Robert J. Ruffner – Director
Robert Joseph Ruffner grew up in New England and is a graduate of Clark University (’92). Rob attended Washington University in St. Louis School of Law (’96) where, to no one’s surprise, he was Managing Editor of the Devil’s Advocate. After a short stint as a defense attorney Rob worked as a prosecutor in St. Louis, Missouri and Portland, Maine. In 2001 Rob returned to his true calling, criticizing the State Criminal Defense, forming his own practice to focus exclusively on criminal (almost entirely indigent) defense.
A Life Member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Rob is also member of the Maine State Bar Association and Maine Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and was the recipient of the 2009 MACDL, Unsung Hero Award for “highest level of commitment, passion and tireless pursuit of justice in the representation of indigent defendants”.
Rob is never far from his three senior Labrador Retriever partners, Luke (8), Gideon (3) and Flynne (6 months). When he isn’t Monday morning quarterbacking the Commission during public comment or poking the State in the eye with a stick, Rob spends as much time as possible with Luke, Gideon and Flynne in a tent in the remote woods of Vermont, from where he “Zooms” back to court in Maine … and pokes the State a little more.
Annie E. Greenbaum – Attorney
Annie was born and raised in South Paris, Maine, where most of her family still resides. She graduated from the University of Southern Maine in Portland in 2013, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Criminology, with a Certificate in Leadership Studies. She then earned her J.D. from the University of Maine School of Law, graduating cum laude in 2016. During her time at Maine Law, she was a student attorney with the Cumberland Legal Aid Clinic, where she worked on a number of civil and criminal matters. She also worked as a Trial Assistant at the criminal defense firm of Strike, Gonzales, & Butler Bailey before starting her career in Indigent Defense
Annie currently lives in Southern Maine with her husband and their daughter, Lucy Rae. She enjoys spending time with her family, eating good food she didn’t have to cook, and assuring that the rights of the accused as promised in the United States Constitution are always protected.
Robert (Bob) C. LeBrasseur – Attorney
“What About Bob?” (1991 2023)- LeBrasseur plays the roll of Bob, a mentally unstable attorney who follows his egotistical director, Rob Ruffner, on a quixotic campaign to reform Maine’s Indigent Defense System. When Bob befriends the other members of MIDC, Bob’s problems push the director over the edge.
Rob tries to get Bob to leave; the trouble is, everyone loves Bob. As his oblivious new attorney makes himself at home, Rob loses his professional composure and, before long, may be ready for the loony bin himself.
Seriously, Attorney Robert “Bob” C. LeBrasseur is the youngest of 5 children. He was a military brat and traveled the world with his parents growing up. His parents returned home to Maine when they retired from the military. Bob earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in history, summa cum laude, from St. Joseph’s College in 1994. He graduated from the University Of Maine School Of Law in 1997 with the Judge Gignoux Appellate Advocacy Award. Bob was a member of the Moot Court Board and worked as a student attorney with the Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office during law school. Upon graduating from law school, Bob worked as an associate attorney for a small general practice firm. His practice area focused on criminal defense, family law, and general litigation. He opened his own law firm in July of 2000 practicing solely as a criminal defense attorney where he conducted dozens of jury trials and hearings. The Maine Department of Attorney General hired Attorney LeBrasseur in 2002 as the York County Drug Prosecutor where he appeared in court daily prosecuting drug offenses and worked closely with the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency (MDEA). He was also an instructor at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy. Attorney LeBrasseur joined the Maine office of Liberty Mutual Insurance Companies at the Law Offices of Frederick C. Moore where his practice concentrated on general liability and trial work. He defended multinational corporations and individuals insured with Liberty Mutual Insurance Companies. Subsequently, Attorney LeBrasseur returned to his true passion for criminal defense forming his own firm. Bob worked as a hearing examiner for the Maine Secretary of State prior to joining the Maine Indigent Defense Center in 2023. Bob has been involved in the criminal justice system for over 25 years as a prosecutor, defense attorney, and hearing examiner. For 21 of those years, his practice focused almost exclusively on criminal defense. He was 1 of 3 defense bar representatives for the creation of the Unified Criminal Docket in Cumberland County, served as defense counsel for Project Exodus (Maine’s first drug court), and served as Resource Counsel for the Maine Commission on Indigent Legal Services in Cumberland County. He also served as a Commissioner for the Maine Commission on Indigent Legal Services. Bob lives in central Maine and often can be found in the Maine and New Hampshire woods hiking and on the water kayaking with his dogs by his side.
Ashley L. Slaton – Attorney
Attorney Slaton is 2019 graduate of Maine Law and is a tireless defender focused on her clients. So focused she does not have time to write a blurb about herself despite repeated requests.
Jenna L. Zawislak – Attorney
Jenna is a magna cum laude graduate of Manhattan College earning her Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and Political Science in 2019. She then earned her J.D. from the University of Maine School of Law in 2022, where she was awarded a Pro Bono Service Award for her many hours of service to the local community. While in law school, she worked several legal and non-legal jobs including as a legal intern with Webb Law Firm, where she assisted with misdemeanor and felony criminal cases. Jenna also served as the 2021 Cushman D. Anthony Fellow in the Cumberland Legal Aid Clinic’s Youth Justice Clinic where she represented youth in juvenile and education matters as well as young adults in criminal matters. It was in this role that she found her passion for criminal defense, especially in youth defense which led her to joining the Maine Indigent Defense Center to continue doing this work.
Jenna lives in southern Maine where she never fails to appreciate living on the coast. She loves reading on the beach, kayaking and hiking with her friends. She is a Jersey girl at heart and keeps her roots alive by searching for the best cannolis and bagels (answer = Maples) Maine has to offer.
Devens Hamlen – Attorney
After graduating from Maine Law, Devens (Devie) went to work for the New Hampshire Public Defender. In that role, he was one of the original members of the “Special Defender Office” and became a senior staff attorney. After close to 9 years at NHPD, he returned to Maine and opened a law office which focused almost exclusively on indigent defense. In addition to having over 100 jury trials and countless bench trials, Devie attended a number of national trainings including three through the National Criminal Defense College.
Since 2023, in partnership with MCILS, Devie has turned his attention to training and mentoring MCILS rostered lawyers.
Kate E. Marshall – Attorney
Attorney Marshall (she/her) joined the firm in August 2023 after slightly more than a decade of service as an Assistant District Attorney for the State of Maine. Prior to her career in criminal law, she earned degrees from the University of New Hampshire, Drake University, and the University of Maine School of Law. When not working in the office in the warmer months, she’s working on bringing her golf handicap down, or at least not driving it up (pun intended).
Emily H. Goulette – Director of Policy and Development
Emily is a Maine native and 2019 graduate of Colby College. Emily then earned her J.D. from the University of Maine School of Law (2023) where she worked in Cumberland Legal Aid Clinic’s Youth Justice Clinic representing youth in criminal and education matters. Emily assisted in re-instituting Maine Law’s chapter of the Student Animal League Defense Fund while simultaneously working for the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland. Emily also interned for Webb Law Firm during law school, assisting on misdemeanor and felony cases. Before joining the Maine Indigent Defense Center, Emily advocated for Maine’s homeless population supporting youth and their families through Homeless Youth Services at the Opportunity Alliance in South Portland, ME.
Emily currently lives in Hollis, ME with her horse (Chevy) and problem-causing dog and cat (Stanley and Lennie, respectively).
Joy L. Bedard – Paralegal
Joy Bedard has been a paralegal for 20 years, beginning in Estate Planning and Probate at Orsi Arone Rothenberg Turner in 2003. She then went on to prepare closings and drafting documents for commercial and residential real estate transactions for a small firm in western Massachusetts and then to a firm in northern Massachusetts specializing in post foreclosure. Upon moving to Maine, she was the senior paralegal for Augusta-based attorney Scott F. Hess where she worked on criminal, child protective, family, and criminal matters for 7 years before joining the Maine Indigent Defense Center.
Joy graduated from Mount Ida College in 1997 with a degree in design. She currently resides in the Western Maine Foothills with her husband Nate, their dogs Klide and Delilah, tortie cat Bastet and CRAZY Savanna cat Osiris.
Ali L. Brauner – Staff
Prior to living in Maine, Leslie lived in many places such as California, Minnesota, Nebraska, Massachusetts, Ireland, and France. For college, she attended Northeastern University where she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. After college, she worked as a paralegal for two years before deciding to pursue law school. She decided to attend the University of Maine School of Law and from then on Maine became her home.
Post-law school and passage of the bar, Leslie worked for a short time in Massachusetts as an assistant district attorney in Middlesex County before returning to Maine. Once back in Maine, she worked as an assistant district attorney in Oxford County handling the domestic violence and sex crimes caseload. In this role, she learned the value of creative thinking around sentencing with the purpose of crime prevention. This led her to her role now.
Outside of the office, Leslie spends time with her beloved dog, Dora, and cat, Ken, as well as with her human loved ones.