CLIENT IS A 72-YEAR-OLD BALTIMORE CITY RESIDENT. CLIENT’S SON DIED RECENTLY. AS A RESULT, CLIENT WANTS TO HAVE HER 25-YEAR-OLD SPECIAL NEEDS GRANDSON AND HER 13-YEAR-OLD GRANDDAUGHTER LIVE WITH HER FULL TIME. NOTE; GRANDSON’S MOTHER IS STILL LIVING. GRANDDAUGHTER’S PARENTS ARE DECEASED. CLIENT’S SON WAS THE REP. PAYEE FOR BOTH GRANDSON AND GRANDDAUGHTER. CLIENT HAS SECURED A LARGER APT. WITH 3 BEDROOMS TO ACCOMMODATE BOTH. NOTE: 13 YEAR OLD’S SISTER AND GRANDMOTHER HAVE BEEN INTERCEPTING PHONE CALLS AND TELLING GRANDDAUGHTER TO COME TO LIVE WITH THEM. CLIENT HAS AN APPOINTMENT WITH SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION ON 4/13/2021 TO DISCUSS BENEFIT ISSUES. Interested in representing this client? Please call Senior Legal Services at (410)-396-1322.

Thursday, April 22, 9:00-11:00am
Join us to learn more about the U.S. immigration system, obtaining advocacy experience, and providing valuable pro bono legal representation for a vulnerable child facing deportation. The presentation will cover an overview of unaccompanied immigrant children and the laws that affect them; working with child clients and interpreters; family court and immigration proceedings for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status cases in Maryland; asylum law; and cases available for placement. This training is required for new pro bono attorneys prior to taking on their first KIND case, but there is no requirement of accepting a case to attend.

Please RSVP to the training by Friday, April 16 using the following link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfKdQRFRBiq2MhWZnxSw7sKIXkKFt20hcBh1Iod7Oh3hT344A/viewform or email Program Assistant Daniela Powers at dpowers@supportkind.org if you completed the registration form previously.

April 30 @ 12:00 pm – 2:30 pm

Two experienced employment lawyers will provide a training on risks and best practices to a mixed group of:

• leaders of small nonprofits; and
• volunteer lawyers.

The initial presentation will include an open Q/A session for nonprofit employers. After the initial presentation, nonprofit attendees will leave, and the trainers will facilitate a follow-up discussion and Q/A from the volunteer lawyers. Volunteer lawyers must commit to providing brief advice to a nonprofit client of Community Law Center (CLC) within one year from this registration.

Topics will include questions like these:

• Can employers require employees to get tested or vaccinated before returning to the work site?
• What physical resources and allowances should employers provide to on-site or remote employees, and to in-person customers?
• What changes to policy or employee handbooks should an employer make regarding COVID?
• What should an employer do if an employee/volunteer/member of the public believes they caught COVID at the work site?
• How can, should, or must an employer accommodate employees who are at high risk, or who are sick?
• Which laws cover which employers?

Register here.

Wednesday, May 19, 2021, 12pm-1pm EST
This webinar will discuss the different types of motions commonly filed in immigration court and how to know which motion to file depending on the current posture of your case or what you are trying to accomplish.

Register for this training by Monday, May 17, here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_CDkVw5NaQkCjwNogCpp7LQ.

The Women’s Law Center of Maryland operates an Employment Law Hotline every Tuesday and Friday from 9:30 am to 1 pm, and on the first Thursday of every month, from 5 pm to 7:30 pm. We are seeking more volunteers on the hotline, hoping you will take 2-4 shifts a year. Volunteers need some experience in employment law, so you can screen the calls effectively. The shift can be done from your office (or anywhere with a phone). You are eligible to receive referrals of cases that come in through the hotline, if desired.

If you would like to volunteer, call 410-321-8761 or download a volunteer application.

MCLA is actively seeking pro bono attorneys to assist pro se litigants remotely, via online chat and/or telephone. As a MCLA pro bono attorney, you choose the area of practice in which you feel most confident, including family law, landlord/tenant, consumer, expungements, and foreclosures, or identify an area of practice in which you would like to sharpen your skills. There is no minimum time commitment – volunteer anytime from 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. MCLA provides training, resources, and malpractice insurance for its volunteer attorneys. Support and mentoring are also provided in real-time during volunteer shifts!

For more information, or to sign up: MCLA Pro Bono Attorney Registration Form.

Maryland.FreeLegalAnswers.org (Pro bono – anywhere, anytime)

Remotely review and answer brief legal questions for low-income Marylanders as part of this ABA-sponsored initiative. Malpractice insurance provided.

Check out the site: Maryland.FreeLegalAnswers.org

Attorney Volunteer Registration Instructions

Law Firm / Corporate Law Department Guide to ABA Free Legal Answers

Mid–Shore Pro Bono is currently accepting calls for civil legal assistance, especially older people in need of end of life planning documents, including a medical health directive, will, and power of attorney. We need volunteer attorneys to provide remote legal assistance including counseling calls and document preparation. To volunteer, please e-mail Meredith Lathbury Girard, Esq., Managing Attorney at: mgirard@midshoreprobono.org.

 

MVLS Volunteer Attorney Obligations

• Attorney must execute the Judicare contract.
• Absent exceptional circumstances, attorney must represent client through the life of the case, even after a Judicare case has exceeded the maximum reimbursement of hours.
• Representation includes entering appearance in the client’s legal action.
• Attorney may not charge the Client legal fees for legal work provided. 
• Attorney is not obligated to pay any filing fees or other court costs on behalf of the client.  Attorney must seek to have fees waived by the court.
• Attorney should submit reimbursement for litigation expenses to PBRC, and any remaining expenses should be paid by the client.
• Litigation Expenses. Requests for litigation reimbursement need to be submitted to the Pro Bono Resource Center.  To get more information or the required forms, visit www.probonomd.org/litigation-fund-policy.

Attorney Payment

• Complete instructions are included in the Judicare contract.
  • An attorney is paid $100 per hour up to a maximum of 30 hours ($3,000) per case for legal services provided.
    • Judicare funds can only be used for legal services.  It does not include other staff work, fees, travel time, etc.
  • Invoices
    • Invoices should be submitted quarterly during representation.  Invoices must specify name of client, case number, and a description of legal services provided with the dates and time of service in 10 minute increments.
    • Request for payment must include:
      • Detailed invoice
      • Case Update or Closure form
        • If case is closed –Any final legal documents (court order, etc.)
    • Payments are generally provided within 30 days of submission.
      • The final $500 in fees will be held until the case is closed.

Questions?

Margaret Henn, Director of Program Management, 443-451-4067 or mhenn@mvlslaw.org
Makeisha Gibson, Senior Paralegal, 443-451-4072 or mgibson@mvlslaw.org

Do you have more than three years of family law experience?

Are you an attorney who would like to handle a Judicare case (contested custody) in Baltimore County at a reduced fee? Download a volunteer application.

For more information: www.wlcmd.org/how-we-help/judicare-project

Do you have more than three years of family law experience?

Are you an attorney who would like to handle a Judicare (family law) case at a reduced fee? Download a volunteer registration form.

For more information: https://midshoreprobono.org/volunteering-for-mspb/lawyers/

Do you have more than three years of family law experience?

Are you an attorney who would like to handle a Judicare case (family law) in Montgomery County at a reduced fee? Download a volunteer application.

For more information: www.barmont.org/page/116

Do you have more than three years of family law experience?

Are you an attorney who would like to handle a Judicare case (family law) in Allegany County at a reduced fee? Please call Allegany Law at 301-722-3390.

For more information: www.alleganylaw.com/volunteer/

Do you have more than three years of family law experience?

Are you an attorney who would like to handle a Judicare case (family law) in Prince George’s County at a reduced fee? Fill out a volunteer application.

For more information: www.clspgc.org/get-involved/volunteer/