Hiring a Business Lawyer in Maine
How to form an LLC in Maine, the state fees and yearly filings, how to check a lawyer's license, and the state bar's fee rules. We do not recommend or rank lawyers.
What a lawyer costs in Maine: fee rules
| Rules on contingency fees | A contingent fee agreement must be in a writing signed by the client stating how the fee is figured, including percentages on settlement, trial or appeal, the litigation and other expenses deducted from the recovery, whether expenses come out before or after the fee is calculated, and any expenses the client owes whether or not they win; at the end, the lawyer gives a written statement of the outcome and the client's share. Maine bans contingent fees in any initial action for divorce, annulment, judicial separation, paternity or parentage, parental rights and responsibilities, emancipation, grandparent visitation, guardianship or child support (and post-judgment proceedings to change those orders), contingent fees for criminal defendants, and probate estate administration fees based on a percentage of the estate. For actions for professional negligence covered by 24 M.R.S. Sec. 2961, the total contingent fee (excluding litigation expenses) may not exceed 33 1/3% of the first $100,000 recovered, 25% of the next $100,000, and 20% of any amount over $200,000, unless a court approves a higher fee on petition. Statute: https://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/24/title24sec2961.html |
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| If you disagree with a lawyer's bill | The Board of Overseers of the Bar runs a free fee arbitration program for clients (or, with the client's written consent, others) disputing fees charged by a lawyer admitted in Maine, after a good-faith effort to resolve it with the lawyer. If the lawyer fails without good cause to reply within 30 days, the panel may still decide the matter. The award is binding on both sides, and by filing the petitioner gives up the right to sue over the disputed fees; awards are enforceable under the Uniform Arbitration Act. Decisions generally issue within 20 days after the hearing, and any ordered refund is due within 30 days. |
| If a lawyer takes your money | Maine's Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection may reimburse clients for losses caused by an attorney's dishonest conduct, such as misusing client funds or taking money for the attorney's own benefit; legal malpractice is not covered. Contact: P.O. Box 527, Augusta, ME 04332-0527; 207-623-7801. |
Maine rules to know first
| How to form an LLC | File a Certificate of Formation (Form MLLC-6) with the Maine Secretary of State, Division of Corporations, UCC and Commissions, under 31 MRSA §1531. The certificate lists the LLC's name, filing date, registered agent (commercial or noncommercial, with a physical Maine location for a noncommercial agent), and must be signed by at least one authorized person. The office's forms are completed, printed and mailed with the filing fee (payable to the Maine Secretary of State by check, money order or credit card voucher). The office says corporate filing processing time is currently 2 to 7 business days. |
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| LLC filing fee | The filing fee for a Maine LLC Certificate of Formation (Form MLLC-6) is $175.00. Optional expedited service costs extra: $50 for 24-hour (next business day) filing or $100 for immediate (same business day) filing, per entity. |
| Registered agent | The Certificate of Formation must name a registered agent: either a commercial registered agent (listed with the Secretary of State and identified by its CRA public number) or a noncommercial registered agent with a physical street address (not a P.O. box). Appointing the agent is an affirmation that the agent has consented to serve. To appoint a new agent or change agent information, file a Statement of Appointment or Change of Clerk or Registered Agent (Form CLK/RA 3); the for-profit entity filing fee is $35.00. |
| Annual report | Each Maine LLC (and each foreign LLC authorized in Maine) must file an annual report with the Secretary of State. The first report is due between January 1 and June 1 of the year after the LLC was formed, and later reports between January 1 and June 1 each year; the office says the legal filing deadline is June 1. The fee is $85.00 for a domestic LLC ($150.00 for a foreign LLC). Reports can be filed online through Annual Reports Online or on a preprinted paper form. The statute says penalties for late delivery are established by the Secretary of State by rule; the penalty amount was not found on the pages read. |
| Operating agreement | Maine law defines a limited liability company agreement as any agreement of the member or members, whether called a limited liability company agreement, operating agreement or otherwise, and whether written, oral or implied, about the affairs of the LLC and the conduct of its activities. A single-member LLC's agreement is not unenforceable merely because only one person is a party to it. Except as the statute provides otherwise, the agreement governs relations among the members and between the members and the LLC. The Certificate of Formation form does not call for the agreement to be filed. |
| Closing an LLC | A dissolved Maine LLC files a Certificate of Cancellation (Form MLLC-11C) under 31 MRSA §1533; the fee is $75.00, and the LLC is removed from the Secretary of State's active records on the effective date. A foreign LLC files a Statement of Cancellation of Foreign Qualification (Form MLLC-12B, $90.00). An LLC that has stopped doing business can instead file a Certificate of Excuse (Form MLLC-14, $40.00) to be excused from annual reports while it transacts no business. |
Find and check a lawyer
| Lawyer referral service | The Maine State Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service provides "up to 30 minutes' consult with a qualified, local lawyer for $35"; after that consultation, you and the lawyer agree on a fee or rate for further work. |
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| Check that the lawyer is licensed | The Maine Board of Overseers of the Bar's online Attorney Directory lists attorneys admitted to practice in Maine as of the previous day. Search by name, city, state, ZIP, county or six-digit bar number. The Board notes that being listed does not necessarily mean an attorney is in good standing or currently permitted to practice; to check public discipline records, call the Board at (207) 623-1121. |
| Check discipline history or file a complaint | Grievance complaints about Maine lawyers go to the Board of Overseers of the Bar. They must be in writing and signed, using the online form, PDF form or a letter with a detailed summary and relevant documents. Mail: Board of Overseers of the Bar, 97 Winthrop Street, P.O. Box 527, Augusta, ME 04332-0527; phone (207) 623-1121; board@mebaroverseers.org. There is no cost. Central Intake reviews it, Bar Counsel investigates and the lawyer must respond in writing; a Review Panel then dismisses, dismisses with a warning or refers it for a public hearing (the first phase usually takes 90 to 120 days). You may request review of a dismissal within 14 days. Final public discipline is published on the Board's website. |
All legal help in Maine · Background guide
Last verified against official sources: October 27, 2026.
How we source this page: each state-specific rule links to the statute, court rule or official government page it comes from. A rule taken from a public copy of a state code (used only where the official code is not freely readable online) is marked as a secondary source. Spot an error? Use the contact page to report it. About our sources
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.