Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland

October is Celebrate Pro Bono month! In honor of the Celebration, PBRC has compiled the Maryland calendar of Celebration events which features more information about pro bono opportunities across the state including clinics and workshops as well as service, education, and recognition programs created specifically for the Celebration.     Check out the calendar at https://lnkd.in/dEcW3A3H to get involved with pro bono opportunities in your community! 

October is Celebrate Pro Bono Month, where the legal community collectively honors the work of lawyers who donate their services! This week we want to honor Susan Jameson, a volunteer with PBRC’s Home Preservation Project (HPP).    Susan, a retiree from a long career practicing employment law, employee benefits, and general litigation, has continued to do pro bono work in her retirement to give back. She has become an invaluable volunteer at HPP’s estate planning clinics, where volunteers draft a will, an advance medical directive, and a financial power of attorney for community members.     “As lawyers, we have had the privilege to learn about the legal system. In a nation of laws, access to benefits and rights often depend on being able to navigate the laws. Frequently, it takes a lawyer to do the navigation, which many people cannot afford. I believe that it is important that the legal profession shares the privilege of our legal training by giving back to our communities.”    To read more about Susan's volunteer experience and her perspective on the importance of pro bono work, visit her interview here: https://lnkd.in/eJQKYxvv. 

PBRC team members had a great time connecting with our peers from across Maryland's local bar associations at the Bringing the Bars Together Happy Hour event. Thank you to the Maryland Association for Justice, Inc. and partners for cohosting this great event!

Nearly all immigrant children who appear in immigration court without legal representation are deported. You can make a difference by volunteering to represent a child who suffered abuse, abandonment, or neglect by one of their parents and is eligible for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (“SIJS”). This training will prepare volunteers to represent caregivers before the MD Circuit Court – the first important part of obtaining SIJS. Visit probonomd.org/sijs and sign up by Friday, September 27, 2024, to help present the mock case and get feedback from the Bench!

The Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland’s Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2023 is now out! The report includes project stats, highlights, and client stories — as well as recognizing the incredible volunteers and partners who make our work happen.    To read the report online, please visit: the link in our bio or https://lnkd.in/eKvyVirM. 

Last week, PBRC team members Tracy Tanner, Domonique Flowers, Valda Ricks, and Katie Davis attended the University of Baltimore School of Law’s Community Partners and Student Activities Fair to engage the next generation of legal leaders in pro bono.     They had an inspiring and engaging experience speaking with passionate future lawyers and can’t wait to see how they innovate within the legal field in the years to come.    Thank you to University of Baltimore School of Law for hosting and including PBRC in this event! 

PBRC is now hiring! PBRC’s Maryland Immigrant Legal Assistance Project (MILAP) is seeking a highly motivated, organized, and bright attorney who is fluent in Spanish to join the team.    The MILAP staff attorney will focus on the management and supervision of the legal services offered at the brief advice clinics which take place weekly at the Hyattsville Immigration Court and the Baltimore Immigration Court.    MILAP is looking for a new team member to offer brief, on-the-spot legal advice related to immigration cases and who will, eventually, mentor volunteers unfamiliar with immigration law. Robust mentorship and training will be offered to the selected individual.      Does this position sound like the perfect fit for you? To view the full job description and apply today, please visit https://lnkd.in/e8pheaE.   

Did you know you can support pro bono when you report your pro bono hours in the AIS portal? It's an easy way to make a contribution to the legal community and ensure equal access to representation for our neighbors in need.    Once you have filed your Pro Bono Report in the Attorney Information System (AIS), click the tab to donate and designate your contribution to the Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland (PBRC). Remember, the reporting deadline is September 10, 2024.     Your contribution will support PBRC as we provide direct legal assistance in areas of critical need such as eviction & foreclosure prevention, consumer protection, home preservation, and immigration. Last year, you helped us make a difference for the 13,849 low-income Marylanders we served—saving them $2,674,733 to help support their basic needs in addition to providing $509,200 in donated legal services. Donate to help PBRC keep Marylanders housed, safe, and financially secure at probonomd.org/for-donors.

Congratulations to all of PBRC’s Academy Fellows for completing the 2023-2024 Professional Skills Academy Fellowship!    Last year, PBRC welcomed the fifth class of the Professional Skills Academy. Nine Fellows, in many cases newer lawyers, were paired with experienced mentors and took part in a series of in-depth training courses. By the end of the experience, the Fellows had donated over 285 hours of pro bono service. With their skills, experience, and connections, PBRC is building a community of pro bono leaders for the future with broad community impact.      Please join us in applauding:   Keli Cochran, Esq.  Tresa Fitch Drakeford  Christine Glover  Andrew Gravatt  Grace Oluyemi  Sibiri I. Samandoulougou, Esq. Ambreen Tariq  Molisa Thomas  Shelby von Hofe, Esq.    PBRC’s Professional Skills Academy is a one-year, cohort-based program of training, mentoring, and service for newer lawyers. Interested in being a part of the next cohort of Fellows? Visit probonomd.org/academy to view the application and apply by August 16, 2024! 

The deadline has been extended to apply to PBRC’s Professional Skills Academy! Apply by Friday, August 16th to join the next cohort of newer attorneys looking to make an impact in their community while utilizing their legal expertise.  PBRC's Professional Skills Academy is a one-year, cohort-based program of training, mentoring, and service that will enhance the Fellows’ lawyering skills; develop within the Fellows the habit of thoughtfully choosing and carrying out pro bono service; and introduce the Fellows to mentors and colleagues who can help them grow. Complete information about the program, as well as the online application, is available on the Academy website at www.probonomd.org/academy. Don't forget to share this opportunity with newer attorneys in your network who could benefit from this experience!