IOLTA Working Group

Type: Working Group, Limited Period
Established: July 18, 2019
Report date: December 2, 2019
Chair: Taylor Asen, Esq.
Reports to: Maine Supreme Justice Court
Completion date: March 27, 2020

I. Purpose

The IOLTA Working Group is established by the Supreme Judicial Court to obtain broad-based stakeholder input and analysis of a recent proposal to prohibit the use of court-mandated IOLTA funds for legislative lobbying and political candidate advocacy. The Court must determine whether, and to what extent, such a prohibition should be promulgated in Maine.
After gathering input from appropriate organizations and individuals, the Working Group will complete an analysis of the jurisprudential and policy matters implicated in the issue, and will present its conclusions and recommendations, including any minority recommendations, to the Court in a written report.

II. Authority

The Working Group is created pursuant to the authority of the Chief Justice. See 4 M.R.S Section 1.

III. Membership

The Working Group membership may include representatives from the Executive and Legislative Branches of Maine State Government, as well as interested stakeholder organizations, individual attorneys, and others with valuable knowledge and experience to contribute. The specific names will be listed in a separate membership roster, and membership may be changed or expanded at the discretion of the Chair, with the approval of the Chief Justice.

IV. Meetings

The Working Group will meet as often as is necessary to fulfill its responsibilities. The Working Group may meet in person, by phone, or through video. The Chair will schedule the meetings of the Working Group.

V. Reporting

The Chair will provide the Report of the IOLTA Working Group to the Supreme Judicial Court through the Office of the Chief Justice, on or before December 2, 2019.

VI. Duration

Unless the Chief Justice extends this charter, the IOLTA Working Group will cease to exist on March 27, 2020.

Dated: July 18, 2019

Approved by:
Chief Justice Leigh I. Saufley
Maine Supreme Judicial Court