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V O L . X X I I I N O. X X V I I N OV E M B E R 1 3 , 2 0 1 7 18 L AW F O C U S The journey northward Cameron Goodwin and Ryan Rutledge did just that over the summer in Presque Isle, as the fi rst students to participate in the Rural Lawyer Pilot Project, which Conway wants to see permanently endowed. Goodwin, 23, is a Westbrook native who has spent his whole life in Maine, but had barely gotten further north than Bangor until the summer. His fi rst impression of Aroostook County? "It was vast," he says, laughing. "You get off the highway in Houlton, and you still have an hour to go." Over the next 10 weeks, he and Rutledge would do a lot of long drives to diff erent courthouses, part of daily life for area lawyers — Houlton to the south, Caribou about 20 minutes north, and Fort Kent and Madawaska over an hour to the north. "I heard a few stories about people who forgot to go to the right place," Goodwin says. Rutledge, 26 years old and originally from Savannah, Ga., also had long weekend drives to see his wife, who was working in Freeport. During the week, the students shared a furnished rental on Main Street near each of their offi ces, Goodwin at Smith and Associates Law Offi ce and Rutledge at Bemis & Rossignol LLC. After spending his fi rst morning reading up on evidence and criminal procedure which he hadn't yet taken in law school, Goodwin spent the afternoon at the Houlton jail meeting with clients, including a defendant in a murder case. He worked mainly on criminal cases as well as civil matters including child- protective cases and deeds and trusts. Rutledge was also busy from the start — "It was like drinking from a fi re hose" — with three research projects and writing memos, and later meeting with clients. Like his classmate, he had the opportunity to shadow diff erent attorneys not only in interactions with clients but also with opposing counsel and judges in their chambers. "I don't think I could have learned by sitting in the classroom," he says. " at's so valuable to me now." He also helped out on a boundary dispute that went to trial and is now helping with the appeal. "He does good work," says Frank Bemis, who continues to mentor Rutledge and as well as send research projects his way on a paid basis. "It's really helpful for me because we could use another [law- yer] here ourselves." e Presque Isle native, who returned home from Washington, D.C., in 1993, says it's hard to recruit lawyers from away with no understanding of or con- nection to the area, if they are loaded with student debt or if they have a spouse unwilling to relocate. But for someone willing and able to try, without expectations of becoming super wealthy, Bemis says: "You can have a lucrative career here." As a general practitioner, he represents clients from farmers to companies and generations of fami- lies on a myriad of matters, and fi nds it interesting » C O N T I N U E D F RO M P R E V I O U S PA G E WE'VE GOT MAINE* COVERED ALL DAY AND EVERY DAY *with nightly and weekend routes to New Hampshire and Massachusetts with nightly and weekend routes to New Hampshire and Massachusetts WE WANT TO BE YOUR COURIER! FIRST TIME CUSTOMER? Mention this ad for 50% off of your first pick-up and delivery order. of your first pick-up and delivery order. Service and dispatch: 848-7546 Sales and information: 800-427-7547 UnishipCourier.com Rates as low as $15 for same day pickup/delivery Stay informed, engaged and connected with a print + digital subscription to Mainebiz. You'll receive bi-weekly issues, special publications and full online access! F U L L C O N T E N T S O N PA G E 4 F U L L C O N T E N T S O N PA G E 4 F U L L C O N T E N T S O N PA G E 4 S O U T H E R N M A I N E S O U T H E R N M A I N E S O U T H E R N M A I N E F O C U S F O C U S F O C U S Economy Economy Economy motion motion motion $2.00 $2.00 $2.00 July 10, 2017 July 10, 2017 July 10, 2017 VO L . X X I I I N O. X V VO L . X X I I I N O. X V VO L . X X I I I N O. X V www.mainebiz.biz www.mainebiz.biz www.mainebiz.biz Know Maine Business. Or call: 845.267.3008 Subscribe online: mainebiz.biz/knowmainebiz F O C U S F O C U S F O C U S S O U T H E R N M A I N E S O U T H E R N M A I N E S O U T H E R N M A I N E Southern Maine builds Southern Maine builds Southern Maine builds on diverse industries on diverse industries on diverse industries S O U T H E R N M A I N E S O U T H E R N M A I N E S O U T H E R N M A I N E F O C U S F O C U S F O C U S Economy Economy Economy motion motion motion S O U T H E R N M A I N E F O C U S S TA R T S O N PA G E 1 1 S O U T H E R N M A I N E F O C U S S TA R T S O N PA G E 1 1 S O U T H E R N M A I N E F O C U S S TA R T S O N PA G E 1 1 » in in in Economy in Economy Economy Economy in Economy in Economy in Economy Economy Economy in Economy motion in motion motion motion in motion in motion in motion motion motion in motion F U L L C O N T E N T S O N PA G E 4 F O C U S S O U T H E R N M A I N E M U S H RO O M A N D C O N S T R U C T I O N P H O T O S / T I M G R E E N W AY P O R T S M O U T H N AVA L S H I P YA R D P H O T O S / J I M N E U G E R 12 Anchoring Kittery The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, a major employer in southern Maine, gears up for the future. 16 A real estate surge A shortage of existing homes has contractors scrambling to meet the demand for housing. 19 Ag's next wave? Mushroom growers are cultivating a variety of fungi to keep up with demand from chefs and consumers. Southern Maine builds on diverse industries S O U T H E R N M A I N E F O C U S Economy motion S O U T H E R N M A I N E F O C U S S TA R T S O N PA G E 1 1 » in $2.00 July 10, 2017 VO L . X X I I I N O. X V www.mainebiz.biz F U L L C O N T E N T S O N PA G E 4 F O C U S S O U T H E R N M A I N E M U S H R O O M A N D C O N S T R U C T I O N P H O T O S / T I M G R E E N W AY P O R T S M O U T H N AVA L S H I P YA R D P H O T O S / J I M N E U G E R 12 Anchoring Kittery The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, a major employer in southern Maine, gears up for the future. 16 A real estate surge A shortage of existing homes has contractors scrambling to meet the demand for housing. 19 Ag's next wave? Mushroom growers are cultivating a variety of fungi to keep up with demand from chefs and consumers. Southern Maine builds on diverse industries S O U T H E R N M A I N E F O C U S Economy motion S O U T H E R N M A I N E F O C U S S TA R T S O N PA G E 1 1 » in $2.00 July 10, 2017 VO L . X X I I I N O. X V www.mainebiz.biz Outreach through technology A s part of an overall effort to provide legal help in rural areas, the Maine Volunteer Lawyers Project, a legal aid organization formerly housed within the Pine Tree Legal Society, is promoting a technology-based solution for Mainers otherwise unable to afford legal representation or get to clin- ics from remote areas: a virtual clinic known as Free Legal Answers. A project of the American Bar Association's Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service, it's a portal that allows qualifi ed users to pose questions on civil matters to lawyers. David Soley, a Bernstein Shur shareholder who has been doing pro bono work his entire career, says the hope is that volunteer lawyers who register on the portal will not only answer questions but agree to take on cases pro bono or recommend them for referral. Mainers who can't get online from home can go to any of the state's public libraries, which Soley notes can be found even in the smallest towns. "Using technology, we are going to be everywhere in Maine," he says. Frank Bemis, of the Bemis & Rossignol law fi rm, in his offi ce in Presque Isle. He cites the diffi culty of recruiting lawyers who have no connection to the area or who may be saddled with student loans. P H O T O / J I M N E U G E R

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