Sean R. Turley

Biography

Sean’s transition from the classroom—where he spent ten years as a history teacher—to the courtroom began when he recognized that the problems facing his students and their families could only be remedied through someone advocating directly on their behalf. Always a problem-solver, Sean applies the same analytical and communication skills that made him an effective educator to help his clients articulate their needs and attain the justice they seek.

Sean maintains a dynamic and wide-ranging land use practice, advocating on behalf of clients before municipal boards and state agencies; litigating complex real estate disputes; interpreting and drafting deeds and covenants; and advising clients as to the viability of proposed developments. Sean is well-versed in the intricacies of administrative law and thoroughly enjoys the opportunity to assist clients in navigating appeals of agency and municipal action.

Prior to joining MPM, Sean served as a law clerk for the Maine Superior Court and as a fellow at the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project.

When not lawyering, Sean dedicates himself to preserving and expanding Maine’s rich apple culture. He scours Maine’s backroads as a forager for potential cider fruit during the fall; works with local chefs and orchards to present an annual public apple tasting; helps in the development and management of the Maine Heritage Orchard; and travels the country to photograph the wide array of heirloom cultivars still grown today. Sean has also served as a columnist for the Portland Press Herald, where he wrote about apples and their many uses.

Practice Areas

• Land Use & Environmental Law
• Litigation

Education

• University of Maine School of Law., magna cum laude, J.D. — 2019
  • Articles Editor, Maine Law Review
  • American Bankruptcy Institute Medal of Excellence recipient
  • Class of 2019 Human Rights and Refugee Fellow
  • Maine Association for Public Interest Law Fellow
  • Cumberland Bar Association Public Interest Fellow
  • Laurie A. Gibson Award for Excellence recipient
• Harvard University, Ed.M. — 2006
  Bowdoin College, magna cum laude, B.A. — 2005

Clerkships

• Hon. Wayne R. Douglas, Maine Superior Court
• Hon. John O’Neil, Maine Superior Court

Bar & Court Admissions

• Maine
• U.S. District Court for the District of Maine

Publications

• Death by Fifty Cuts: Exporting Lunn v. Commonwealth to Maine and the Prospects for Waging a Frontal Assault on the ICE Detainer System in State Courts, 70 ME. L. REV. 235 (2018).