By Kayla Williams, Deputy Director  

Now that Maryland’s 2024 legislative session has concluded, I thought this would be a good opportunity to summarize some of the important housing bills that passed, most of which will take effect in October 2024. This year, Governor Wes Moore unveiled his Housing legislative package which included several bills aimed to positively impact affordable housing and tenants’ rights. HB 693, also known as the Renter’s Rights and Stabilization Act, provides several key protections for renters including establishing an Office of Tenant and Landlord Affairs to provide renters with information about their rights, requiring that a Maryland Tenant Bill of Rights be created, reducing required security deposits to one month instead of two, and perhaps most significantly, this legislation will increase eviction filing fees to put Maryland more in line with other states. CLS and many other legal advocates testified in favor of this bill, and we are very pleased with its passage. HB 1117, the Tenant Safety Act, strengthens Maryland’s rent escrow laws by allowing tenants living in the same building to join together to file a case against landlords who fail to fix conditions that threaten the life, health and safety of the occupants. HB 428, a bill that CLS also testified on, will allocate $10 million to prevent evictions and homelessness for thousands of Maryland families. Lastly, SB 0019 will require District Courts to shield Failure to Pay Rent court records that did not result in a judgment within 60 days from the final resolution of the case, this bill also allows the court to shield Failure to Pay Rent cases that resulted in a judgment in certain circumstances.

CLS will hold a community roundtable on June 27^th from 5:30 PM to 7 PM at the Capital Office Park Conference Center, Lobby Level, located at 6404 Ivy Lane, Greenbelt, MD 20770. Light appetizers and refreshments will be served. This event will convene community leaders, legal professionals, philanthropists, and like-minded individuals with the overarching goal of fostering broader collaborations and connections among those committed to promoting access to justice and legal assistance for underserved populations in Maryland. To RSVP, please contact Simone Joye, Director of Development and Communications at Joye@clspgc.org, (240) 571-1326.

Pro Bono Call to Action

The Maryland Attorney General, Maryland Judiciary, Maryland State Bar Association and Maryland’s Access to Justice Commission have delivered an urgent call to action for pro bono services. Attorneys are strongly encouraged to take at least one pro bono case or a designated number of pro bono service hours over the next year to provide legal services in areas including housing and family law. All Pro Bono providers in Maryland, including CLS, are taking part in this call to action. The Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland is helping to implement this call to action by matching interested attorneys with pro bono organizations throughout the state. For more information, visit probonomd.org. 

Eviction Prevention Programs

CLS is seeking attorneys to provide representation to tenants at their Failure to Pay Rent hearings through our same-day tenant representation programs which operate in Prince George’s and Anne Arundel Counties. Stipends are available. CLS provides training, malpractice insurance coverage, mentoring, and support to our volunteers. Out-of-state attorneys are welcomed. CLS and the Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland have put together a training on how to represent tenants. This training includes statutes that attorneys should be familiar with, perspectives from the judiciary and landlord and tenant attorney advocates, issue spotting in Failure to Pay Rent complaints, and practical advice for handling cases. If you wish to take this training, have questions about the program, or want to sign up to represent tenants at their hearings, please contact Kayla Williams-Campbell, Esq. at williams@clspgc.org. Participating attorneys must commit to volunteer to staff two clinics or take two landlord/tenant cases within one year of completing the training.

Beyond this volunteer commitment, a stipend of $100* will be provided to attorneys in exchange for their representation, with a potential maximum of $200 per day. *$100 per half day in court (AM or PM sessions)

Interpreters Needed 

CLS is in need of interpreters to assist attorneys representing Limited English proficient clients. Training is available and no prior experience is required. We pay $30 per hour and up to 30 hours per case. For more information, please email info@clspgc.org.

Civil Cases Available for Attorneys and Other Volunteer Opportunities

Through our Lawyer Referral Program, we refer income eligible clients to attorneys for representation in their domestic cases. Our Judicare program provides funding to pay attorneys $120 per hour, and up to $4,200 per case, with a cap of 35 hours. CLS allows you to bill twice during the case. CLS invoices Maryland Legal Services Corporation for your billed time. As a result, Judicare payments are usually paid a month after an invoice is submitted. CLS uses Bill.com which allows for electronic payment for invoices. This funding program is administered by MLSC with funds from the Administrative Office of the Courts. 

Foreclosure Prevention Program

CLS has funding for attorneys representing clients in Prince George’s County through our Foreclosure Prevention Program. In foreclosure prevention cases, the funding provides attorneys $120 an hour and up to thirty (30) hours of representation. Cases include representation at judicial proceedings, mediation preparation, representation at mediation, and negotiations. Additionally, funding is available for bankruptcy chapter 7, and other legal actions that may help the client save his home. If you are interested in being added to our foreclosure volunteer attorney pool, or require additional information, please email us at info@clspgc.org. Training, mentoring and malpractice insurance are provided. Funding is available from a generous grant provided by MLSC. 

Domestic Violence Wellness Program

Are you interested in building your practice by adding Protective and Peace Orders? Training is available. CLS’s domestic violence program places protective order and peace order petitioners and respondents with attorneys. CLS will provide mentoring to help you prepare your case. You will also be able to shadow one of the staff attorneys during Protective and Peace Order hearings. CLS’s Domestic Violence Legal Wellness Program places protective order cases, petitioners and respondents with attorneys. Attorneys are eligible to receive $120 per hour with a cap of $750 per case. We ask that for each case that an attorney takes paid, that the attorney also takes one pro bono. Please contact Ivy Finkenstadt Esq., at finkenstadt@clspgc.org for more information.

Concluding Thoughts 

CLS clients have limited means, but that does not negate the fact that they have significant legal issues that require legal representation. We encourage you to help bridge the Access to Justice gap by taking Judicare and pro bono cases. CLS provides our attorneys with training, mentoring, access to a litigation fund, and malpractice insurance. To join our volunteer pool, please apply on our website at www.clspgc.org or contact info@clspgc.org.

Community Legal Services of Prince George’s County, Inc., is a non-profit organization established to provide quality legal services to low-income residents of Prince George’s County, MD. CLS provides direct legal services through the generous contributions of members of the private bar. For more information about our funder, Maryland Legal Services Corporation (MLSC) and our Judicare Program, visit www.mlsc.org.

By Kayla Williams, Deputy Director

May is Mental Health Awareness month and I wanted to use this opportunity to check in with everyone. According to the American Bar Association’s Task Force on Lawyer Well Being, lawyers rank eighth in a study of suicide by occupation, with a rate of 1.33 times the national norm.[1]  Additionally, a 2017 American Bar Association article reported that 28 percent of lawyers suffered from depression, 19 percent had severe anxiety, and 11.4 percent had suicidal thoughts in the previous year.[2]  These statistics are concerning and do not take into account the additional negative impacts that the pandemic may have caused to lawyers’ mental health, and to the legal profession overall.

As the saying goes, in order to take care of others, we must first take care of ourselves. As problem solvers, we often see people and situations at their worst which can and often does take a toll on us personally. This is why we must be intentional about checking in on our mental health and seeking help when necessary. The Maryland State Bar Association’s Lawyer Assistance Program is an excellent place to start, as its website includes a variety of resources that can be used to proactively take charge of your mental health. It also includes resources for lawyers suffering from personal issues, including mental health and substance abuse.

In closing, as you continue to fight for your clients and seek justice by any means, make sure you are also fighting for yourself. Whether it be by therapy, exercise, yoga, or mediation, we all owe it to ourselves to practice self-care and work towards being our happiest selves.

Pro Bono Call to Action

The Maryland Attorney General, Maryland Judiciary, Maryland State Bar Association and Maryland’s Access to Justice Commission have delivered an urgent call to action for pro bono services. Attorneys are strongly encouraged to take at least one pro bono case or a designated number of pro bono service hours over the next year to provide legal services in areas including housing and family law. All Pro Bono providers in Maryland, including CLS, are taking part in this call to action. The Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland is helping to implement this call to action by matching interested attorneys with pro bono organizations throughout the state. For more information, visit probonomd.org.

Eviction Prevention Programs 

CLS is seeking attorneys to provide representation to tenants at their Failure to Pay Rent hearings through our same-day tenant representation programs which operate in Prince George’s and Anne Arundel Counties. Stipends are available. CLS provides training, malpractice insurance coverage, mentoring, and support to our volunteers. Out-of-state attorneys are welcomed. CLS and the Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland have put together a training on how to represent tenants. This training includes statutes that attorneys should be familiar with, perspectives from the judiciary and landlord and tenant attorney advocates, issue spotting in Failure to Pay Rent complaints, and practical advice for handling cases. If you wish to take this training, have questions about the program, or want to sign up to represent tenants at their hearings, please contact Kayla Williams-Campbell, Esq. at williams@clspgc.org. Participating attorneys must commit to volunteer to staff two clinics or take two landlord/tenant cases within one year of completing the training.

Beyond this volunteer commitment, a stipend of $100* will be provided to attorneys in exchange for their representation, with a potential maximum of $200 per day. *$100 per half day in court (AM or PM sessions)

Interpreters Needed

CLS is in need of interpreters to assist attorneys representing Limited English proficient clients. Training is available and no prior experience is required. We pay $30 per hour and up to 30 hours per case. For more information, please email info@clspgc.org. 

Civil Cases Available for Attorneys and Other Volunteer Opportunities

Through our Lawyer Referral Program, we refer income eligible clients to attorneys for representation in their domestic cases. Our Judicare program provides funding to pay attorneys $120 per hour, and up to $4,200 per case, with a cap of 35 hours. CLS allows you to bill twice during the case. CLS invoices Maryland Legal Services Corporation for your billed time. As a result, Judicare payments are usually paid a month after an invoice is submitted. CLS uses Bill.com which allows for electronic payment for invoices. This funding program is administered by MLSC with funds from the Administrative Office of the Courts.

Foreclosure Prevention Program

CLS has funding for attorneys representing clients in Prince George’s County through our Foreclosure Prevention Program. In foreclosure prevention cases, the funding provides attorneys $120 an hour and up to thirty (30) hours of representation. Cases include representation at judicial proceedings, mediation preparation, representation at mediation, and negotiations. Additionally, funding is available for bankruptcy chapter 7, and other legal actions that may help the client save his home. If you are interested in being added to our foreclosure volunteer attorney pool, or require additional information, please email us at info@clspgc.org. Training, mentoring and malpractice insurance are provided. Funding is available from a generous grant provided by MLSC.

Domestic Violence Wellness Program

Are you interested in building your practice by adding Protective and Peace Orders? Training is available. CLS’s domestic violence program places protective order and peace order petitioners and respondents with attorneys. CLS will provide mentoring to help you prepare your case. You will also be able to shadow one of the staff attorneys during Protective and Peace Order hearings. CLS’s Domestic Violence Legal Wellness Program places protective order cases, petitioners and respondents with attorneys. Attorneys are eligible to receive $120 per hour with a cap of $750 per case. We ask that for each case that an attorney takes paid, that the attorney also takes one pro bono. Please contact Ivy Finkenstadt Esq., at finkenstadt@clspgc.org for more information. 

Concluding Thoughts

CLS clients have limited means, but that does not negate the fact that they have significant legal issues that require legal representation. We encourage you to help bridge the Access to Justice gap by taking Judicare and pro bono cases. CLS provides our attorneys with training, mentoring, access to a litigation fund, and malpractice insurance. To join our volunteer pool, please apply on our website at www.clspgc.org or contact info@clspgc.org.

Community Legal Services of Prince George’s County, Inc., is a non-profit organization established to provide quality legal services to low-income residents of Prince George’s County, MD. CLS provides direct legal services through the generous contributions of members of the private bar. For more information about our funder, Maryland Legal Services Corporation (MLSC) and our Judicare Program, visit www.mlsc.org.

[1] These statistics were derived from an article published by The Daily Record. A link to this article can be found here: https://thedailyrecord.com/2022/11/30/lawyer-wellness-and-mental-health/

[2] A link to this article can be found here: https://www.americanbar.org/news/abanews/publications/youraba/2017/december-2017/secrecy-and-fear-of-stigma-among-the-barriers-to-lawyer-well-bei/

By Kayla Williams-Campbell, Esq., Deputy Director

Spring has finally arrived and CLS has several exciting volunteer opportunities for attorneys looking to get involved. We currently have 3 upcoming expungement clinics scheduled on April 27^th, May 4^th, and June 22^nd. The April 27^th clinic will take place at Reid Temple AME church. The May 4^th clinic is in partnership with Maryland Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, and will take place in Baltimore City. The June 22^nd clinic is in partnership with Councilman Martin Mitchell’s office and will take place at the Laurel Library. In addition to these clinics, our office will continue to operate a virtual expungement clinic Monday through Friday.

On a similar note, May 1^st is Law Day and this year’s theme is “Voices of Democracy” which recognizes that in democracies, the people rule. Law Day is recognized nationally each year and is dedicated to celebrating the rule of law. Ways to get involved with Law Day include writing or speaking about this year’s theme, and joining local bar associations to volunteer at their Law Day events.

If you are interested in volunteering at any of our upcoming expungement clinics, or you are interested in learning more about Law Day and/or our various legal programs, please email me at Williams@clspgc.org.

Pro Bono Call to Action

The Maryland Attorney General, Maryland Judiciary, Maryland State Bar Association and Maryland’s Access to Justice Commission have delivered an urgent call to action for pro bono services. Attorneys are strongly encouraged to take at least one pro bono case or a designated number of pro bono service hours over the next year to provide legal services in areas including housing and family law. All Pro Bono providers in Maryland, including CLS, are taking part in this call to action. The Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland is helping to implement this call to action by matching interested attorneys with pro bono organizations throughout the state. For more information, visit probonomd.org. 

Eviction Prevention Programs

CLS is seeking attorneys to provide representation to tenants at their Failure to Pay Rent hearings through our same-day tenant representation programs which operate in Prince George’s and Anne Arundel Counties. Stipends are available. CLS provides training, malpractice insurance coverage, mentoring, and support to our volunteers. Out-of-state attorneys are welcomed. CLS and the Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland have put together a training on how to represent tenants. This training includes statutes that attorneys should be familiar with, perspectives from the judiciary and landlord and tenant attorney advocates, issue spotting in Failure to Pay Rent complaints, and practical advice for handling cases. If you wish to take this training, have questions about the program, or want to sign up to represent tenants at their hearings, please contact Kayla Williams-Campbell, Esq. at williams@clspgc.org. Participating attorneys must commit to volunteer to staff two clinics or take two landlord/tenant cases within one year of completing the training.

Beyond this volunteer commitment, a stipend of $100* will be provided to attorneys in exchange for their representation, with a potential maximum of $200 per day. *$100 per half day in court (AM or PM sessions)

Interpreters Needed

CLS is in need of interpreters to assist attorneys representing Limited English proficient clients. Training is available and no prior experience is required. We pay $30 per hour and up to 30 hours per case. For more information, please email info@clspgc.org.

Civil Cases Available for Attorneys and Other Volunteer Opportunities

Through our Lawyer Referral Program, we refer income eligible clients to attorneys for representation in their domestic cases. Our Judicare program provides funding to pay attorneys $120 per hour, and up to $4,200 per case, with a cap of 35 hours. CLS allows you to bill twice during the case. CLS invoices Maryland Legal Services Corporation for your billed time. As a result, Judicare payments are usually paid a month after an invoice is submitted. CLS uses Bill.com which allows for electronic payment for invoices. This funding program is administered by MLSC with funds from the Administrative Office of the Courts.

Foreclosure Prevention Program

CLS has funding for attorneys representing clients in Prince George’s County through our Foreclosure Prevention Program. In foreclosure prevention cases, the funding provides attorneys $120 an hour and up to thirty (30) hours of representation. Cases include representation at judicial proceedings, mediation preparation, representation at mediation, and negotiations. Additionally, funding is available for bankruptcy chapter 7, and other legal actions that may help the client save his home. If you are interested in being added to our foreclosure volunteer attorney pool, or require additional information, please email us at info@clspgc.org. Training, mentoring and malpractice insurance are provided. Funding is available from a generous grant provided by MLSC. 

Domestic Violence Wellness Program

Are you interested in building your practice by adding Protective and Peace Orders? Training is available. CLS’s domestic violence program places protective order and peace order petitioners and respondents with attorneys. CLS will provide mentoring to help you prepare your case. You will also be able to shadow one of the staff attorneys during Protective and Peace Order hearings. CLS’s Domestic Violence Legal Wellness Program places protective order cases, petitioners and respondents with attorneys. Attorneys are eligible to receive $120 per hour with a cap of $750 per case. We ask that for each case that an attorney takes paid, that the attorney also takes one pro bono. Please contact Ivy Finkenstadt Esq., at finkenstadt@clspgc.org for more information. 

Concluding Thoughts

CLS clients have limited means, but that does not negate the fact that they have significant legal issues that require legal representation. We encourage you to help bridge the Access to Justice gap by taking Judicare and pro bono cases. CLS provides our attorneys with training, mentoring, access to a litigation fund, and malpractice insurance. To join our volunteer pool, please apply on our website at www.clspgc.org or contact info@clspgc.org.

Community Legal Services of Prince George’s County, Inc., is a non-profit organization established to provide quality legal services to low-income residents of Prince George’s County, MD. CLS provides direct legal services through the generous contributions of members of the private bar. For more information about our funder, Maryland Legal Services Corporation (MLSC) and our Judicare Program, visit www.mlsc.org.

By Kayla Williams-Campbell, Esq., Deputy Director

March is Women’s History Month and I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to celebrate women in the legal profession.  According to a 2022 American Bar Association Survey, more than one third of all lawyers are women, and this number continues to grow. Women were not permitted to practice law in Maryland until 1902 when Etta Haynie Maddox became the first woman to do so. Maddox’s initial application to practice law was rejected by the Court of Appeals which reasoned that, “the right to practice law was not a natural inherent right belonging to every person, but instead was available only to males by statute.” Maddox went on to advocate before the Maryland General Assembly for a bill that would permit women to practice law in Maryland; this bill became law in April 1902 and the rest is history.[1]

Women are making strides in the legal profession every day. Whether it be through litigation and courtroom advocacy, lobbying for legislative changes, or serving on boards and local and specialty bar association committees, the impact of women having a seat at the table can be felt far and wide.

Community Legal Services’ Executive Director, Jessica Quincosa, has demonstrated her commitment to ensuring that women not only have a seat at the table, but also in leadership. For example, CLS is currently comprised of 37 employees, of which 27 are women. Furthermore, CLS’s board of directors, which is comprised of 19 board members, includes 10 women.

In closing, I would like to highlight a few women’s bar associations and organizations that do great work throughout the community. These organizations include the Alliance of Black Women Attorneys, J. Franklyn Bourne Bar Association’s Women’s Committee, the Women’s Bar Association of Maryland, and the Women’s Law Center of Maryland, to name a few. I hope that you are able to find time to learn about the impact these organizations have on communities throughout Maryland.

Pro Bono Call to Action

The Maryland Attorney General, Maryland Judiciary, Maryland State Bar Association and Maryland’s Access to Justice Commission have delivered an urgent call to action for pro bono services. Attorneys are strongly encouraged to take at least one pro bono case or a designated number of pro bono service hours over the next year to provide legal services in areas including housing and family law. All Pro Bono providers in Maryland, including CLS, are taking part in this call to action. The Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland is helping to implement this call to action by matching interested attorneys with pro bono organizations throughout the state. For more information, visit probonomd.org.

Eviction Prevention Programs

CLS is seeking attorneys to provide representation to tenants at their Failure to Pay Rent hearings through our same-day tenant representation programs which operate in Prince George’s and Anne Arundel Counties. Stipends are available. CLS provides training, malpractice insurance coverage, mentoring, and support to our volunteers. Out-of-state attorneys are welcomed. CLS and the Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland have put together a training on how to represent tenants. This training includes statutes that attorneys should be familiar with, perspectives from the judicuary and landlord and tenant attorney advocates, issue spotting in Failure to Pay Rent complaints, and practical advice for handling cases. If you wish to take this training, have questions about the program, or want to sign up to represent tenants at their hearings, please contact Kayla Williams-Campbell, Esq. at williams@clspgc.org. Participating attorneys must commit to volunteer to staff two clinics or take two landlord/tenant cases within one year of completing the training.

Beyond this volunteer commitment, a stipend of $100* will be provided to attorneys in exchange for their representation, with a potential maximum of $200 per day. *$100 per half day in court (AM or PM sessions)

Interpreters Needed

CLS is in need of interpreters to assist attorneys representing Limited English proficient clients. Training is available and no prior experience is required. We pay $30 per hour and up to 30 hours per case. For more information, please email info@clspgc.org.

Civil Cases Available for Attorneys and Other Volunteer Opportunities

Through our Lawyer Referral Program, we refer income eligible clients to attorneys for representation in their domestic cases. Our Judicare program provides funding to pay attorneys $120 per hour, and up to $4,200 per case, with a cap of 35 hours. CLS allows you to bill twice during the case. CLS invoices Maryland Legal Services Corporation for your billed time. As a result, Judicare payments are usually paid a month after an invoice is submitted. CLS uses Bill.com which allows for electronic payment for invoices. This funding program is administered by MLSC with funds from the Administrative Office of the Courts.

Foreclosure Prevention Program

CLS has funding for attorneys representing clients in Prince George’s County through our Foreclosure Prevention Program. In foreclosure prevention cases, the funding provides attorneys $120 an hour and up to thirty (30) hours of representation. Cases include representation at judicial proceedings, mediation preparation, representation at mediation, and negotiations. Additionally, funding is available for bankruptcy chapter 7, and other legal actions that may help the client save his home. If you are interested in being added to our foreclosure volunteer attorney pool, or require additional information, please email us at info@clspgc.org. Training, mentoring and malpractice insurance are provided. Funding is available from a generous grant provided by MLSC.

Domestic Violence Wellness Program

Are you interested in building your practice by adding Protective and Peace Orders? Training is available. CLS’s domestic violence program places protective order and peace order petitioners and respondents with attorneys. CLS will provide mentoring to help you prepare your case. You will also be able to shadow one of the staff attorneys during Protective and Peace Order hearings. CLS’s Domestic Violence Legal Wellness Program places protective order cases, petitioners and respondents with attorneys. Attorneys are eligible to receive $120 per hour with a cap of $750 per case. We ask that for each case that an attorney takes paid, that the attorney also takes one pro bono. Please contact Ivy Finkenstadt Esq. at finkenstadt@clspgc.org for more information.

Concluding Thoughts

CLS clients have limited means, but that does not negate the fact that they have significant legal issues that require legal representation. We encourage you to help bridge the Access to Justice gap by taking Judicare and pro bono cases. CLS provides our attorneys with training, mentoring, access to a litigation fund, and malpractice insurance. To join our volunteer pool, please apply on our website at www.clspgc.org or contact info@clspgc.org.

Community Legal Services of Prince George’s County, Inc., is a non-profit organization established to provide quality legal services to low-income residents of Prince George’s County, MD. CLS provides direct legal services through the generous contributions of members of the private bar. For more information about our funder, Maryland Legal Services Corporation (MLSC) and our Judicare Program, visit www.mlsc.org.

[1] Maryland State Bar Association: From Exclusion to Acceptance: Women Lawyers in Maryland (2022)

By Kayla Williams-Campbell, Esq., Managing Attorney

As we begin filling up our calendars for the New Year, I thought that now would the perfect time to provide an update on our various programs and clinics in hopes that you will find time to volunteer and make providing pro bono services part of your new year’s resolutions. In FY23, we provided free legal advice and representation in more than 12,000 cases involving family law, domestic violence, foreclosure prevention, landlord/tenant, bankruptcy chapter 7, and other non-fee generating civil legal issues. Through our various clinics and programs, which are described below, we assist clients with their legal needs which in turn, increases their economic status by freeing them from legal hardships and providing them with access to equitable legal representation which positively impacts many of their personal, financial, and professional lives.

In total, we have 6 clinics and programs and all have various ways that attorneys can get involved. Our Latino Access clinic provides legal advice and representation to low-income Latino and Spanish speaking individuals in family law matters including custody, child support, standby guardianship, and domestic violence cases. This clinic is located in Langley Park, Maryland, which is a predominately Hispanic community, and it focuses on ensuring that Latino and Spanish speaking residents have equitable access to legal representation, since this demographic encompasses a significant portion of Prince George’s County residents. This clinic is staffed by a full-time CLS attorney and paralegal who are both bilingual, and it operates every Tuesday and Thursday in-person, with a virtual option on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Our Self-Represented Clinic operates out of the Prince George’s County Circuit Courthouse in Upper Marlboro five days a week. This clinic provides legal advice and document preparation in civil cases in which the client intends to represent themselves. Our Foreclosure Prevention and Bankruptcy Clinic also provides legal advice and representation through this clinic on Friday afternoons, and virtually throughout the week.

Our Eviction Prevention Programs provide same-day and extended scope representation, along with legal advice and document preparation, to tenants facing eviction in Prince George’s and Anne Arundel Counties. Our clinics operate at the Hyattsville, Glen Burnie, and Annapolis District courts. CLS attorneys, paralegals, and legal assistants are present at each courthouse daily during each docket. In addition to full-time staff, both programs utilize volunteer attorneys to ensure we are able to meet the demand in need for our services. Since 2018, we have provided representation and legal advice in more than 10,000 cases, many of which resulted in case dismissals, referrals for rental assistance, and evictions being avoided.

Our Domestic Violence Wellness Program (DVLW) represents victims of domestic violence in Protective Order cases. Our staff attorney personally handles dozens of cases per year, and we place approximately 60 cases per year with other pro bono attorneys. Moreover, clients of the DVLW program often receive pro bono representation from volunteer attorneys for their family law matters after their protective orders are secured. This year, CLS expanded its program to add an additional staff attorney to assist clients with same-day representation in Temporary Protective Order Hearings.

Finally, we recently expanded our services to include a Cannabis and Expungement Law Outreach and Education Program which provides legal advice, training, and expungement assistance to individuals throughout Prince George’s County. This program also staffs our jail clinic hotline for detainees of the Prince George’s County Detention Center to call with their civil law legal concerns.

Additional information about our programs is included below. If you have any questions, or are interested in volunteering with any of these programs, please email Kayla Williams-Campbell at williams@clspgc.org.

Pro Bono Call to Action

The Maryland Attorney General, Maryland Judiciary, Maryland State Bar Association and Maryland’s Access to Justice Commission have delivered an urgent call to action for pro bono services. Attorneys are strongly encouraged to take at least one pro bono case or a designated number of pro bono service hours over the next year to provide legal services in areas including housing and family law. All Pro Bono providers in Maryland, including CLS, are taking part in this call to action. The Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland is helping to implement this call to action by matching interested attorneys with pro bono organizations throughout the state. For more information, visit probonomd.org.

Eviction Prevention Programs

CLS is seeking attorneys to provide representation to tenants at their Failure to Pay Rent hearings through our same-day tenant representation programs which operate in Prince George’s and Anne Arundel Counties. Stipends are available. CLS provides training, malpractice insurance coverage, mentoring, and support to our volunteers. Out-of-state attorneys are welcomed. CLS and the Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland have put together a training on how to represent tenants. This training includes statutes that attorneys should be familiar with, perspectives from the judiciary and landlord and tenant attorney advocates, issue spotting in Failure to Pay Rent complaints, and practical advice for handling cases. If you wish to take this training, have questions about the program, or want to sign up to represent tenants at their hearings, please contact Kayla Williams-Campbell, Esq. at williams@clspgc.org. Participating attorneys must commit to volunteer to staff two clinics or take two landlord/tenant cases within one year of completing the training.

Beyond this volunteer commitment, a stipend of $100* will be provided to attorneys in exchange for their representation, with a potential maximum of $200 per day. *$100 per half day in court (AM or PM sessions)

Interpreters Needed

CLS is in need of interpreters to assist attorneys representing Limited English proficient clients. Training is available and no prior experience is required. We pay $30 per hour and up to 30 hours per case. For more information, please email info@clspgc.org.

Civil Cases Available for Attorneys and Other Volunteer Opportunities

Through our Lawyer Referral Program, we refer income eligible clients to attorneys for representation in their domestic cases. Our Judicare program provides funding to pay attorneys $120 per hour, and up to $4,200 per case, with a cap of 35 hours. CLS allows you to bill twice during the case. CLS invoices Maryland Legal Services Corporation for your billed time. As a result, Judicare payments are usually paid a month after an invoice is submitted. CLS uses Bill.com which allows for electronic payment for invoices. This funding program is administered by MLSC with funds from the Administrative Office of the Courts.

Foreclosure Prevention Program

CLS has funding for attorneys representing clients in Prince George’s County through our Foreclosure Prevention Program. In foreclosure prevention cases, the funding provides attorneys $120 an hour and up to thirty (30) hours of representation. Cases include representation at judicial proceedings, mediation preparation, representation at mediation, and negotiations. Additionally, funding is available for bankruptcy chapter 7, and other legal actions that may help the client save his home. If you are interested in being added to our foreclosure volunteer attorney pool, or require additional information, please email us at info@clspgc.org. Training, mentoring and malpractice insurance are provided. Funding is available from a generous grant provided by MLSC.

Domestic Violence Wellness Program

Are you interested in building your practice by adding Protective and Peace Orders? Training is available. CLS’s domestic violence program places protective order and peace order petitioners and respondents with attorneys. CLS will provide mentoring to help you prepare your case. You will also be able to shadow one of the staff attorneys during Protective and Peace Order hearings. CLS’s Domestic Violence Legal Wellness Program places protective order cases, petitioners and respondents with attorneys. Attorneys are eligible to receive $120 per hour with a cap of $750 per case. We ask that for each case that an attorney takes paid, that the attorney also takes one pro bono. Please contact Ivy Finkenstadt Esq. at finkenstadt@clspgc.org for more information.

Concluding Thoughts

CLS clients have limited means, but that does not negate the fact that they have significant legal issues that require legal representation. We encourage you to help bridge the Access to Justice gap by taking Judicare and pro bono cases. CLS provides our attorneys with training, mentoring, access to a litigation fund, and malpractice insurance. To join our volunteer pool, please apply on our website at www.clspgc.org or contact info@clspgc.org.

Community Legal Services of Prince George’s County, Inc., is a non-profit organization established to provide quality legal services to low-income residents of Prince George’s County, MD. CLS provides direct legal services through the generous contributions of members of the private bar. For more information about our funder, Maryland Legal Services Corporation (MLSC) and our Judicare Program, visit www.mlsc.org.