How to Use Legal Services Most Efficiently

The Legal Services Department can be reached toll-free at 1-800-452-8786 locally at (207) 623-8428, by fax at (207) 623-1287, or by e-mail at legal@memun.org. Whether your inquiry is by letter, telephone, fax, or e-mail, the following guidelines will help us give you the most prompt, accurate response.

Before you call, check our publications and the MMA web site at www.memun.org. You may find the answer to your question quickly and easily. The most current editions of our publications are available on our web site at no charge and in word searchable form.

Call or write as soon as possible after identifying the problem. Early contact will help us meet your deadline.

Please note that most written correspondence (letter, fax or e-mail) will be subject to public access under Maine’s Freedom if Information Act. If a matter is sensitive, please call us.

Choose a single point of contact (e.g. the chair of the board or the town manager) to help avoid problems associated with different individuals giving different facts.

Use our voicemail system. We check it on a regular basis.

Give us as many facts as possible. When you call, our secretary will ask you a number of questions to assist the attorney responding to your call.

If the inquiry involves interpretation of an ordinance or contract, it is a good idea to forward that material so that we may review it before rendering an opinion.

If your inquiry is a follow-up on an issue that you have been discussing with one of our attorneys, please let us know so that we may direct your call to that attorney.

Let us know the best time to reach you.

If you are under a deadline, let us know what it is. We will try our best to meet it.

Municipal officials are welcome to discuss matters in person at our Augusta office. Please call in advance so that an attorney will be available to meet with you. If your inquiry involves review of documents, we may request that they be forwarded in advance of the meeting, thus providing the attorney time to prepare meaningful comments.

Note: The fax number for Legal Services is now 207-623-1287.
 Unless this is an emergency transmission, please do not send more than 5 pages.