Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland

Are you a lawyer interested in using your professional skills to better your community?     PBRC offers 45+ on-demand trainings that help prepare interested attorneys for a new area of pro bono law. Once you sign up for a training, you will be mailed the training link to view online anytime. Topics range from Estate Planning, Immigration, Eviction Prevention, LGBTQ+ Advocacy, Veteran’s Assistance, and more.     Already trained? PBRC also connects lawyers to meaningful pro bono opportunities based on their substantive interests and geographical preferences. Lawyers can volunteer in many ways across Maryland – from direct representation and giving brief advice at legal clinics to answering calls on a hotline, serving as a volunteer mediator, or assisting with research and writing projects.     To get connected to a pro bono opportunity tailored for you, visit probonomd.org/volunteers. 

PBRC is now hiring! PBRC is hiring a Database and Systems Administrator who will facilitate upgrades and changes to the organization’s database, and will be supporting database functionality and software coordination for the entire organization.    PBRC is undergoing a process of evaluating the functionality of our current Salesforce database as it relates to case management, data tracking, and grant reporting. The individual in this position will be responsible for coordinating the collection of staff input and feedback on the database, working directly with technology vendors, troubleshooting issues, and disseminating information and training materials to staff related to database updates and changes.     Does this position sound like the perfect fit for you? To view the full job description and apply today, please visit https://lnkd.in/e8pheaE. 

TOMORROW! Don’t miss the latest installment in PBRC’s Professional Skills Series.     Valda Ricks, Staff Attorney of PBRC’s Courtroom Advocacy Project, will host a Professional Skills training discussing trial techniques.    The skills training will include a 20-minute exercise and a 20-minute mentoring roundtable where attendees can bring litigation questions they’re currently facing (whether related to the presentation topic or not) and get input from the group.    The skills training portion of each event will be made available as an on-demand webcast recording. Register to either attend live or receive the webcast to watch on your own time at https://lnkd.in/ekFv9wvx. 

October is Celebrate Pro Bono Month, where the legal community collectively honors the work of lawyers who donate their services! This week we want to honor Dayana Morales, a volunteer with PBRC’s Maryland Immigrant Legal Assistance Project (MILAP).    “What I want to convey is that I understand how the people who come to the clinic also experience that sense of relief when they find someone who speaks their language. I know they feel more comfortable meeting with the attorneys, knowing their story will be delivered accurately. If I can make their day a little bit easier, I will continue to do so.”    To read more about Dayana's volunteer experience and how she got involved in pro bono, visit her interview here: https://lnkd.in/gJXED2SW. 

UPDATE: Our website is back up and running. Thank you for your patience! ANNOUNCEMENT 10/21: Unfortunately, PBRC's website has been hacked and is displaying information that we do not condone nor promote. We are working to get the website back up and running as soon as possible. In the meantime, if you have an urgent request, we advise that you call our office at 410-837-9379.

You are invited to propose a panel session for the 2025 Partners for Justice Conference, taking place on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, at the Baltimore Convention Center!    For over 25 years, the Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland has hosted the Partners for Justice conference, which focuses on critical issues facing the poor and underrepresented across the region and how we can improve access to justice.    PBRC is seeking presentation/panel proposals for the 2025 Partners for Justice Conference. We’re really interested in learning about any new or cutting-edge projects, programs, ideas, and trends within your legal services and access to justice work. From now until Friday, November 1st, we will be accepting presentation and panel proposals.    Need some inspiration? Past conferences have included panel topics such as:    - Race Equity Toolkit: Analyzing Your Projects for Greater Inclusivity  - Litigating in the Wild West: Trial Techniques for District Court  - It Takes All of Us: An Overview of the Maryland OAG's Community-Based Approach to Combat Hate  - Empowering Futures: A Framework for Positive Youth Justice Strategy  - Democratizing Legal Access: Mapping and Community Justice Workers in Action … and more!    To learn more and submit a panel today, please visit https://lnkd.in/eyFchRs9. 

Get to know Haley Wittstadt, a law clerk with PBRC’s Courtroom Advocacy Project who you can find staffing PBRC’s courthouse-based pro bono clinics for tenants!     “At PBRC every day is meaningful. The impact that we have is on people's homes. It is where people raise their families, eat dinner, and put their kids to bed. Summary ejectment is a fast-moving proceeding- rent court can be the difference between having a home and being without shelter in just a few weeks.”     Read more about Haley's experience at PBRC and in the community: https://lnkd.in/eA7F2QYJ.   

October is Celebrate Pro Bono month! In honor of the Celebration, PBRC has compiled the Maryland calendar of Celebration events which features more information about pro bono opportunities across the state including clinics and workshops as well as service, education, and recognition programs created specifically for the Celebration.     Check out the calendar at https://lnkd.in/dEcW3A3H to get involved with pro bono opportunities in your community! 

October is Celebrate Pro Bono Month, where the legal community collectively honors the work of lawyers who donate their services! This week we want to honor Susan Jameson, a volunteer with PBRC’s Home Preservation Project (HPP).    Susan, a retiree from a long career practicing employment law, employee benefits, and general litigation, has continued to do pro bono work in her retirement to give back. She has become an invaluable volunteer at HPP’s estate planning clinics, where volunteers draft a will, an advance medical directive, and a financial power of attorney for community members.     “As lawyers, we have had the privilege to learn about the legal system. In a nation of laws, access to benefits and rights often depend on being able to navigate the laws. Frequently, it takes a lawyer to do the navigation, which many people cannot afford. I believe that it is important that the legal profession shares the privilege of our legal training by giving back to our communities.”    To read more about Susan's volunteer experience and her perspective on the importance of pro bono work, visit her interview here: https://lnkd.in/eJQKYxvv. 

PBRC team members had a great time connecting with our peers from across Maryland's local bar associations at the Bringing the Bars Together Happy Hour event. Thank you to the Maryland Association for Justice, Inc. and partners for cohosting this great event!