Celebrate Pro Bono by volunteering to take a case or offer legal advice to those in need. See the following list of opportunities for Anne Arundel County attorneys:
Lawyer in the Library (virtual): Volunteer at a free non-family, civil clinic for a two-hour session via Zoom. Provide brief advice to pro se litigants on general legal issues. This is a great way to help members of the community in a concrete, manageable way. During each session, you could speak with a litigant and provide brief advice about issues related to small claims, landlord/tenant, simple wills, and other legal issues. Contact Joan Bellistri at joan.bellistri@mdcourts.gov, for more information.
Family Law Skills and Study Group: Join this study group/skills-honing group and learn more about practicing family law in Anne Arundel County. Take a pro bono family law case and meet with the group to learn more, exchange ideas, and share your experiences. You can gain knowledge and experience while helping underserved litigants in Anne Arundel County. Contact Tasnima Apol at tapol@apollaw.org to learn more.
YWCA Legal Services: Intimate partner protective order petition cases in Anne Arundel County, serving in both the District and Circuit Courts: Volunteer in the legal department or as an advocate. Contact: Davida Bortmes, Esq. at dbortmes@ywcaaac.org or 410-626-7800.
Maryland Court Help Center: Provide assistance with civil issues via chat and phone. Lawyers answer questions on a full range of civil case types handled by both Circuit and District courts. Legal issues include:
- Landlord and Tenant Matters
- Family Law Matters (divorce, custody, child support, and guardianship)
- Small and Large Claims
- Expungement and Shielding of Records
- Consumer Matters (car repossessions, debt collection, and credit card cases)
- Return of Property (replevin and detinue)
- Domestic Violence/Peace Orders
- Foreclosure
Contact: Tattiana Goluskin @ cgoluskin@mdcla.org
MVLS – Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service is Anne Arundel County’s Pro Bono Referral Service: https://mvlslaw.org/volunteer/#
Volunteers are supported with malpractice insurance, mentors, free training, use of MVLS offices to meet with clients, and reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses.
Maryland Free Legal Answers – (Pro Bono in your PJs): Provide legal advice via email to low income Marylanders.
Sign-up here:https://maryland.freelegalanswers.org/
PBRC – Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland is Maryland’s clearinghouse for and source of many pro bono opportunities: https://probonomd.org/volunteers/
Not sure what is best for you? The Maryland Call to Action will match you with a Pro Bono Opportunity: https://probonomd.org/call-to-action/
The Joint COVID-19 Access to Justice Task Force, the Maryland Attorney General, Maryland Judiciary, Maryland State Bar Association and Maryland Access to Justice Commission joined forces to deliver an urgent call to action for pro bono. They urge every attorney in Maryland to take at least one pro bono case or provide a designated number of pro bono service hours over the next year to help in the areas with the most acute need, namely housing, consumer, public benefits or family law.
If you have questions or additional ideas about pro bono projects that you would like to see developed, please contact the law library at 410-222-1387 or AALawLibrarian@mdcourts.gov.
AACPLL Blog: Law Library News 