The Sam L. Cohen Foundation is giving a grant of $500,000 to one of the only programs in Maine that offer legal assistance to refugees and immigrants.

The University of Maine School of Law runs the Refugee and Human Rights Clinic, which is receiving the grant. The law school says it is receiving the money at a time when requests for legal help from refugees and immigrants are on the rise.

Maine Law professor Anna Welch oversees the refugee clinic and says it assists people who need help with issues such as asylum claims and work permits.

Maine Law students perform the clinic’s work under the supervision of faculty members. The clinic launched in 2012.

The Cohen Foundation has been a primary supporter of the clinic.