen she also has decided to be unresponsive leaving me with a few days to go in and fend for myself in this trial I was confident in with them by my side, now I’m left with questions on how to go about it and what to do they have totally failed me 100% and haven’t even supplied a reason as to why or why not they would reply or help me this is a serious matter to leave someone in a completely blank space.. thanks for nothing Pine Tree.
March 22 · Degan Libby
Many people told me to call here for help and I was met with such rude angry energy for no reason. Whoever the person was working today must seriously hate her job. Disappointed that this is the place I always see people told they’ll get help if they’ll turn to. Definitely not my experience.
September 30 · Victoria Valois
Many people told me to call here for help and I was met with such rude angry energy for no reason. Whoever the person was working today must seriously hate her job. Disappointed that this is the place I always see people told they’ll get help if they’ll turn to. Definitely not my experience.
September 30 · Victoria Valois