2023-2024 Professional Skills Academy - Calendar (all dates are tentative)* There will also be individual Fellow-mentor meetings, optional Zoom topical mentoring, and/or optional Fellows-only pay-your-own-way social events.

Why join a pro bono focused fellowship program? 

1. Recent research* demonstrates that in Maryland, younger lawyers are doing much less pro bono than older lawyers. However, the need is only grows larger, and as older lawyers retire, a tremendous gap looms between the need for civil legal aid and the supply of pro bono lawyers.

Our goal is to increase the capacity of younger lawyers to rise to this challenge.

2. Many pro bono needs are too complex to be met by non-specializing lawyers who have taken only a single topical training.

Our goal is to help lawyers grow their comfort level with client and courtroom advocacy; identify an area of personal commitment; and start mapping their course to fulfill that commitment.

3. We believe the most effective way to learn legal skills is a combination of seeing, doing, and discussing questions with seasoned advocates.

Our goal is to spark connections between newer and more experienced lawyers that will strengthen the profession as a whole.

4. We believe a commitment to pro bono service to the community is “caught, not taught.”  In fact, it is fun!

Our goal is to bring lawyers together, and allow each to inspire the others.

* "SUPPORTING JUSTICE IN MARYLAND: A Report on the Pro Bono Work of Maryland’s Lawyers," American Bar Association, Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service, July 2017.

Applicants selected as fellows are expected to attend all program events. If your schedule does not allow you to attend a live training, you must watch the training video within two weeks.

What will this look like?

Time/location commitment:

Fellows should expect that over the 10-month program “year,” they will spend at least 65 hours in the training, clinical pro bono service, and required events.  Around 20 of those hours will be outside core business hours.

Beyond this, each Fellow will connect with a mentor, based on mutual convenience, several times in the year, remotely or in person.  Fellows may also be invited to optional events, and will have a debrief call at the end of the year.

For any live clinics and trainings offered are likely to be in downtown Baltimore.

Content: In-court practice

The program seeks to give Fellows the experience of in-court practice (particularly in rent court), and the confidence that goes with that experience.

Content: Other lawyering skills

Our immigration clinic provides an excellent mentored introduction to client interviewing and counseling.

The skills trainings will be focused on a) ethical tips for remote practice; b) District Court advocacy; c) basics of experts; and d) basics of depositions.

The last practice unit will give Fellows a choice of service but may include more in-court work (rent escrow case work or consumer protection); or more transactional or counseling work (estate planning or other home preservation projects).

Content: Mentoring and community

Mentoring will include at least four interactions (remote or in person) and at least one substantive interaction.  A substantive interaction means either attending an Academy service clinic with the Fellow or inviting the Fellow to join the mentor for a significant event.

We anticipate optional Fellows-only social events, to allow current and past Fellows to meet and build community and professional relationships in a less formal setting.

Focus:  Serving in a crisis

2020 is distinctive because of the pandemic.  While we have lost some predictability, we have gained an opportunity to be at the forefront of learning to serve in new ways.

Focus: The habit of pro bono

The Academy seeks to build patterns of pro bono service into the Fellows’ lives.  At the end of the year, we interview each Fellow and help them create pro bono service goals for next year.

Applying

As part of the application, all applicants are asked to list a supportive reference (a former or current supervisor, law faculty, or another Maryland lawyer or mentor). At the end of the year, we will invite each completing Fellow’s reference to the recognition event.

Basis of Selection

Applicants will be selected on the basis of demonstrated commitment to professionalism and ability to clearly articulate what they hope to accomplish on behalf of others, and what they hope to gain from the program.  Some preference will be given to lawyers in private practice.

Submit your reflections on the volunteer experience by using this form. 

	Sarah Adkisson, Esq. “I wanted to gain courtroom practice experience with close supervision and help from a mentor.”
	Kate Anderson, Esq. “After switching jobs, I missed working directly with clients and the PBRC Academy was the perfect vehicle to allow me to engage with clients and learn new areas of the law in a structured way.”
	Victoria Bethel, Esq. “After the clinics, I thought, ‘Wow, I really helped someone – I helped a couple of people today,’ and I wished I could do it more often.”
	Kimberly Caspari, Esq. “The Academy pushed me beyond legal learning into creativity, and gave me ways to provide other sorts of resources to clients. It was a very, very good experience — a step beyond.”
	Elaina Christmas, Esq. “I found the Lunch & Learn trainings relevant and helpful, and appreciated the level of engagement they provided, as well as the open question time where participants could ask questions about sensitive topics.”
	Stephen Freeman, Esq. “The Academy was a great program, particularly in exposing attorneys to different areas of law and providing a chance to be in court.”
	Jocelyne Gresock, Esq. “I found my connections with other Fellows beneficial and had client situations arise where Fellows worked together to share resources.”
	Nancy Hudes, Esq. “After a stint at home raising children, I felt the structure and framework of the Academy would provide me with a formal-feeling mechanism for reentering the profession.”
	Angela Kuan, Esq. “Doing pro bono work has increased my hope, because I see the positive impact our work has on the community.”
	Kenneth Lemberg, Esq. “I wanted to explore litigation to round out my legal experience and take fuller advantage of what I learned in law school.”
	Snehal Massey, Esq. “If you are new to pro bono work, you will benefit from the PBRC model. They want success for the client just as much as they want the volunteer attorney to enjoy the experience.”
	Shavina Mukesh, Esq. “My mentor was amazing. He talked with me about how to grow as a solo practitioner. He was a nurturing mentor not only to me, but to the other Fellows too.”
	Olamide Orebamjo, Esq. “The most rewarding part of working with tenants in rent court was knowing that I could be there for them as a lawyer, and they would not have to be alone.”
	Sieglinde Peterson, Esq. “The Academy gave me the key to contribute to my community and added something very meaningful to my life.”
	Maura Ward, Esq. “The Academy was a great way to learn new skills with support from experienced attorneys. I’m proud of the work I performed outside of my comfort zone.”
	Nyasha West, Esq. “The Academy provided a great chance to grow in my advocacy. I had an amazing mentor!”
	Flavia Williamson, Esq. “I deeply appreciated my connection with my mentor and I was grateful for the ways she willingly shared her experience in the legal profession.”

The Professional Skills Academy invites you to give back by investing in a newer lawyer.

Mentors are experienced lawyers and judges who invest in Academy Fellows by meeting, listening, and sharing perspective and experience.

Required Activities: Each mentor agrees to:

a. Commit to attend all three major Academy events: (dates/times are tentative)

1. 1. Kick-off Event (usually in person in October from 5:30-7:30 pm);
   2. Mid-Year Celebration (In person, tent. Jan. 19, 2023, 5:30-7:00 pm); and
   3. Graduation (In person, tent. June 22, 2023, 6:00-7:30 pm).

b. Meet (in person or by phone) 4 times over the year with your mentee, including at least one substantive interaction.  A substantive interaction means either attending an Academy service clinic with your mentee, or inviting your mentee to join you for a significant event (shadow you at a hearing; attend a bar event as your guest; etc.)

Apply at to become a mentor HERE. For more information, contact Director of Training & Operations, Kiah Pierre at kpierre@probonomd.org or 443-703-3046.

To access the Academy Intranet, visit https://probonomd.org/academy-intranet/