Staff Profile: Amber Nestico

Amber came to PBRC in 2021 after a long history of legal volunteering. She works on the Courtroom Advocacy Project, PBRC’s limited-scope courthouse-based pro bono clinics for consumers and tenants in Baltimore City and Prince George’s County. Amber has lived on three continents, and most recently spent the last two decades in Baltimore, raising a family and volunteering at multiple Maryland legal services organizations.

Where did you grow up?

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

What brought you to Baltimore?

I came to Baltimore to attend law school at the University of Maryland. Also, my husband moved to Baltimore after college for his first job. We have been here ever since, almost 20 years.

Where did you go to school and what was your major/focus?

I went to undergrad at Bucknell University and majored in International Relations and East Asian Studies/Japanese. I really enjoyed studying abroad in Tokyo and had the opportunity to live abroad after law school in both Hong Kong and London.

What are your interests/hobbies?

I love to travel, exercise, practice yoga, and hang out with friends and neighbors for a drink (or two) on my front porch.

How did you connect with PBRC?

About 10 years ago, I was looking for a way to volunteer with a legal services organization. As a stay-at-home mom, I found PBRC’s training and pro bono opportunities to be a perfect fit.  I completed an immigration law training and took my first case with the Tahirih Justice Center.

What were you doing prior to working here?

I have been a stay-at-home mom for the last thirteen years. During that time, I volunteered at several local organizations such as the Tahirih Justice Center, Disability Rights Maryland, and PBRC.

What is your proudest accomplishment?

My proudest accomplishment, so far, is managing to take care of seven living beings in my household (three kids, two dogs, a lizard, and a fish).

What is a quote that inspires you to do the work you do?

My dad would often remind me growing up to “always remember where you came from.” Being the first lawyer in my family was a great accomplishment, but more meaningful is using that success to help others. His words remind me to always remain humble and remember to offer a hand to those who need it the most.

What has been your most meaningful experience with PBRC?

I really enjoy working in the day of court clinics because you can see the immediate impact your help has on a client’s life situation. At a recent clinic, I helped an elderly woman, who suffered several personal tragedies this year, negotiate with a creditor. She was so thankful, not only for my legal advocacy, but simply for my taking the time to listen to her story.

What do you appreciate about PBRC?

I think the people at PBRC make it the great organization it is. As a volunteer, I appreciated the support, encouragement, and patience the staff attorneys had with me when I was learning new areas of the law. All the staff at PBRC work so hard to ensure volunteers have a wonderful and meaningful experience.

Tell us something about yourself we could never guess…

Random things happen to me all the time - like the first time I went to see Hamilton (in Chicago) - I ended up sitting next to Lin-Manuel Miranda at dinner! He was quite nice and told us that we were in for a good show!