Thursday, January 21, 9:00-11:00am Please 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 pro bono attorneys prior to taking on their first KIND case, but there is no requirement of accepting a case to attend. Please RSVP using the following link by Friday, January 15th here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfKdQRFRBiq2MhWZnxSw7sKIXkKFt20hcBh1Iod7Oh3hT344A/viewform

Thursday, January 21, 9:00-11:00am

Please join us to learn about the U.S. immigration system, obtaining advocacy experience, and providing 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 introductory 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 using the following link by Friday, January 15th here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfKdQRFRBiq2MhWZnxSw7sKIXkKFt20hcBh1Iod7Oh3hT344A/viewform

January 25 @ 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

The Impact Speaker Series is a monthly 1-hour virtual lunch discussion with community organization members, volunteers, and PBRC’s project staff to discuss current events/issues and the importance of clinic projects. Each live event is recorded and later linked on this webpage for continued viewing. This program is free to all advocates.

Register here.

 

Please RSVP by Monday, January 25 here: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0lfuCvrj0qGtRlqsn0itjaDq4FfKbDJg1V

 

February 3 @ 10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Topics include:

• Tips on the most frequent procedural issues that pro se litigants face when representing themselves in Maryland’s state courts.
• Best practices for providing brief advice on a variety of legal issues.
• Resources for making effective referrals to legal service providers in the community.

Participating lawyers must agree to volunteering 4 hours on the Maryland Center for Legal Assistance (MCLA) chat or phone hotline within 1 year of registering.

Co-sponsored by Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland and Maryland Center for Legal Assistance

Register here.

February 5 @ 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm

This training provides practical information on the topic of experts – including creative ideas for how to work with expert testimony even if you don’t have a big budget. We’ll cover:

• Procedural basics with expert witnesses
• Discovery issues
• Expert reports
• Expert testimony
• Cost-cutting ideas

Litigation Skills Series trainings includes three components: a 50-minute skills training; a 50-minute exercise; and a 50-minute mentoring roundtable, where attendees can bring up litigation questions they’re currently facing (whether related to the presentation topic or not), and get input from the group. The skills segment will be recorded for continued use.

Participation is open to attorneys who have already accepted a pro bono commitment through a PBRC training within the past 12 months OR who commit to answer at least 3 legal questions for low-income Marylanders using the https://Maryland.FreeLegalAnswers.org website, within 1 year of registering.

Register here.

CLS is proud to announce our Virtual Expungement Clinic on February 20, 2021, 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. We need volunteer attorneys for our event. Attorneys will receive training and there will be help on the day of to answer specific questions. You can sign up for either the full time or in part. Email Catrina C. Aquilino to volunteer, at aquillino@clspgc.org .

CLS is proud to announce our Virtual Expungement Clinic on March 6, 2021, 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. We need volunteer attorneys for our event. Attorneys will receive training and there will be help on the day of to answer specific questions. You can sign up for either the full time or in part. Email Catrina C. Aquilino to volunteer, at aquillino@clspgc.org.

Volunteer attorneys are needed to assist pro se litigants remotely, via live chat and/or phone. Keep your legal skills sharp by practicing law you already know, or learn a new practice area!

With MCLA, you choose the type of brief legal advice you want to give, whenever you want!

• Log in anywhere you have internet access.
• Training & resources are available.
• Covered by MCLA’s malpractice insurance.
• Volunteers are anonymous to litigants.
• Available Monday through Friday, between 8:30 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.
• No minimum time commitment required.

https://bit.ly/MCLAProBono

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. For more information, call Mary Keating at (410) 532-8900 or email at mkeating@wlcmd.org.

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/