University of Southern Maine

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University of Maine School of Law Graduation Features Keynote Address by the Honorable Frank M. Coffin

May 22, 2008

The Honorable Frank M. Coffin, a distinguished member of the U.S. judiciary and long-time friend of the University of Maine School of Law will be the keynote speaker at the School’s commencement, scheduled for 10 a.m., this Saturday, May 24, in Merrill Auditorium, Portland. There will be 71 graduates and 1,000 guests expected at the ceremonies.

Coffin was appointed to the First Circuit of the United States Court of Appeals in 1965.  He served as Chief Judge from 1972 to 1983, and assumed senior status in 1989.  Coffin retired from active judicial service in 2006. In 1992, the School of Law established the annual Frank M. Coffin Lecture on Law and Public Service.

School of Law graduate Peter C. McKenney, vice president and chief financial officer of Stroudwater Associates in Portland, will receive the L. Kinvin Wroth Award.  McKenney earned a B.S. in mechanical engineering and an M.B.A. from the University of Maine. McKenney was president of the University of Maine School of Law Foundation from 2001 to 2007, and continues to serve on its Board of Directors.

Editor's Note: The following students -- a former newspaper reporter, a former flight attendant, and a member of Maine’s House of Representatives -- all have secured positions in Maine after graduation, and have interesting stories to tell.  For assistance in covering this commencement ceremony, contact Bob Caswell of USM Public Affairs at caswell@usm.maine.edu, 780-4200 (o), 939-2377 (cell), 839-2026 (h).

School of Law graduate Jordan McColman was voted by his classmates to present the student commencement address.  McColman, originally from Bellingham, Washington, was a flight attendant for United Airlines for 15 years, where he met his wife who was from Maine.  He earned his A.A. from the University of Maine Augusta and his B.A. from the University of Maine Farmington. McColman is a resident of Readfield, and will work at Drummond Woodsum and McMahon after graduation.

Among the graduates marching will be Lisa Chmelecki of Portland.  Chmelecki who hails from Mamaroneck, N.Y. moved to Maine after receiving her bachelor’s degree from the University of New Hampshire.  She worked as a reporter, first for the Forecaster in Falmouth, and then for the Lewiston Sun Journal before entering law school.  While a law student, she was part of the Cumberland County Legal Aid Clinic team that challenged the Recording Industry Association of America for its practice of suing college students for file sharing. She will be clerking for Justice Gorman of the Maine Supreme Court.

While many law students balance a variety of responsibilities when attending classes, Maine Representative Jeremy Fischer followed what he describes as an “ambitious schedule” that balanced his constituents and girlfriend in Presque Isle, his legislative work in Augusta, and his classes in Portland.  He succeeded in refusing to allow any of his priorities to suffer as demonstrated by his reelection to the House in 2006; his marriage in 2007; and his graduation with honors. He will be working at Bernstein, Shur in Portland.

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