Category: Pro Bono

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Anne Arundel Local Pro Bono Committee – Update

The following was submitted to the AABA newsletter, the Barrister.

A report on the Local Pro Bono Committee should begin with an overview of the Committee’s purpose.  The Local Pro Bono Committee is a separate entity from the AABA Pro Bono Committee and exists per Maryland Rule 16-902.  The rule provides that the committee  consist of a combination of judges, attorneys and the general public. The Committee is charged with working with legal services providers and pro bono referral organizations to develop a Local Pro Bono Action Plan to “promote pro bono legal service to meet the needs of persons of limited means in the county.”  Kevin Shaeffer chaired the committee that wrote the plan in 2004.  The Committee stopped meeting after a time.  In 2010 interest in pro bono service sparked by AABA president Jonathan Kagan lead to the formal reconstitution of the Committee in July 2011.  Through the work of the Committee and volunteer attorneys Anne Arundel County has established some good limited legal advice programs.  The Committee  must now concentrate on what can be done to increase pro bono representation in our county.  (Anne Arundel is again last in the state in reporting pro bono hours.)  The Committee has partnered with the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service which acts as the Anne Arundel Pro Bono referral service.  There are still more clients from Anne Arundel County in need of representation than there are Anne Arundel volunteers.

The 2013 year began with the Annual Pro Bono Recognition Lunch in January.  Attorneys who volunteer in the “Ask a Lawyer” programs by providing services in the Anne Arundel County Public Law Library, at the North County Area Library of the Anne Arundel County Public Library system and at the Annual Anne Arundel County Homeless Resource Day were invited to lunch where they were thanked for their service and received certificates that detailed their pro bono hours for the year of 2012.  Circuit court judges Hon. Nancy Davis-Loomis, Hon. Phillip Caroom, Hon. Ronald Silkworth, Hon. Alison Asti and Master Timothy Thurtle as well as Court Administrator, Doug Hofstedt, and Nancy Faulkner, Director of Court Operations attended to show their appreciation.  The 38 volunteer “Ask a Lawyer” attorneys provided 206 hours of free legal advice to 445 clients in 2012.

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The Annual Anne Arundel Homeless Resource Day was held on March 16 at Glen Burnie High School.  Even though it was not held on the traditional last weekend of March, attendance was not affected.  This was the 6th Annual Homeless Resource Day and the 5th in which Anne Arundel Attorneys have provided legal services.  There were 14 volunteers this year who took on either a morning or afternoon shift.  The volunteers consisted of a large contingent of Legal Aid Attorneys who have the experience needed to handle the issues facing many of the homeless.  This year Anita Bailey, Margaret Leonard, Amy Siegel, and Kathy Hughes represented Legal Aid.  Judson Arnold and Denis O’Connell who are with the Office of the Public Defender were able to help with criminal issues.  They performed 2 intakes for representation. The varied experience of private practice attorneys is always needed and appreciated.  This year Make Valadez, Tasnima Apol, Jim Sauer, Kari Fawcett, Gene Brennan, Scott MacMullan and Ginina Stevenson volunteered. Past experience had shown that there are usually more clients in the morning but this year the afternoon seemed just as busy.  There were 88 participants in all who used the legal services this year to find answers to 95 legal questions. While this was a small increase over last year, in 2009, the first year, there were only 4 attorneys who helped 50 clients.  The majority of those are seeking assistance with expungement or family law.  Representatives from the Homeless Persons Representation Project (HPRP), Atonia Fasanelli and Katie Scott provided support with expungement issues at the event and provided training for volunteers beforehand.  Of the 31 asking for assistance with expungement, there were 4 referrals to HPRP and only 3 that actually met the qualifications for filing.  This year we had additional assistance from the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service.  Executive Director, Bonnie Sullivan and Sally Snowberger, the Foreclosure Prevention Housing Counselor,  were able to provide assistance and perform intakes for the 7 who qualified.  The Anne Arundel County Homeless Resource Day was the first Homeless Day in Maryland and is being used as a model across the state at the request of Governor O’Malley.

In order to share ideas for the promotion of pro bono service the Court of Appeals Standing Committee on Pro Bono Service held a regional meeting on March 18 for the Local Pro Bono Committees of Anne Arundel, Carroll, Frederick and HowardCounties. Although it was held in March just two days before the start of spring,  the winter-like weather made travel to HowardCounty difficult.  Still, most all who responded made it to the meeting. Attending from Anne Arundel County were Joanie Bellistri, Law Librarian and Chair; Anita Bailey, Lisa Sarro, and Sarah Frush of the Legal Aid Bureau; Judge North and Judge Silkworth from the Anne Arundel County Circuit Court;  Chris Poulsen,  Anne Arundel County Department of Social Services Program Manager; Scott MacMullan representing the Anne Arundel County MSBA Young Lawyers Section and Elizabeth Morris of the Office of the Attorney General.  The program involved a number of guided, small group discussions on topics such as the pro bono referral process, volunteer recruitment and retention, collaborating with the bench, and client needs v. volunteer interest and expertise.  Each group was created by assigned dinner seating so that there was a good mix based on location and background at each table for the discussion.  Group findings were reported to the larger group and all seemed to touch on the same basic points no matter the topic.  In brief, it was found that there is a need for full representation, especially in family law cases, that is not being met.  Pro bono service needs to become a part of the local bar’s culture.  Methods for encouraging increased pro bono participation included recognition of volunteers through awards programs, special treatment in the court room or free photocopies, and thank you letters from the bench; support of volunteers with training, mentoring and case costs; and awareness of legal service programs that will place volunteer attorneys  and programs that provide referrals for those in need of the services.  The evening ended with a meeting of each county’s representatives to discuss their county’s needs and to plan for that county’s pro bono activities. As a result you should see renewed efforts to increase pro bono participation in Anne Arundel County.  Right now, please consider giving pro bono service a try.  If every attorney in Anne Arundel would agree to take just one pro bono case, we could see a big improvement in the lives of those facing legal problems without assistance and an increase in Anne Arundel’s reported pro bono hours.

Please contact the Local Pro Bono Committee with any questions, ideas, suggestions or to join: 410-222-1387 or library@circuitcourt.org.

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National Pro Bono Week: Celebrate Anne Arundel County Volunteers

It is important to celebrate the attorneys who provide pro bono service in Anne Arundel County.  Attorneys take cases through MVLS, participate in the Foreclosure Pro Bono Prevention Project, provide limited legal advice at the annual Anne Arundel County Homeless Resource Day and at Ask a Lawyer in the Library programs.  Attorneys provide pro bono service through formal programs and others provide pro bono service independently.  Posters of  pro bono volunteers have been displayed in the law library this week and have been added here. They are representative of the many  pro bono opportunities in which Anne Arundel attorneys participate.

The Anne Arundel Local Pro Bono Committee wishes to recognize and thank all of the Anne Arundel County attorneys providing pro bono service.

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Celebrate Pro Bono with a Pro Bono Law Practice

To celebrate Pro Bono during the National Pro Bono Week the Anne Arundel County Local Pro Bono Committee invited Michelle Moodispaw to our monthly meeting.  The Committee wanted to learn more about her unique pro bono law firm, the Law Office of  Michelle Moodspaw.  Not only did the Committee have a good discussion of the types of pro bono services as a result, it added Michelle as a new member.

Michelle established her law firm with a goal to provide legal services to those who otherwise would not.  Some do not qualify for legal service programs but still cannot afford an attorney.  Others who may meet the financial criteria may not fall within the guidelines for the types of cases that the service provider takes.  The law firm provides both free and reduced fee legal services.

Service provided by the firm ranges from brief limited advice consultations to full representation.  Clients are referred via a number of different organizations that include the ABA Military Pro Bono Project, Mid-Shore Pro Bono, KIND, We Care and Friends and MVLS. An article in the Sun in 2010, ” New law firm seeks clients who can’t afford a lawyer: Attorneys say they want to help fill gap for services to people of limited means,”  helped get the word out as well.

Of the 180 cases taken so far, 61 of those are civil with about half of those involving family matters.  Other civil case types include immigration, housing and denial of benefits.  Michelle is on the Public Defender’s Panel in Anne Arundel and Baltimore counties and handles district court and post-conviction matters, too.  At this point, Michelle is reassessing her firm’s mission based on a desire to reach more people.

With her pro bono experience Michelle was able to offer insight as to best practices for encouraging pro bono service.  She mentioned that she finds it easier to handle a case through an established pro bono legal service provider.  The provider will have performed the intake and can have basic case information ready.  She also suggested that a local pro bono referral service might make local attorneys feel that the service was their own and would then be more inclined to volunteer.  Of course, this lead to  discussion of how such a service could be established.  This discussion will be ongoing.

While it is true that this model of a pro bono practice will not work for most, it can act as an inspiration for attorneys to provide at least the minimum of 50 hours of pro bono service each year.

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Celebrate Pro Bono 2012: Anne Arundel County Attorneys and PBRC

Oftentimes attorneys are reluctant to take a pro bono case because the case involves issues that they do not deal with on a regular basis.  This problem can be easily remedied through the many free training opportunities offered by pro bono providers. The Pro Bono Resource Center (PBRC) as the statewide coordinator of pro bono for Maryland can not only match an attorney with the right pro bono activity but also the training and support needed to provide the pro bono service. PBRC offers training on a variety of topics in number of locations around the state.  On the PBRC website now there is an announcement about a family law training in Easton and a special education training held in Baltimore City.  PBRC  offers training via webcasts as well.  Free and discounted slots for a selection of MSBA Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Courses are offered through the PBRC and Maryland State Bar Association. These training opportunities are free but attorneys are required to provide pro bono service in return.  More details on all of these training options can be found on the  “general information page:” http://www.probonomd.org/general-info.

The PBRC highlights four pro bono projects that involve special training and opportunities on their website.  They are the Veterans’ Benefits Pro Bono Project, the Pro Bono Family Mediation Project, the Consumer Protection Project, and the Foreclosure Prevention Pro Bono Project.

As part of their National Pro Bono Week campaign to increase pro bono participation by Anne Arundel attorneys, the Anne Arundel County Local Pro Bono Committee encouraged involvement in the Foreclosure Prevention Project.  It is hoped that with more Anne Arundel attorneys participating in the project that a Foreclosure Workshop could be scheduled in the county.  We know the need is there. Anne Arundel County had the 5th largest number of foreclosures in the state as reported in the Department of Housing and Community Development report, Property Foreclosures in Maryland Third Quarter 2012.  PBRC extended a special invitation to attend a live training on November 2: A Practical Guide for Representing Homeowners at Foreclosure Mediation.  Special arrangements can be made for viewing the prerequisite webinar for the class: The New Foreclosure Prevention 101 – A Beginner’s Guide.  Details on the training and the program can be found here: http://www.probonomd.org/foreclosure-prevention-training.

It is hoped that the more attorneys are aware of the pro bono opportunities, training and support provided by such organizations as the PBRC that the numbers of Anne Arundel County attorneys providing 50 or more hours of pro bono service will increase.

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Celebrate Pro Bono 2012: Anne Arundel County Attorneys and MVLS

Celebrate Pro Bono by volunteering to provide pro bono service.  Pro bono programs are in need of more Anne Arundel County attorneys to handle cases in the county.    The number of attorneys providing pro bono service is increasing.  Based on statistics collected for the report Current Status of Pro Bono Service Among Maryland Lawyers, Year 2010 issued November 9, 2011, Anne Arundel County has moved from last to 20th place in the number of attorneys who have provided 50 hours or more of pro bono service. It is clear that Anne Arundel County attorneys can do more and can continue this trend.

Anne Arundel does not have its  own pro bono referral service but by partnering with the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service (MVLS) there is a way for Anne Arundel attorneys to be matched with clients in need of pro bono representation.  The Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service reports that many cases needing representation in Anne Arundel county are taken by attorneys from other counties.  It is easy to add your name to the MVLS roster. Just visit the volunteer page on the MVLS website and simply fill out the online form.   The MVLS supports its volunteers with malpractice insurance, mentors, free training, use of their offices to meet with clients and reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses.

The types of cases placed by MVLS include administration of small estates,  adult guardianship, bankruptcy (Chapter 7 only), child custody, collections, consumer disputes, criminal record expungement, deed changes, denial of public benefits, divorce, foreclosure, landlord/tenant, living wills, name changes, power of attorney, school suspensions, tax disputes, and wills.

MVLS also administers a  family law reduced-fee program called Judicare.  According to the MVLS website “Judicare has funding to pay attorneys up to $1,600 per client representation.  Attorneys are paid at the rate of $80 per hour for the first 20 hours of representation in a contested domestic matter.  The attorney must then provide the next five hours pro bono.  For matters that require additional time for resolution, attorneys are eligible for an additional ten hours of paid representation at $80 per hour. In return, “Judicare attorneys are asked to accept one pro bono domestic case for every Judicare case referred.  The pro bono domestic matters are generally uncontested or less complicated than Judicare cases.  Attorneys must have at least three years of family law experience to participate in this project.”

Volunteering is easy with the help of MVLS.  Anne Arundel County attorneys are encouraged to take advantage of the service provided.

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National Pro Bono Week: Anne Arundel County

This year for the National Pro Bono Week Celebration, October 21- 27, 2012 the Anne Arundel County Local Pro Bono Committee seeks to encourage pro bono representation by Anne Arundel County attorneys.  The campaign to increase the numbers of pro bono volunteers began with a blast email sent to all members of the AABA. The text of that email follows:

Pro Bono Week News from the Local Pro Bono Committee

The National Pro Bono Celebration focuses the nation’s attention on the increased need for pro bono services during these challenging economic times and celebrates the outstanding work of lawyers who volunteer their services throughout the year. The Anne Arundel County Local Pro Bono Committee is calling on all Anne Arundel attorneys to provide pro bono service. We know the need is great and that more attorneys from our county are needed.

A Word from the Bench:

I represent the Circuit Court on the Anne Arundel County Local Pro Bono Committee.  I am a strong advocate for local attorneys volunteering their time to represent litigants who cannot afford counsel.  In my experience, there is now an even greater need for volunteer lawyers than there has been in the past. I have seen Plaintiffs come into court without any witnesses and state they do not want to call themselves as a witness either.  In that event, there is no evidence.  In some cases, if the Plaintiff, himself, is encouraged to take the stand, the litigant will often just sit there, in the witness box, not saying a word without any knowledge of what his or her burden of production is.  This results in unjust and inequitable results. 

Through my participation in the Pro Bono Committee, I learned that in 2009 Anne Arundel County ranked last in the state in the number of lawyers who provided 50 or more hours of pro bono service.  Anne Arundel has since moved to the twentieth position.  But why not make Anne Arundel County come in first in the number of lawyers who volunteer?  Please consider donating your time and expertise to such a worthy cause.

                                                                        Judge Pamela L. North

 Opportunities:

● The Anne Arundel County Local Pro Bono Committee has partnered with the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service (MVLS) for the placement of  Anne Arundel County residents in need of pro bono representation. The Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service reports that many cases needing representation in Anne Arundel county are taken by attorneys from other counties.  It is easy to add your name to the MVLS roster. Just visit the volunteer page on the MVLS website and simply fill out the online form. MVLS supports its volunteers with malpractice insurance, mentors, free training, use of their offices to meet with clients and reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses.

● The Foreclosure crisis continues to affect our state with Anne Arundel County ranking fifth in the state in the number of foreclosures. The Foreclosure Prevention Pro Bono Project needs volunteer attorneys to help. Volunteers receive free training and are asked to provide two homeowners pro bono representation in their foreclosure cases and/or provide pro bono representation to one homeowner and volunteer at one foreclosure solutions workshop where homeowners receive free legal advice.  The Project provides access to malpractice insurance and mentoring support.

Anne Arundel County Attorneys are invited to attend the newly developed program on Foreclosure Mediation on November 2.  Since the basic training is a prerequisite you will be asked to view the webcast of the basic program for background. Your invitation follows:

Pro Bono Resource Center and Civil Justice are pleased to offer the below pro bono training program, A Practical Guide for Representing Homeowners at Foreclosure Mediation, as part of Maryland’s Foreclosure Prevention Pro Bono Project.  Since the Maryland foreclosure mediation program took effect in July 2010, we have learned a lot about how to achieve positive outcomes through mediation and we want to share our tips and strategies with you.  This training program is designed for existing Project volunteers who have already taken the Project’s basic training course.  If you have not yet taken the basic training course, please contact Annie Brinkmann of Pro Bono Resource Center to gain access to the webcast of the basic course (443-703-3050 or abrinkmann@probonomd.org).

Friday, November 2, 2012, 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM 

University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law – ROOM 205

500 W. Baltimore Street

Baltimore, MD 21201-1786 

  To register, please visit www.probonomd.org/foreclosure-prevention-training. 

 Questions?  Please contact Annie Brinkmann at 443-703-3050 or abrinkmann@probonomd.org.   

 If you are interested in participating but cannot attend on November 2, please complete the registration process indicating that you would like to receive the webcast of this training once it becomes available.

● For those who prefer to donate to a worthy organization, the local committee suggests that donations be made to the Anne Arundel Legal Aid Bureau through AAcares.org.

Celebrate Pro Bono Week:

You can find out more about pro bono opportunities for Anne Arundel attorneys at the AACPLL Self Help and Pro Bono WIKI.  Posters of Anne Arundel Pro Bono Volunteers will be on display in the Anne Arundel County Public Law Library during Pro Bono Week.  Visit the library to see what other Anne Arundel attorneys have done to volunteer and to add your name to the roster of those “doing good.” (There will be chocolate.)

Please make the Local Pro Bono Committee’s campaign to increase pro bono service a success as we celebrate Pro Bono week this year Volunteer now!

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Anne Arundel County Pro Bono Attorney Luncheon

A luncheon was held earlier this month to thank the Anne Arundel County attorneys who volunteer for the Ask a Lawyer programs held in the Anne Arundel County Public Law Library, the North County Area Public Library and for the annual Anne Arundel County Homeless Resource Day.

The luncheon catered by the Main Ingredient was sponsored by the Anne Arundel County Local Pro Bono Committee and provided by the Anne Arundel Bar Association and the Anne Arundel County Circuit Court. Volunteer attorneys were honored by Anne Arundel County Administrative Judge Nancy-Davis Loomis and Hon. Clayton Greene of the Court of Appeals.

With this being  the time of year when attorneys are required to report their pro bono hours to the Maryland Court of Appeals, some program statistics for 2011 are in order.  There were 44 attorneys who provided 201 hours of service to 479 clients through the Ask a Lawyer Programs.  Volunteer attorneys received certificates to thank them for their services and to act as a record of their program hours.

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Ask a Lawyer in the Library at the North County Area Library

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The Anne Arundel County Public Law Library and the Anne Arundel Bar Association have expanded the  “Ask a Lawyer in the Library” program by working with the Anne Arundel County Public Library.  The program will now be offered in north county and later in the day.  Hopefully, this will allow those unable to make use of the program in the law library because of location and hours.

The first “Ask a Lawyer” event at the North County Area Library last Wednesday was a great success.  Three volunteer attorneys were on hand to answer legal questions.  Cliff O’Connor, who has a law practice in Glen Burnie with his wife Cassie Holmes, was instrumental in getting this program going.  He was able to enlist the help of Bill Trevillian, Jr. and Gene Brennan  in providing legal services to north county residents.  Cliff indicated his interest in bringing the “Ask a Lawyer” program to the public library in Glen Burnie last year and coordinated a pilot program at the Anne Arundel County Public Library Brooklyn Park Branch last May.

The program began at 4:30 after a lottery to determine the time slots for the ten people who had already arrived to see one of the attorneys.  There were two more participants that arrived after the lottery bringing the total to twelve.  The attorneys were busy the whole time, sometimes taking a little more time than the allotted twenty minutes.  The wide range of issues addressed included credit, housing, replevin, unemployment, foreclosure and social security benefits.

The meeting room which is located just inside the door to the parking lot made access to the program easy.  The staff of the library was more than gracious and accommodating in helping to get the program established in the library.  The assistance and guidance of  Wanda Wagner, Jackie Langdon, Susie Herron, and Mary Ann Keicher were instrumental in our being able to reserve the room for 2011 and getting the work out about the program.  There was a great display inside the door and the program was also advertised on the library’s webpage.  Mary Ann had the room set up and ready to go for the program upon my arrival and provided me with support during the evening.

The “Ask A Lawyer” Program will resume in March and continue on the third Wednesday of the month through June.  There will be a summer break during July and August but the program will be back on schedule in September through the rest of  2011.

More information on the North County Area Program can be found here: http://aacpll.pbworks.com/f/flyer+Ask+a+Lawyer+public+NCA.pdf

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“Ask a Lawyer” Article in the MSBA Bar Bulletin

The library finally received the June 15, 2010 issue containing the article, “Ask a Lawyer” Gains Momentum by Adrienne Hagepanos in the PRO BONO Profile of the MSBA Bar Bulletin.  It is now available at the MSBA website, too.

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Standing Committee on Pro Bono Legal Service

I am proud to say that I just attended my first in person Court of Appeals Standing Committee on Pro Bono Legal Service meeting last Wednesday on June 16 as the newly appointed public member.

This was a joint meeting with the local and regional pro bono committee chairs of  Maryland.  All of the chairs described the pro bono activity sponsored by their committees.  Dan Andrews, the AABA Pro Bono Committee Co-chair, was there to report on Anne Arundel County’s pro bono projects.  He concentrated on the “Ask a Lawyer in the Library” program that has gotten underway this year.   This meeting was a great source of inspiration for new ideas for the pro bono committee in Anne Arundel.

Another source of  ideas for local committees can be found in the new Best Practices Manual for Local Pro Bono Committees written by Claire A. Smearman  and edited by Sharon E. Goldsmith of the PBRC  who staff the Standing Committee.   Each meeting attendee received a copy of the new manual.

The standing committee is established by Maryland Rule 16-901.  Maryland Rule 16-902 calls for the creation of local pro bono committees.   The rule outlines the composition of the local committee and requires the creation of a local plan.  I am not aware of the existence of any local committee in Anne Arundel County other than the bar committee chaired by Dan Andrews and Elizabeth Leight.  I hope to obtain more information about the local committee and the local plan through my participation on the statewide committee.