March 2023

By Kayla Williams, Managing Attorney

Law Day, held annually on May 1st, is a national day set aside to celebrate the rule of law. This year’s theme is “Cornerstones of Democracy: Civics, Civility and Collaboration.” As I reflect on this year’s theme, I can’t help but be grateful for all the individuals and organizations that we collaborate with daily to achieve our mission of providing quality civil legal services to low– income individuals throughout Prince George’s and surrounding counties. Whether it be with bar associations, other nonprofits, Council Members, community partners, or legislators, we are often tasked with working together to reach a common goal. Our office recently had the opportunity to testify before Maryland legislators in favor of two bills which would further expand access to free representation to tenants and homeowners facing eviction and foreclosure. We also recently partnered with Jolene Ivey’s office and the City of Hyattsville to participate in Foreclosure and Eviction Prevention Housing Resources Workshops. Additionally, on April 29th, we are partnering with the Prince George’s County Bar Association and Reid Temple AME church to host an expungement clinic. CLS looks forward to furthering this year’s Law Day theme, and we are grateful to work with so many amazing organizations that help us do the work that we do. If you are interested in learning more about our programs or events, please visit our website at www.clspgc.org or email Kayla Williams 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 program. 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 in Prince George’s County rent court. This training includes Landlord/Tenant rules and perspectives, 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 rent court hearings, please contact Kayla Williams, 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. Judicare funding provides funding to pay attorneys $100.00 per hour with a cap of $3,000 per case.* 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. *For Judicare invoices received on or after April 1, 2022 the hourly rate will increase from $100 an hour to $120 an hour. Additionally, for cases closed on or after April 1, 2022, the cap on hours will be moved from 30 hours to 35 hours.

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 $80.00 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 is provided. Funding is available from a generous grant provided by MLSC. *The hourly rate for foreclosure cases will increase from $80 an hour to $120 an hour with a cap of 35 hours per case.
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 receive $80 per hour with a cap of $500 per case. We ask that for each case that an attorney takes paid, that the attorney also take one pro bono. Please contact Marcie Mininberg, Esq., at mininberg@clspgc.org for more information. *The hourly rate \ for DV cases is $120 an hour with a maximum of $750 per case.
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.

November Newsletter

COMMUNITY LEGAL SERVICES OF PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, INC.

By Nora C. Eidelman, Deputy Director

We hope you and your loved ones remain healthy and safe. As we approach the holiday season, we are mindful of the challenging times our county residents continue to face, particularly in the areas of housing and employment caused by the pandemic. We are addressing these legal needs through our Foreclosure Prevention and Rent Court Tenant Representation programs, our virtual clinics, legal training presentations, and expungement clinics to eliminate additional potential barriers to employment and housing. We could not do this work without your support. In this month of thanksgiving, we explicitly want to express our sincere gratitude to our volunteers and hope for your continued support for our clients during this challenging time.

We are also pleased to congratulate one of our own, Executive Director, Jessica A. Quincosa, Esq., on receiving the Prince George’s County Bar Association’s President Award in recognition of her dedicated support to the community by providing pro-bono legal services. Please join us in congratulating her!

During the Fall, we have continued to provide virtual legal trainings. CLS made two presentations on Evictions During Covide-19 in partnership with Prince George’s County Councilwoman Anderson-Walker, District 8. The sessions were interactive and provided critical information on the steps residents must take when facing eviction, and addressed questions and concerns from the audience. Our Staff Attorney, Kayla Williams, Esq. presented in English on September 30, 2020, and Executive Director, Jessica A. Quincosa, Esq., and Supervising Attorney, Catrina C. Aquilino, Esq., presented in Spanish on October 5, 2020. The presentation is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDbRJV9yJc4&feature=youtu.be

Our Executive Director Jessica A. Quincosa, Esq. and Supervising Attorney Catrina Aquilino, Esq. presented for the second time on the Maryland Attorney General’s COVID-19 Access to Justice Task Force virtual Town Hall meeting on September 30, 2020. They presented in Spanish on Landlord Tenant issues facing tenants and how the pandemic has changed some of the tenant’s defenses. The Task Force was created to support Marylanders facing extraordinary health and financial challenges as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The video is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZx_BR9NkQc&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR0Nro5xMGcmtL2JOndIgNdPJfb-M-aZu0R233C_WPgzzZOQjj1r61OurV4

In conjunction with the Prince George’s County Local Pro Bono Committee, CLS held Virtual Presentations & Legal Clinic, a three-part legal information series culminating in a free clinic with attorneys available to provide advice for rent, child support, and expungement matters. The child support presentation was held on October 26, the rent presentation on October 27, and expungement presentation on 28, 2020. The virtual clinic was on Saturday, October 31, 2020.

3rd Annual Free Expungement Clinic (Virtual)

We are calling for volunteers interested in participating in this virtual clinic. CLS and Shiloh Baptist Church of Landover will hold our 3rd annual expungement clinic on Saturday, November 14, 2020, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The clinic will address criminal records that may keep residents from obtaining work and housing. Attorneys will be available to provide advice on

expungement and other civil legal matters. Potential participants seeking advice need to register at BIT.LY/CLSXSHILOH1. For more information or to register to volunteer, please contact Supervising Attorney Catrina Aquilino, Esq., at aquilino@clspgc.org.

Project Bounce Back

CLS and the Latino Economic Development Center (LEDC) are partnering on Project Bounce Back. Project Bounce Back, which focuses on Prince George’s County residents who are facing or have recently filed a Chapter seven or thirteen bankruptcy for financial relief. This is a six-month financial and legal education course, where participants receive practical tips and advice on understanding their finances. Program benefits include: One-on-one credit counseling

Free legal advice & referrals, Budgeting tips & tools. The program is offered virtually, free of charge, on the third Thursday evening of each month from September 17, 2020, to February 18, 2021. The class is now closed but we intend on offering another session to begin in or around March 2021. We may be able to provide assistance with equipment to access the course.

CLS continues to host our weekly Table Talk Thursdays via Facebook Live where a staff attorney shares information on family law matters at 12:00 PM. Our last presentation focused on the October 1, 2020 Changes to the Maryland Child Support Guidelines. You can find this presentation at https://www.facebook.com/clspgc/videos/328949875054830 Previous presentations can be found in our Facebook page as well.

Sign up to help in our Prince George’s County or Anne Arundel County’s Failure to Pay Rent Tenant Representation Program and help families avoid wrongful evictions during Covid-19. Training & Stipend is Available. As Maryland courts have transitioned into some in-person hearings, CLS is seeking attorneys to provide same day representation to tenants in Rent Court. CLS provides training, malpractice insurance coverage, mentoring, and support to our volunteers. Out-of-state attorneys are welcomed. CLS and Pro Bono Resource of Maryland have put together a training on Tenants in Prince George’s County Rent Court. The training includes Landlord/Tenant rules and perspectives, 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 help in either county, please contact Kayla Williams, 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. *per half day in court (AM or PM sessions) in Prince George’s County, and $100 per case in Anne Arundel County.

A Success Story from our Rent Court Program

This past September our office was contacted by a client who was facing an eviction for an amount of rent that he had already paid. Although a Judgment for Possession had previously been granted in favor of the landlord, the tenant had satisfied the judgment through multiple payments, but he still owed a balance and his landlord was threatening him with eviction if the balance wasn’t paid in full. His landlord also refused to accept partial payments. Our office filed a motion on the tenant’s behalf and requested that the writ of restitution be quashed and marked as paid and satisfied. The court granted the motion and the writ was quashed, giving the tenant

peace of mind and preventing any eviction on that judgment from occurring. The tenant was also able to raise additional funds through the community to pay his remaining balance.

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 paid $30 per hour up to 30 hours per case. For more information, please contact Nora Eidelman at eidelman@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. Judicare funding pays the attorneys’ fees. Attorneys receive $100.00 per hour with a cap of $3,000 per case. 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. This funding program is administered by MLSC with funds from the Administrative Office of the Courts.

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 $80.00 an hour and up to thirty (30) hours of representation. Funds 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 is provided. Funding is available from a generous grant provided by MLSC.

Our Monthly Foreclosure Prevention Trainings for volunteer attorneys will be held via ZOOM on Monday, November 30, 2020 at 2:00 PM. Additional information will be posted on our website.

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 and peace order petitioners and respondents with attorneys. Attorneys receive $80 per hour with a cap of $500 per case.

CLS clients have limited means but have real legal issues that require representation. Help CLS bridge the Access to Justice Gap by taking Judicare or Pro bono cases. CLS provides our volunteer attorneys 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. (CLS) is a non-profit organization established to provide quality civil legal services to low-income residents of Prince George’s

County, MD. CLS provides direct legal services through the generous contributions by members of the private bar. For more information about MSLC and the Judicare program, please visit https://www.mlsc.org

Please Note: During Covid-19, all our services are remote including our clinics. CLS operates free Legal Advice Clinics throughout the County, including in the Prince George’s County Circuit Court, Room M2435, the Prince George’s County Multi-Services Center in Langley Park, and in Suitland’s Windsor Crossings Apartments. For referrals of low-income residents of Prince George’s County to CLS programs, our hotline is 240-391-6370. Our temporary intake-hours are Monday-Friday, 8:00 am-6:00pm; online applications are available at www.clspgc.org

CLS October 2020 Newsletter

COMMUNITY LEGAL SERVICES OF PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, INC.

By Nora C. Eidelman, Deputy Director

Meeting Our Clients Where They Are Now

We have continued adjusting our delivery of services to meet our clients’ needs with housing, domestic violence, family law and other civil legal matters. In the past month, we partnered with CASA in Action and held a series of zoom legal webinars via Facebook Live focusing on domestic violence abuse, foreclosure & bankruptcy, landlord tenant, wills, power of attorney, advanced medical directives and guardianship presentations. The presentations were made in Spanish and hundreds of viewers tuned-in to the training and had an opportunity to ask questions.

Additionally, CLS made two presentations on Dealing with the Threats of Eviction During the Pandemic in partnership with Catholic Charities, Housing Initiative Partnership and Latino Economic Development Center. CLS presented on landlord tenant issues and tenant defenses due to the expected tsunami of evictions caused by the pandemic. Our Executive Director Jessica A. Quincosa, Esq., presented in Spanish on August 4, 2020, and Staff Attorney Kayla Williams, Esq., presented in English on August 11, 2020.

Our Executive Director Jessica A. Quincosa, Esq. and Supervising Attorney Catrina Aquilino, Esq. presented on the Maryland Attorney General’s COVID-19 Access to Justice Task Force virtual Town Hall meeting on August 31, 2020. They presented in Spanish on Landlord Tenant issues facing tenants and how the pandemic has changed some of the tenant’s defenses. The Task Force was created to support Marylanders facing extraordinary health and financial challenges as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The video is available at https://youtu.be/_x3DLo0jzxo.

Our Tenant Representation Program was featured in a Maryland Matters article where Council Member Deni Taveras (District II) brings attention to housing issues in the immigrant community as Maryland courts have reopened, dockets are filled with failure-to-pay-rent cases, and the expected spike in evictions. Taveras feared not only the failure-to-pay-rent cases would overwhelm the court system, but also the effect of unscrupulous landlords in the community. In the article, Taveras directs her constituents to CLS for legal assistance. The article further added that Prince George’s County typically schedules 150,000 landlord-tenant cases a year, and quoted our Executive Director Jessica A. Quincosa, Esq.: “This year we know the need is going to outweigh our capabilities…We are trying to plan for this pandemic eviction to help as many clients as we can and collaborate among our partners.” The article As Eviction Hearings Resume, Undocumented Immigrants at Highest Risk of Losing Homes is available at https://www.marylandmatters.org/2020/09/08/as-eviction-hearings-resume-undocumented-immigrants-at-highest-risk-of-losing-homes/.

CLS continues to host our weekly Facebook Live presentations: Tenant Tuesdays, a staff attorney shares updates on Prince George’s County District Court re-opening phases and tenant rights at 1:00 PM, and Table Talk Thursdays, a staff attorney shares information on family law matters at 12:00 PM.

CLS is still providing virtual appointments for clients by video or telephone-based on the client’s preference – in-person appointments are available based on the client’s needs. We are operating under our temporary expanded-intake hours Monday-Friday, 8:00 am-6:00 pm, to accommodate more clients seeking our services. Clients may apply for free legal representation by visiting our website at www.clspgc.org, by email at info@clspgc.org or by telephone at 240-391-6370.

Calling for Volunteers Interested in Virtual Clinics

Please save the dates for October 31 and November 14, 2020! CLS is planning virtual clinics on expungement, rent and other civil legal matters. For more information on how to volunteer, please contact Supervising Attorney Catrina Aquilino, Esq., at aquilino@clspgc.org.

Sign up to help in our Failure to Pay Rent Tenant Representation Program & help families avoid wrongful evictions during Covid-19. Training & Stipend is Available.

As Maryland courts have transitioned into some in-person hearings, CLS is seeking attorneys to provide same day representation to tenants in Rent Court at the District Court in Hyattsville. CLS provides training, malpractice insurance coverage, mentoring, and support to our volunteers. Out-of-state attorneys are welcomed. CLS and Pro Bono Resource of Maryland have put together a training on Tenants in Prince George’s County Rent Court. The training includes Landlord/Tenant rules and perspectives, issue spotting in Failure to Pay Rent complaints, and practical advice for handling cases. If you wish to take this training or have questions about the program, please contact Kayla Williams, 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. *per docket Funding for this program is provided by Maryland Legal Services Corporation (MLSC).

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. This is a paid or volunteer opportunity. For more information, please contact Nora Eidelman at eidelman@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. Judicare funding pays the attorneys’ fees. Attorneys receive $100.00 per hour with a cap of $3,000 per case. 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. This funding program is administered by MLSC with funds from the Administrative Office of the Courts.

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 $80.00 an hour and up to thirty (30) hours of representation. Funds 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 is provided. Funding is available from a generous grant provided by MLSC.

Our Monthly Foreclosure Prevention Trainings will be held via ZOOM on Monday, October 26, 2020 at 2:00 PM. Our staff attorney John Gabel, Esq. will be presenting on “The Changing Post-Covid Foreclosure Landscape”. Information will be posted on our website.

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 and peace order petitioners and respondents with attorneys. Attorneys receive $80 per hour with a cap of $500 per case.

A Success Story from a Client Represented by our Staff Attorney

Client was referred by a housing counselor regarding domestic violence incidents between client, her children and her husband. The client herself had already obtained a Final Protective Order against her husband in July 2019. She had sought our assistance as she wanted to modify her Protective Order against her husband. During the process of assisting the client with the modification of her order, she contacted us to assist her in a protective order on behalf of her two minor children against their father/step-father. Client was petrified of her husband and moved herself and her children into a safe-house. Our staff attorney was able to obtain a protective order for the children, providing client with custody, use and possession of the home (thus allowing her and the children to leave the safe-house and return to their home), and emergency family maintenance in the amount of $400 a month. Our staff attorney further obtained an order for client’s husband to obtain drug/alcohol and domestic violence counseling. The staff attorney was scheduled to assist later with obtaining a two-year extension of her prior order given the subsequent acts of abuse committed by her husband.

CLS clients have limited means but have real legal issues that require representation. Help CLS bridge the Access to Justice Gap by taking Judicare or Pro bono cases. CLS provides our volunteer attorneys 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. (CLS) is a non-profit organization established to provide quality civil legal services to low-income residents of Prince George’s County, MD. CLS provides direct legal services through the generous contributions by members of the private bar. For more information about MSLC and the Judicare program, please visit https://www.mlsc.org

Please Note: During Covid-19, all our services are remote including our clinics. CLS operates free Legal Advice Clinics throughout the County, including in the Prince George’s

County Circuit Court, Room M2435, the Prince George’s County Multi-Services Center in Langley Park, and in Suitland’s Windsor Crossings Apartments. For referrals of low-income residents of Prince George’s County to CLS programs, our hotline is 240-391-6370. Our temporary intake-hours are Monday-Friday, 8:00 am-6:00pm; online applications are available at www.clspgc.org.

Project Bounce Back Press Release

Project Bounce Back
Financial & Legal Educational Course

 

Community Legal Services of Prince George’s County, Inc. (CLS) and the Latino Economic Development Center (LEDC) are proud to announce the launch of Project Bounce Back. Project
Bounce back will focus on Prince George’s county residents who are facing or have recently filed
a Chapter seven or thirteen bankruptcy for financial relief. During the six-month financial and
legal education course, participants will receive practical tips and advice on understanding their
finances. Program benefits include:
  • One-on-one credit counseling
  • Free legal advice & referrals
  • Budgeting tips & tools
CLS’s Mission is to provide education, advice, and/or representation to low-income litigants in
civil legal matters in Prince George’s County, MD. Our goal is to promote equal access to justice
by providing access to free legal services through our legal advice clinics, mobile legal services
and pro bono referral program to meet our Mission. LEDC’s goal is to drive the economic and
social advancement of low to moderate income Latinos and other underserved DC, MD, and
Northern Virginia area residents by equipping them with the skills and tools to achieve financial
independence and become leaders in their communities. CLS will coordinate the project and
provide legal advice, and LEDC will serve as consultants for the project providing financial
coaching personnel and education for participants.
Funds for this inaugural program were generously provided by the American College of
Bankruptcy Foundation (“the Foundation”). The Foundation promotes the ends of justice through
educational and charitable activities, and focuses on bankruptcy and insolvency. They award
grants to legal services organizations whose mission and activities are consistent with their mission
of fostering the institution and maintenance of legal aid facilities for the indigent.
Project Bounce Back will launch on February 26, 2020, and the application is available here.
Contact Information:
Latavia Alexander
alexander@clspgc.org
(240) 391-6532 ext 8

December 2019 Newsletter

COMMUNITY LEGAL SERVICES OF PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, INC.

By Nora C. Eidelman, Deputy Director

NBC4 Food 4 Families Partnership

CLS was proud to partner for a second year with NBC4’s Food 4 Families to help local families in need this past Thanksgiving. CLS distributed 100 turkeys and sides to 100 families in need in Prince George’s County. This helped put food on the table for hundreds of parents, caretakers, children and extended families. The recipients expressed immense gratitude. As participants in the NBC4 Food 4 Families Campaign, representatives from partner organizations, including CLS Deputy Director, Nora Eidelman were featured in an interview with Pat Muse of NBC4 to discuss our services and the impact of our Food 4 Families Thanksgiving Turkey partnerships.

Domestic Violence Grant Program Award

We are pleased to announce that the Prince George’s County Domestic Violence Grant Program has awarded CLS $45,000 for our Domestic Violence Legal Wellness Program (DVLWP). This is the third year the County has funded this program. Our DVLWP provides holistic legal services to victims of domestic violence including safety planning, legal advice, and representation in protective and peace orders, divorce, custody and other family law matters, advice and referrals for housing, guardianship, bankruptcy and foreclosure support. Potential clients who may need our services may call 240-391-6532, ext. 3.

Expungement Clinic Events

CLS continues to partner with our local Bar Associations, churches, elected officials and other community stakeholders to hold expungement clinic events throughout Prince George’s County. At the Veterans Stand Down and Homeless Resource Day held at the Prince George’s County Sports and Learning Complex on November 2, 2019, we served 23 clients and prepared expungement forms for 66 charges. On November 9, we held an expungement event at Shiloh Baptist Church of Landover, co-sponsored by Maryland State Delegate Erek Barron (Dist. 24) and the Prince George’s County Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), serving 29 clients with 87 charges. This service helps reduce barriers to employment and housing that some of our county residents face. Persons needing assistance with expungements do not need to wait until the next clinic event is held; they can visit one of our law clinics to receive assistance with expunging and shielding eligible cases. For a list of all CLS clinics, please visit https://www.clspgc.org/what-we-do/clinics/

Our Failure to Pay Rent Tenant Representation Program

Attorneys can sign up to help families avoid wrongful evictions in our Failure to Pay Rent Program. Training & Stipend is Available. Attorneys will provide same day representation to tenants in Prince George’s County Rent Court, located at Hyattsville District Court. CLS provides training, malpractice insurance coverage, mentoring, and support to our volunteers. Out-of-state attorneys are welcomed. Representing Tenants in Prince George’s County Rent Court training, in partnership with the Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland, is available on line at www.pbrc.org. The training includes Landlord/Tenant rules and perspectives, issue spotting in Failure to Pay Rent complaints, and practical advice for handling cases. If you wish to take this training or have questions about the program, please contact Kayla Williams, 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. *per docket. Funding for this program is provided by Maryland Legal Services Corporation (MLSC).

Our Monthly Foreclosure Prevention Training on the last Monday of the month, will be held on November 25, 2019, at 2:00 PM. The training will focus on foreclosure and bankruptcy. Please RSVP to Nora Eidelman at 240-391-6532, ext. 5 or eidelman@clspgc.org. Trainings will be held at 6301 Ivy Lane, Suite 720, Greenbelt, MD 20770.

Funding Available for Representation in Foreclosure Prevention

CLS has funding for attorneys representing clients in Prince George’s County through our Foreclosure Prevention Program. CLS has expanded our Foreclosure Prevention project to provide paid hours to attorneys accepting cases for representation in foreclosure defense cases, post-foreclosure Motions for Surplus, tenants in foreclosures, as well foreclosure mediation. In foreclosure prevention cases, the funding provides attorneys $80.00 an hour and up to thirty hours of representation. Funds 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 contact Michael Udejiofor at 240-391-6532, ext. 1 or udejiofor@clspgc.org. Training, mentoring and malpractice insurance is provided. Funding is available from a generous grant provided by MLSC.

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. Judicare funding pays the attorneys’ fees. Attorneys receive $100.00 per hour with a cap of $3,000 per case. The billing process with CLS allows you to bill twice during the life of the case. MLSC reimburses CLS for your billed time. As a result, a slight delay in Judicare payments should be anticipated. This funding program is administered by MLSC with funds from the Administrative Office of the Courts. For more information about MSLC and the Judicare program, please visit https://www.mlsc.org/.

CLS also has volunteer opportunities at our Brief Advice clinics. Expand and grow your practice by volunteering around your schedule.

CLS clients have limited means but have real legal issues that require representation. Help CLS bridge the Access to Justice Gap by taking Judicare or Pro bono cases. CLS provides our volunteer attorneys training, mentoring, access to a litigation fund, monthly practitioner’s clinics, and malpractice insurance. To learn more about our opportunities, please contact Nora Eidelman, at 240-391-6532, ext. 5.

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 staff attorneys during Protective and Peace Order hearings. If you are interested or have any questions, please email Catrina Aquilino, Esq. at aquilino@clspgc.org

Free Estate Planning Services for Income-Eligible Adults of Any Age

CLS now provides free estate planning services for income-eligible county residents. Our staff attorney is available to prepare wills, advanced medical directives and power of attorney documents. To schedule an appointment, please call 240-391-6532, ext. 8.

Community Legal Services of Prince George’s County, Inc. (CLS) is a non-profit organization established to provide quality civil legal services to low-income residents of Prince George’s County. CLS provides direct legal services through the generous contributions by members of the private bar. Additionally, CLS operates free Brief Advice Clinics throughout the County, including in the Prince George’s County Circuit Court, Room 2435 M, the Prince George’s County Multi-Services Center in Langley Park, and in Suitland’s Windsor Crossings Apartments. For referrals of low-income residents of Prince George’s County to CLS programs, our hotline is 240-391-6370. Intake is Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm., online applications are available at www.clspgc.org. For more information about our services, please contact Nora C. Eidelman, at 240-391-6532, ext. 5.