Attorneys licensed to practice in other states are now welcome to volunteer their services at Mid-Shore Pro Bono, thanks to a rule change regarding admission to the Bar of Maryland. As of January 1, a change to the Rules Governing Admission allows attorneys not licensed to practice in Maryland, but licensed in good standing in another state, to take on pro bono work in Maryland.
The Eastern Shore is home or second home to many attorneys who practice or are retired from practice in Washington, D.C., Delaware, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York. The rule change presents an opportunity for Mid-Shore Pro Bono to recruit new volunteer attorneys to help the low-income clients it serves in Kent, Queen Anne’s, Caroline, Talbot and Dorchester counties.
Mid-Shore Pro Bono’s Executive Director Sandy Brown welcomes any help this new pool of potential volunteers can provide. “This is a good news/bad news opportunity,” she said. “The good news is that attorneys licensed in other states now can help our clients. The bad news is that we have so many clients who need help and not enough time being volunteered by many of our Maryland lawyers to handle all the cases.”
“With fewer attorneys practicing here on the Eastern Shore than on the other side of the Bay and in the cities,” she added, “we can use all the help we can get.”
There is a certification process that attorneys licensed out of state must complete. Once certified, there is no expiration date, and attorneys will be permitted to represent clients through legal services organizations in Maryland as long as they receive no compensation for their time. They also will not have to pay dues to the state’s Client Protection Fund.
Mid-Shore Pro Bono can provide interested attorneys with details on how to apply for certification. Its staff offers administrative support for the lawyers, ensuring that their time is used where best for both the attorneys and the clients.
“Serving in our clinics is a great opportunity where out-of-state lawyers could help,” suggested Brown. “They are a low commitment of time and a huge service to our community.” Mid-Shore Pro Bono holds civil legal clinics in each of the five counties it serves.
“Whether our client is about to lose her home, facing bankruptcy, in the turmoil of divorce or even simply a senior needing a will or power of attorney to ease his mind,” Brown added, “having more volunteer attorneys means being able to tell more of these people in distress that we can help.”
For more information, to volunteer or to make a donation, call Mid-Shore Pro Bono at 410-690-8128 or visit www.midshoreprobono.org.
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