PLANNING COMMITTEE SITE

Pro Bono Made Simple: How Maryland’s New Portal Connects Lawyers and Communities

Maryland is taking a bold step toward closing the justice gap with the launch of the Maryland Pro Bono Portal—a centralized, web-based platform designed to make volunteering easier than ever. This innovative tool connects attorneys with pro bono opportunities in real time, whether it’s taking a case, staffing a clinic, or answering hotline calls. Legal services organizations can post detailed case information, upcoming shifts, and training opportunities, while volunteers can create profiles, browse opportunities by category, and track their impact.

In this session, we’ll demonstrate how the portal works, share its benefits for both legal services programs and attorneys, and explain how you can join the platform to streamline pro bono engagement. By making pro bono simple and accessible, we can work together to expand access to justice across Maryland.

Panelists:

1. Eric Manser, Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland - Baltimore City
2. Sarah Scalet, Maryland Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts - Baltimore City
3. TBD, Volunteer Attorney Portal User, TBD - TBD

Moderator:  I will recruit a moderator for this session if selected.

Coordinator: Kiah Pierre, Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland - Baltimore, MD, USA; kpierre@probonomd.org

Why it matters: Too often, volunteers lose momentum because of the time and effort it takes to connect with the right opportunity. The Maryland Pro Bono Portal changes that. It’s a one-stop shop for pro bono opportunities across the state, allowing attorneys and legal services organizations to engage directly through technology and automation. This streamlined approach saves time, reduces administrative costs, and—most importantly—helps deliver life-changing legal assistance faster and more efficiently.

Theme(s):

• Innovative Service
• Technology & Data
• Pro Bono Engagement

The Overlap of Consumer Law and Housing Law: Using Consumer Protections in Eviction Cases

This panel will explore the use of consumer law statutes including the FDCA and their current interpretation on housing cases, and explore ways in which those statutes could be further applied.

Panelists:

1. James Bell, MLA/ housing advocate in Howard - Anne Arundel/ Howard
2. Maddison Borrison, Private Practice (Borrison Law) - Howard
3. Traci Rezvani, Howard County Consumer Protection - Howard

Moderator:  TBD

Coordinator: James Bell, MLA - Ellicott City, MD, USA; jbell@mdlab.org

Why it matters: This conference is generally well attended by housing advocates.  Housing law has been pushed statutorily for the past several years, but there are existing frameworks that could be applied to housing law- mainly the consumer protection provisions.  This topic is the brain child of Maddi Borrison and I while at a Howard County consumer protection advisory panel meeting- where we realized the overlap in what we do (me in housing and her in consumer) and the reminder that leases are fundamentally a consumer agreement.   We have since had conversations with other people in our sphere, and have already started cooking on several cases we have identified.

Theme(s):

• Innovative Service
• Substantive Legal

How Poverty Became Neglect in the Child Welfare System

Prudence Beidler Carr, the director of the ABA's Center on Children and the Law, did a really good presentation on How Poverty Became Neglect in Federal and State Law and Policy. I think it would make a great workshop in light of MD's child welfare statistics.

https://www.americanbar.org/groups/public_interest/child_law/

Panelists:

1. Prudence Beidler Carr, Esq., ABA Center on Children and the Law - Washington, DC
2. Maria Nenutzka (Nena) Villamar, Esq., Parental Defense Division at Maryland Office of Public Defender - Baltimore

Moderator: I will recruit a moderator for this session if selected.

Coordinator: Cathy Hollenberg Serrette, Circuit Court for Prince George's County - Prince George's; chserrette@gmail.com

Why it matters: Studies have shown that our child welfare system disproportionately tears apart poor families and families of color. Prudence Beidler Carr has traced the history of the policies leading to where we are today. Nina Villamar heads OPD's family defense unit and can give hands on examples of the impact in our communities.

Theme(s):

• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging
• Substantive Legal

The Threat to Disability Rights in Public Education

This session will focus on how the dismantling of the United States Department of Education has a disproportionate impact on students with disabilities, low income, and minority students and families. The panelist will discuss implications related to funding sources, student advocacy, and how public education needs to prepare for changes to how it supports these student groups. The panelists will discuss the importance of public service organizations, student advocacy groups, and public school systems working together in order to ensure that students' needs and legal rights are being upheld. Panelist will focus on the implications for students with disabilities but will also discuss students from minority and low income groups that, prior to the current administration policies, received additional funding to address the academic achievement gap.

Panelists:

1. Diana K. Wyles, Esq., Prince George's County Public Schools - Prince George's
2. Megan Jones, Esq., Disability Rights Maryland - Baltimore City
3. Brooke Levy, parent and President of the Down Syndrome Network -- Montgomery County

Moderator:  Stacy Reid-Swain, Esq., Axion Legal Strategy - Montgomery

Coordinator: Diana Wyles, Prince George's County PS - Prince George's;  diana.wyles@pgcps.org

Why it matters: This topic is important to addressing how the federal government is changing its role in public education. Several legal services organizations in Maryland provide free and reduced fee services for students with disabilities. The changes to funding and investigations conducted by the federal government has an impact on public schools and legal services. These changes may ultimately impact state funding for public schools and may inform legislative changes for future state funding.

Theme(s):

• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging
• Substantive Legal

Mentorship Matters! Tips for Legal Services Providers

The Legal Services sector relies heavily on new attorneys to implement its programming, yet organizations often lack the formal mentorship structure found in other legal employment settings. Without adequate mentorship, new attorneys, their clients, their supervisors, and their organizations are at risk of adverse outcomes. Join us for a discussion with mentors and mentees alike regarding best practices for mentorship in the Legal Services sector.

Panelists:

1. PBRC TBA, PBRC - Baltimore
2. TBD - mentor, TBD - TBD
3. TBD - Mentee, TBD - TBD

Moderator: Please have the Conference Planning Committee assign my session's moderator.

Coordinator: Jennifer Mercer, Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland - Baltimore City; jmercer@probonomd.org

Why it matters: Many legal services organizations employ new attorneys because they are less expensive to hire. Almost any experienced attorney would agree that law school does not teach students much of what they need to know to practice law, yet many legal services organizations lack the mentors new attorneys need to transition successfully from law student to lawyer. New attorneys who lack mentors are more likely to make mistakes, to lack confidence, and to feel unsupported or burnt out in the often-difficult work they are called upon to do. While traditional private law firms have formal structures of partners and associates at different levels, most legal services organizations lack the same degree of role specificity. This can lead to a situation where no one senior attorney is responsible for mentoring new attorneys and so they fall through the cracks. When lawyers do better, clients do better, and so it is crucial to do right by new attorneys in our sector. This is especially true if we want to retain young attorneys, both in a specific organization and in the legal services sector more generally.

Theme(s):

• Pro Bono Engagement
• Management
• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging

A Deep Dive for the Non Estate Planning Legal Professional Into How Estate Planning Can Especially Benefit Our Lower Income Clients

This is a session meant for non-estate planning services providers to understand the ways in which basic estate planning can prevent many downstream problems such as loss of the client’s wealth and home to creditors upon death, heavy administrative burdens on family members after a client’s death, the need to pursue guardianship through the courts to accomplish basic financial matters in case of a client’s incapacity, family feuds about medical decision-making for an incapacitated client, preventable financial obstacles to passing on a home after death, and avoidable inheritance tax and other burdens for domestic partners.  We will dig into what each of the basic estate planning documents in Maryland can do to prevent these and many other problems and what resources exist in Maryland to have these documents prepared free of charge for lower income clients. Along the way you will definitely learn some things that will spur you to do your estate plan or remind you of its value in case of your own incapacity or death!

Panelists:

1. Muriel van den Berg, PBRC - Baltimore City
2. Jake Polivka, HWK Law - Baltimore City
3. TBD

Moderator:  ,  -  I will recruit a moderator for this session if selected.

Coordinator: Allison Harris, Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland - Baltimore City; aharris@probonomd.org

Why it matters: The idea is not to get into the nitty gritty of how to do the documents but rather a more general overview of what they truly accomplish and how they are practically used at death/incapacity.

WILL-guardianship for kids/avoiding PR bond which is a huge estate opening obstacle for heirs with bad credit scores/for homeowners planning how to transfer wealth in home on to family

LED/Probate avoidance education: strategies that allow house (examples such as avoiding a big water bill through LED), money, car to pass to heirs without being accessible to creditors in the transfer process and that reduce paperwork burden after death

POA-having someone on deck to sign contracts/dealing with insurance/deal with lease and landlord tenant matters/etc in the event of unexpected (or expected) incapacity

-domestic partnership agreements – exempting from inheritance tax, treated as spouse

AMD-avoiding a legal fight among next of kin when difficult decisions need to be made; designating who has the right to access your medical records so that family members can review medical records and be better able to hold medical system accountable

Theme(s):

• Substantive Legal

Serving Clients with Diminished Capacity

Individuals with diminished capacity experience heightened vulnerability, and their legal representation presents unique challenges and ethical obligations for legal practitioners. Across different areas of practice, we encounter clients experiencing diminished capacity for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to intellectual disabilities, cognitive decline associated with aging, behavioral health challenges, and trauma responses.

Panelists in this session will aid participants in ethically and effectively serving clients experiencing diminished capacity by sharing practical guidance based on real-world scenarios, and discussing the relevant Maryland Attorneys’ Rules of Professional Conduct.

Panelists:

1. TBD - Atty practicing in Elder Law & Guardianship, TBD - Private practice - TBD
2. TBD - Atty practicing in Disability rights, TBD - TBD
3. TBD - Atty in different practice area, TBD - serving clients impacted by addiction, mental illness, or trauma - TBD

Moderator: Megan Good, Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service - Baltimore City; mgood@mvlslaw.org

Coordinator: Megan Good, Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service - Baltimore City; mgood@mvlslaw.org

Why it matters: The challenges of serving a client with diminished capacity arise in every legal area, and as members of the legal services community, we are the safety net for serving our most vulnerable community members. If we are not equipped to serve low-income individuals who have diminished capacity, they risk not only losing out on their legal rights, but losing their autonomy. If we don't feel equipped to assist someone on the margins as our client, the client's family may decide to pursue guardianship proceedings as the only route forward.

Providing greater access to this type of professional development has been an ongoing topic within MVLS in recent months, and as we work to pull together experienced practitioners in different areas to offer this training, I would love to bring this content to the Partners for Justice Conference.

Theme(s):

• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging
• Pro Bono Engagement

Safe City Baltimore: A Model for Publicly Funded Coordinated Legal Services for Immigrants

The City of Baltimore has publicly funded legal resources for immigrants continually since 2017 to ensure due process for all. With the increasing threats to immigrant communities and an infusion of two million dollars in public funding, the Baltimore City Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MIMA) relaunched and expanded Safe City Baltimore in 2025. The multitier model offers legal resources to immigrants at any level of interaction with immigration enforcement – those who are non-detained, at-risk of detention, or detained. In this session, we will focus on a hotline operated by the ABA that represents a unique approach to legal service coordination and delivery. The ABA-operated hotline conducts initial intakes and screenings for legal relief and then assigns those with viable cases to a network of immigration legal service providers. PBRC both accepts referrals from the hotline and conducts intakes at the Baltimore Immigration Court. MIMA oversaw the project and coordinated outreach and collaboration with other Safe City Baltimore providers. At the time of the panel, the hotline will have been operational less than one year, and we will share both successes and lessons learned in hopes that the project may serve as a model for other jurisdictions.

Panelists:

1. Catalina Rodriguez Lima, Baltimore City Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs - Baltimore City
2. Adonia Simpson, American Bar Association Commission on Immigration - Baltimore City
3. TBD, PBRC - Baltimore City

Moderator: I will recruit a moderator for this session if selected.

Coordinator: Katie Miller, Baltimore City Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs - Baltimore City; katie.miller@baltimorecity.gov

Why it matters: The project offers a new model for coordinating immigration legal service providers in a single jurisdiction while incorporating volunteers – multilingual paralegals, law students, non-immigration attorney, and immigration attorneys. We believe our comprehensive approach provides a learning opportunity for other jurisdictions, especially in a moment when the expansion of effective legal services for immigrants is crucial.

Theme(s):

• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging
• Innovative Service
• Pro Bono Engagement

Using Day of Hearing Representation to provide Holistic Lawyering

This session will explore strategies for using "day of hearing" outreach for housing dockets as a means to onboard clients for extensive services including but not limited to other services provided by our organization and any other potential referral.  Same day representation has become a weekly outreach in virtually every county in the state for civil legal aid.  This growth in one specific type of outreach is being used to bring clients in for extensive services to help the root cause of their issues.

Panelists:

1. James Bell, MLA - Howard
2. Jenn Weil, CLS - Montgomery
3. Meredith Girard, Shore Legal - Talbot

Moderator: I will recruit a moderator for this session if selected.

Coordinator: James Bell, MLA - Howard; jbell@mdlab.org

Why it matters: Same day has been a hot button issue the past 4 years at this conference.  As we continue to learn as we go, our focus has moved beyond best practices.  This will focus on how we can use those new outreaches to provide further aid to our clients.

Theme(s):

• Innovative Service
• Substantive Legal

Alternative Avenues for Advocacy

This panel will explore advocacy outside of the courtroom and state legislature.  This past year we have seen several hot button issues taken up by the rules committee. The Forms committee has been a source of referrals (on the old FTPR form) and interpret the law.  Local legislative bodies make binding law.  This panel will discuss how to advocate in those areas, and provide stories based upon experience with those committees and local legislative bodies.

Panelists:

1. Pamela Ortiz, Administrative Office of the Courts - Anne Arundel
2. Lisa Sarro, CLS - Anne Arundel
3. Matilda Smith, UMD School of Law. - Baltimore City

Moderator:  James Bell, MLA - Howard

Coordinator: James Bell, MLA - Howard; jbell@mdlab.org

Why it matters: These bodies effect our practice in significant ways, but often organizations overlook advocating for change in through those bodies.  Many oppositions to rules changes through the committee are taken up at the 0th hour as a result of a lack of practice in advocating before those bodies.   This will hopefully expand the means in which Public interest advocates can advocate for clients in a far reaching context beyond the state legislature.

Theme(s):

• Innovative Service
• Management

Urban Issues of Heirs Properties

The session would be a viewing and Q&A for a 40-minute documentary on heirs properties filmed in Baltimore. The documentary covers the cost of heirs properties economically and emotionally but provides some solutions. The documentary is being developed as a teaching tool for a heirs property resolution program that the SOS Fund is developing to support families.

Panelists:

1. N/A, N/A - N/A
2. N/A, N/A - N/A
3. N/A, N/A - N/A

Moderator:  Steven Kappen, MVLS - Baltimore City

Coordinator: Nneka Nnamdi, The SOS Fund - Baltimore City; nneka@thesosfund.com

Why it matters: Heirs property causes home, equity and neighborhood loss. It is relevant to the legal services community and the conference because resolving heirs properties is a matter of generational justice. This documentary will help attorneys understand the issue better on the familial level.

Theme(s):

• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging
• Innovative Service

Best A2J Legal Tech & AI Tools to Start Using NOW!

This panel will showcase the best Legal Tech and AI tools that are useful for civil legal aid organizations and attorneys to start using now. We will have some demos and explanations about what these tools are and how they can be useful in making your life easier and more efficient.

Panelists:

1. Reena Shah, MD Access to Justice Commission - Baltimore City
2. Russ Bloomquist, Maryland Legal Aid - Baltimore City
3. Angela Tripp, Legal Services Corporation - Washington DC

Moderator: I will recruit a moderator for this session if selected.

Coordinator: Reena Shah, MD Access to Justice Commission - Baltimore City; reena@msba.org

Why it matters: Legal Tech and AI tools are changing so rapidly and we want to make sure our community can take full advantage of what is available in an equitable way. This is an opportunity to learn about tools and start applying them.

Theme(s):

• Innovative Service, Technology & Data

The Maryland Rules of Procedure and Access to Justice

Through the program, we will discuss the role of the Maryland Rules Committee and the importance of the Maryland Rules to access to justice in Maryland's courts.

Panelists:

1. Judge Yvette M. Bryant, Chair, Maryland Rules Committee - Anne Arundel
2. Colby Schmidt, Deputy Reporter, Standing Committee on the Rules of Practice and Procedure - Anne Arundel

Moderator: I don't think my session needs a moderator.

Coordinator: Yvette M. Bryant, Maryland Judiciary/Standing Committee on the Rules of Practice and Procedure - Anne Arundel ; Yvette.Bryant@mdcourts.gov

Why it matters: Many individuals find themselves self-represented, and having to navigate their cases with limited guidance. Learning information about the Maryland Supreme Court's rules of procedure may help individuals to understand where, and how to access information they need to work through their legal matters..

Theme(s):

• Substantive Legal
• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging

Expanding Judicial Access: Elevating Legal Service Providers to the Bench

Legal service providers—civil legal aid attorneys, immigration and housing advocates, and community-based practitioners—bring invaluable client-centered expertise to the judiciary, yet often face opaque processes and systemic barriers when seeking judicial roles. This session will demystify pathways to the bench by explaining how judicial selection and appointment systems work, identifying what experience is most valued, and showing participants how to translate their legal services background into competencies sought in judicial evaluations. Presenters will offer practical guidance on preparing strong applications, cultivating references and mentorship, building a professional profile, and navigating political dynamics, while also addressing equity issues within judicial pipelines and the importance of increasing representation from legal services. Attendees will leave with a clear understanding of the steps involved and an actionable roadmap for pursuing judicial service rooted in community-focused values.

Potential Speakers:

• Michelle Siri, MLSC
• Justice Angela Eaves, Supreme Court of Maryland and former staff attorney for Legal Aid Bureau
• Hon. Troy Hill, Circuit Court for Baltimore City and former staff attorney for Legal Aid Bureau
• Amanda LaForge, Chief Legal Counsel for Gov. Wes Moore
• Rebecca Fleming, Esq., Turnbull, Nicholson, and Sanders and Chair of Judicial Nominating Commission for Harford County

Coordinator: Judge Michael Siri, Baltimore County District Court;  michael.siri@mdcourts.gov

Themes:

• Pro Bono Engagement

New Recommendations Target Maryland’s Justice Gap with Innovative Legal Service Tiers and Regulatory Reform

Hundreds of thousands of low and modest means Marylanders’ legal needs go unmet each year due to the state’s dearth of income-appropriate legal services. Find out how Maryland's Innovations in Tiered Legal Services Task Force – a collaboration between the Judiciary, the MSBA, and the Maryland Access to Justice Commission – is meeting the moment with new kinds of service providers, innovative delivery models, and the courage to pilot change. Join us for an engaging panel discussion about the Task Force’s forthcoming findings and recommendations that position Maryland at the forefront of an emerging national movement. Learn about three novel tiers proposed for Maryland’s legal profession – legal practitioners, community justice workers, and AI-powered legal technologies – and the cutting-edge regulatory reforms needed to actualize those tiers and establish appropriate benchmarks and standards of practice for consumers’ protection.

Panelist:

1. Hon. Angela M. Eaves, Maryland Supreme Court - Baltimore & Harford Counties
2. Reena K. Shah, Maryland Access to Justice Commission - Baltimore City
3. Natalie McSherry, Kramon & Graham - Baltimore City

Coordinator: Reena K. Shah, Maryland Access to Justice Commission - Baltimore City; reena@msba.org

Why it matters:  The forthcoming Innovations in Tiered Legal Services Task Force findings and recommendations that are the focus of this proposed workshop have the potential to improve access to justice statewide, create new career opportunities for Marylanders, and strengthen Maryland’s civil legal system.

Themes:

• Substantive Legal
• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging

Know Your (Their) Rights when Interacting with Immigration and Customs Enforcement

With increased ICE enforcement across Maryland and nationally, it is important for advocates to know what rights immigrants have when interacting with ICE. Attendees at this panel will learn about what the right to remain silent and related rights actually mean for the immigrants themselves and those trying to support the immigrant community. They will leave with concrete tips for handling these interactions and with resources about what to do and who to call if they are made aware of someone who has become detained by ICE.

Panelists:

1. Jon Kaplan, Retired ICE-OPLA attorney
2. Suleyka Canelo, Alexa Siegel, or Shannon Rommel, MILAP, Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland

Moderator: Cate Scenna, MILAP, Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland

Coordinator: Cate Scenna, MILAP, Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland - Baltimore City; cscenna@probonomd.org

Themes:

• Substantive Legal

Reentry In Action: Legislation, Representation and Community Collaboration

This workshop explores how coordinated efforts between legislative advocacy, legal representation, and community partnerships drive meaningful reentry reform. Using real-world examples and data-informed practices, participants will examine how laws, policy initiatives, and collaborative engagement can improve outcomes for individuals transitioning from incarceration back into their communities.

This session will provide insight into how legislative developments shape reentry opportunities, how defenders and advocates can elevate client voices within the justice process, and how community partners across all spectrums can strengthen reintegration through collaborative problem-solving. The session highlights the interconnected roles of policymakers, public defenders, and advocates in advancing justice, equity, and sustainable support systems for returning citizens.

Speakers: TBD

Coordinator: Shannice Anderson, Maryland Office of the Public Defender; Shannice.Anderson@maryland.gov

Themes: Innovative Service

MERGED SESSION

Understanding and Using New and Existing Laws to Represent Tenants

This session will explain new tenants' rights laws, as well as be a refresher course on existing laws, and how to use them in representing Tenants in District  and Circuit Court Court defense and affirmative actions.

Panelists:

1. Chelsea Ortega, Santoni, Vocci & Ortega, LLC - Baltimore
2. Judge Michael Siri, Baltimore County District Court - Baltimore
3. Matt Hill, Public Justice - Baltimore City

Moderator: I will recruit a moderator for this session if selected.

Coordinator: Jane Santoni, Santoni, Vocci & Ortega, LLC - Baltimore; jsantoni@svolaw.com

Why it matters: Housing issues affect every human being, and the laws have been an ever changing landscape.  Understanding what laws exist and how to use them is critical to representing this vulnerable population.

Theme(s):

• Substantive Legal

The Effect of Recent Changes to Landlord Tenant Law on Tenants in a Courtroom

There have been significant changes to landlord tenant law via statute and case law in recent years. These include: rental license requirements, 60 day notice to vacate, notice of intent to file, the Tenant Safety Act, changes to autorenewal provisions in leases, failure to pay rent cases being considered debt collection matters, to name a few. The panel will discuss how the panel is seeing these changes implemented in various jurisdictions and how the changes are effecting tenants in Maryland.

Panelists:

1. Kate DeNobile, DeNobile Law - Montgomery
2. Matilda Smith, University of Maryland - Baltimore City
3. Jennifer Weil, Community Legal Services - Prince George's

Moderator:  Mary Migues-Jordan, Civil Justice - Baltimore City

Coordinator: Kathleen (Kate) DeNobile, DeNobile Law - Montgomery; kdenobile@denobilelaw.com

Why it matters: This is important because it is important to know how laws are effecting tenants and how these laws are being implemented in various jurisdictions. Panelists will cover both in rem and collections proceedings against tenants

Theme(s):

• Substantive Legal