PORTLAND — The Maine Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers has been formed as a non-profit corporation to further interests of criminal defense lawyers and clients in Maine.

Officers are: Stephen J. Schwartz, Portland, president; Leonard I. Sharon, Lewiston, president-elect; Wayne R. Foote, Bangor, vice president; Joel C. Vincent, Scarborough, secretary; Vilean Taggersell, York, treasurer.

The association includes 50 members and will educate defense attorneys and produce a publication, “Maine Defender.”

The group also will have a legislative committee to monitor and propose legislation to ensure rights of the accused are protected. Specialty committees will work to enhance criminal practice in Maine and to work with defense counsel on selected cases, providing briefs to the Maine Supreme Judicial Court.

Directors are Thomas Van Houten, Sanford; Claudia C. Sharon, Portland; Michaela M. Murphy, Waterville; Bruce A. Jordan, Brewer; Joanne Kroll, Camden; Peter J. DeTroy III, Portland; Marshall A. Stern, Bangor; Richard S. Berne, Portland; Stanley W. Brown Jr., Belfast; Roger J. Katz, Augusta; Daniel G. Lilley, Portland; Laurence Gardner, Biddeford; David W. Grund, Lewiston; and John Mitchell, Calais.