As part of the American Bar Association’s Pro Bono Week (October 24-30), the Maryland Legal Aid Bureau will host a Pro Bono Day clinic on Saturday, October 30 at its Baltimore City office from 10am to 2pm. The organizers are looking for law students to volunteer and help with logistical support throughout the day. The last two Pro Bono Days, held in October 2009 and May 2010, each served well over 100 people with more than 140 legal issues.
If you are interested in volunteering, email Brett Schwartz at brett.schwartz@ubalt.edu by October 25 at noon. The Legal Aid Bureau is located at 500 East Lexington Street in Baltimore.
Legal services organizations statewide continue to see marked increases in the number of individuals and families coming forward to request legal assistance in all areas of the law. This past summer, for example, close to 2,000 people walked through Legal Aid’s Baltimore City doors seeking legal assistance. Now more than ever, the demand for services far outweighs the resources available.
Come out this Thursday, October 14 from 8-11pm at the Ropewalk Tavern in Federal Hill for a fundraiser in support of the Susan G. Komen Foundation. The cost to attend is $4 if you are wearing pink or $7 otherwise. All proceeds go to the Susan G. Komen Foundation. Entry fee includes drink specials and food.
This event is sponsored by PDP and co-sponsored by UBSPI, SALSA, CLA, ILS, and the Moot Court Board.
This past summer, UBSPI - in conjunction with MLSC and the University of Baltimore School of Law - funded 11 UB law students to work in public interest organizations throughout Maryland. Their stories and experiences will be highlighted on Out in the Streets throughout the year. For more information about our summer public interest grants, click here.
This summer I had the great opportunity to work for Community Legal Services of Prince George’s County (CLS). CLS has three legal clinics and a pro bono and reduced fee referral program. Its self-representation legal clinic is located at the Prince George’s County courthouse in Upper Marlboro, MD. CLS also has a worker’s rights clinic and a Latino outreach family law clinic in Hyattsville, MD. I first wanted to work with CLS because I would be able to help my neighbors in my own county while using my Spanish language abilities in a legal context. My main responsibilities were opening the Latino outreach clinic, conducting intake with clients, and researching legal issues as assigned by the attorneys at CLS. I have gone from being very self-conscious in Spanish to being able to listen, understand, and help people with complex family and landlord-tenant issues using only Spanish. As I reflect back on my work, I am happy to have helped many of my neighbors seeking legal representation. My desire to do public interest work has been piqued and I intend to continue working in the public interest field, both in English and Spanish. I am very grateful to both CLS and UBSPI in helping me this summer. MuchÃsimas Gracias!--- Catrina Aquilino, University of Baltimore School of Law
