Pro Bono Resource Center’s Academy Trains Groups Of Attorneys

Press release from the Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland: The Maryland State Bar Association (MSBA) founded the Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland (PBRC) 30 years ago to close the justice gap for Marylanders through statewide pro bono civil legal services.

In 2019, responding to a documented need to increase pro bono service among younger practitioners, PBRC piloted a Professional Skills Academy to provide a cohort of newer attorneys with a one-year intensive program of training, mentoring, and direct service to those experiencing crisis. The Academy’s 17 Fellows received six legal trainings, met with experienced mentors, and logged well over 400 hours of free legal service for low-income individuals.

In court, the Fellows defended low-wage workers against fraud and prevented unlawful evictions in rent court. Through community-based legal clinics, Fellows also helped prevent seniors from losing their homes to tax sale and preserve intergenerational wealth for low-income families through advance planning.

After completing the program, Fellows provide an exit interview, and develop a personal pro bono plan for the upcoming year. The plans include volunteering for several pro bono legal services programs serving those in need across the state and, due the pandemic, often remotely.

Following the successful pilot, and in the face of unprecedented challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, PBRC is pleased to announce that it will be able to sponsor the Academy for a second year, thanks to the support of the Maryland Bar Foundation, the charitable branch of the MSBA. “This program is a shining example of how the MBF supports programs of value to its members and the community. We are proud of the work that PBRC does and its creativity in engaging lawyers in meaningful service statewide,” stated Tom Lynch, President of the MBF. Applications to become an Academy Fellow are now being accepted.

Several Fellows offered reflections on the year. “The Academy was a great program, particularly in exposing attorneys to different areas of law and providing a chance to be in court,” remarked Stephen Freeman, Esq. “The Academy gave me the key to contribute to my community and added something very meaningful to my life,” added Sieglinde Peterson, Esq.

Dave Pantzer, PBRC’s Director of Education who designed key aspects of the program, observed that “the Fellows stepped out of their comfort zone and took a risk by doing something new. But with the support of the mentors and instructors, that challenging step brought new confidence and allowed them to give back.”

After the COVID crisis struck in March, many Fellows assisted in PBRC’s new remote clinics to aid Marylanders in need. As the Academy recruits its second class of Fellows, PBRC has adapted the 2020-21 program to operate remotely as needed. This year, the Academy will bring together newer lawyers and experienced mentors to help low-income Marylanders face legal needs in uncharted waters, together.

For more information about the Academy, and the online application, visit: www.probonomd.org/academy.

This press release was produced by Pro Bono Resource Center. The views expressed here are the author's own.