My Public Interest Summer, Part 7

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 was given the opportunity to work with the start-up of a non-profit organization known as the FreeState Legal Project.  FreeState’s mission is to provide legal services for low-income LGBT community members who are excluded from basic civil rights and privileges.  FreeState has a particular focus on LGBT youth, minorities, immigrants, and transgender people who especially lack the financial means to private counsel.   Many of them have been ostracized by their own families and communities.

With FreeState, I was able to research grant opportunities, as well as to work on writing them.  I was able to work on my legal writing and research skills by researching current LGBT law in areas such as family law, transgender law, discrimination protection, and employment law.  I was also able to network with many different LGBT organizations, as well as with the board of FreeState in an effort to unify the groups and also to talk and meet with many people from the LGBT community to discuss the legal needs of the LGBT community.

--- Audra Peddicord, University of Baltimore School of Law