Center for Indigent Defense Studies is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to developing and sustaining a high-quality indigent defense bar in the State of Maine. Its primary mission is to address a critical gap in the state’s legal infrastructure which, if left unfilled, threatens Maine’s ability to ensure the effective assistance of counsel as guaranteed under law.
Because of its holistic model and its position as the largest office of its kind in the state, MIDC is an ideal institutional partner for C4IDS. MIDC has agreed to provide C4IDS students with access to and mentorship from its experienced attorneys, thereby supporting the next generation of indigent defense advocates.
Center for Indigent Defense Studies’ purposes include the following:
a) To foster a place of support, supervision, high-quality education, and guidance for both law students and undergraduates, as well as practitioners and students interested in conducting research regarding indigent defense and related public interest issues and to present those findings to other practitioners, organizations, and the public;
b) To provide support, resources, and education for indigent defenders to aid and assist them in any ways involved in their practice, including but not limited to continuing legal education, training and other such services;
c) To protect the individual rights of all persons in the State, as guaranteed by the Maine and United States Constitutions, including most particularly, the right to effective assistance of counsel;
d) To provide a platform for storytelling of those affected by the criminal justice system in a way that maintains the integrity and independence of those willing to share their stories for positive change;
e) To foster periodic meetings of indigent defenders to provide a forum for the material exchange of information regarding the administration of criminal justice and concerning the protection of individual rights and the improvement of the criminal law, its practices and procedures;
f) To sponsor seminars and other educational events where indigent defenders, community leaders, government and organizational representatives, and other concerned members of the public and government may meet to exchange ideas, suggest solutions, and implement strategies to best protect the rights of indigent defendants.
C4IDS
Student Work
Please contact Emily Hagler at ehg@mainecriminaldefense.com
for any student or collaboration inquiries.
student internship opportunities
C4IDS STUDENT INTERNSHIPS
Beginning in June 2025, we received authorization from the Maine Supreme Judicial Court to host Student Attorneys through the Pilot Program to Conditionally Authorize Law Student Externs to Provide Public Defense Services. Under this program, Student Attorneys are assigned cases to work on in collaboration with Supervising Attorneys and receive feedback from supervisors, Public Defense Services, other counsel, and judges.
In addition to casework, students undertake research projects on a range of topics, including legal arguments, organizational initiatives, and potential legislative proposals. Students also participate in developing partnerships with social service providers, attend trainings, and collaborate with professionals both within and outside our office. Through this work, students gain practical experience in the criminal defense system, learn the principles of the holistic defense model, and develop an understanding of the critical role played by the indigent defense system.
During the summer, we host the Summer Indigent Defense Institute, an intensive training program for students interested in pursuing careers in indigent defense. The program draws on elements of training models developed by the University of Michigan Public Defender Training Institute, Gideon’s Promise Public Defender Training, and the onboarding process of the New Hampshire Public Defender. At present, it is the only training opportunity of its kind in the state.
Our internships include two student tracks: one for law students and one for undergraduate students. Mentoring attorneys have been paired with students from Northeastern Law, Suffolk Law, Vermont Law, Colby College, Bates College, Husson University, and institutions across the University of Maine System. The program continues to expand each year, and our long-term goal is to see a fully and adequately funded public defense system—one capable of supporting organizations such as C4IDS and ensuring that high-quality training opportunities remain accessible to all who are interested in pursuing this work.
Student Work
About C4IDS
Please contact Emily Hagler at ehg@mainecriminaldefense.com
for any student or collaboration inquiries.