New York attorney record · Judicial Dept 1
Richard Smith Berne
Boston University School Of Law alumna, admitted to the New York bar in 1975, registered office in Portland, ME. A half-lifetime's worth of status, address, and registration history on this record come straight from the NY Office of Court Administration.
- 1975
- Admitted
- 51
- Years in bar
- 1866672
- NY reg #
The record in one line
Richard Smith Berne has spent 51 years on the register since admission in 1975, one of the longest-standing active practitioners the state bar carries at 96% tenure percentile.
- 51 yrs
- in active practice since admission
- Active
- current bar status: "Currently registered"
- #3 of 157
- by tenure in Portland office peers
- Law school
- Boston University School Of Law
Data updated September 2026
What this profile tells you
Bar status & tenure
Richard Smith Berne has carried New York bar registration 1866672 for the better part of a career, still active and in good standing. Registration is recorded within Judicial Department 1, the appellate division overseeing this attorney's home district.
Practice context & education
Practice address is listed under Law Office Of Richard S. Berne, located in Portland, ME, ZIP 04101. Educational background: Boston University School of Law (6,552 registered alumni).
State context & due diligence
Across a career spanning 51 years, Richard Smith Berne has remained part of the New York bar's active cohort, a share of the register detailed further below.
Experience vs. the active New York bar
Richard Smith Berne's 51 years since a 1975 admission places this record near the far edge of the statewide tenure curve below.
51 years on the New York bar
Years since admission, all currently-active NY attorneys
51 Top 4% higher than 96% of 290,787 active NY attorneys
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more active NY attorneys. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NY Office of Court Administration, Attorney Registration · September 2026
Tenure among Portland, ME office peers
Richard Smith Berne is toward the newer end of Portland, ME's NY register cohort: #3 of 157 by years since admission. See the Portland attorney directory .
- Local rank
- #3
- City cohort
- 157
- Local percentile
- 1st
- Admitted
- 1975
Nearest tenure peers in Portland
- Richard Goodwin Moon admitted 1975 · 51 yr
- Thomas Davock Warren admitted 1976 · 50 yr
- George F. Burns admitted 1973 · 53 yr
- Stephan Gray Bachelder admitted 1980 · 46 yr
How local rank is computed
Rank uses years since NY-bar admission among non-deceased registry rows that list the same office city and state, a local placement, not a statewide claim. Source: NY Office of Court Administration Attorney Registration · as of September 2026. Derived local rank, not published upstream.
How Richard compares to fellow Boston University School Of Law alumni
Among the 3,410 Boston University School Of Law graduates in the New York register, Richard Smith Berne is longer-tenured than 99%.
51 years vs. Boston University School Of Law alumni
Years since admission - 3,410 NY-registered alumni of this school
51 Top 1% higher than 99% of 3,410 fellow alumni
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more fellow alumni. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NY Office of Court Administration, Attorney Registration · September 2026
Boston University School Of Law's active-bar rate
Of Boston University School Of Law's 6,552 alumni in the New York register, 72.1% currently hold "Currently registered" status, above the statewide average.
The 1975 admission class today
Of the 3,195 attorneys admitted to the New York bar in 1975, 47.1% are still "Currently registered" today, below the statewide average across all admission years.
Professional Details
- Status
- Currently registered
- Registration Number
- 1866672
- Year Admitted
- 1975 (51 yrs · veteran)
- Judicial Department
- 1
- Next Registration
- Aug 2028
Location & Contact
- Company
- Law Office Of Richard S. Berne
- City
- Portland, ME
- ZIP Code
- 04101
- Phone
- (207) 871-7770
Education
Status Distribution Across the New York Bar
Richard Smith Berne's current status, "Currently registered", places this attorney in the 67.2% of the 432,625-attorney New York register currently marked active.
Full statewide breakdown & source note
Source: NY Office of Court Administration, Attorney Registrations. Status counts reflect the latest reporting cycle. Bar status confirms registration only; it does not imply competence, specialty fit, or freedom from complaints.
Near-tenure Boston University School Of Law alumni
Fellow alumni on the NY register whose admission year is closest to 1975 (excluding same-firm colleagues above).
Same admission year (1975), other cities
NY-registered attorneys admitted in 1975 whose listed office city differs from Portland, a vintage cohort, not a neighborhood list.
Nationwide attorneys with similar admission year or city registry density
Two non-geo peer axes for Richard Smith Berne: closest NY bar admission year outside ME, and closest out-of-state office cities by how many NY-registered attorneys they list (~158 here). Distinct from same-firm, fellow-alumni, and same-year other-city strips above.
Similar admission year (~1975)
Counts come from the NY State Office of Court Administration registration extract; peers are not a competence or practice-area ranking.
Verify This Attorney
Verify on NY Courts Attorney SearchNearby Attorneys in Portland, ME
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Compare Richard Smith Berne with similar attorneys in Portland.
Compare attorneys →Before you rely on this record
Richard Smith Berne's "Currently registered" listing confirms bar standing only, it is a registration fact to verify, not a verdict on quality or competence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Richard Berne licensed?
Richard Berne is licensed to practice law in New York.
When was Richard Smith Berne admitted to the bar?
Richard Smith Berne's admission to the New York bar dates back to 1975.
Where did Richard Smith Berne go to law school?
Richard Smith Berne attended Boston University School of Law.
What company does Richard Smith Berne work for?
Richard Smith Berne is associated with Law Office Of Richard S. Berne in Portland, ME.
Is Richard Smith Berne in good standing?
Yes, Richard Smith Berne holds active bar status ("Currently registered").
Cite this page & disclosure
Sourced from the NY Office of Court Administration, informational only, not legal advice. Full disclosure.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.