Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service

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Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service MVLS removes barriers to justice through free civil legal help, community engagement, and advocacy for equitable laws ET.

Our vision is for a fair legal system that is free of injustice and equitably serves underrepresented Marylanders. MVLS client intake is available 24/7 online at www.mvlslaw.org and our phone intake line (410) 547-6537 or (800) 510-0050 is staffed by our paralegals Monday – Thursday from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. MVLS offers free interpreter services for non-English speaking callers. MVLS can help with legal challenges in these areas:
Consumer finance, including debt collection and bankruptcy
Housing, landlord/tenant issues, foreclosures and tax sale
Family, including custody and divorce
Criminal record relief, including expungement
Estate planning and administration, including wills and deeds
Income tax disputes

MVLS gives Marylanders experiencing financial hardships the resources they need to advocate for their families, their homes and their livelihoods. We partner with a network of volunteer lawyers, tax professionals and community partners to deliver free civil legal representation statewide. Our services and programs are designed to create a level playing field where all people – regardless of income level or race – can have a voice in the legal process and in their futures.

TODAY is the LAST day to register for Celebrate Pro Bono 2026.📅 Celebrate Pro Bono — October 13, 6-9PM📍 The Factory – We...
10/07/2026

TODAY is the LAST day to register for Celebrate Pro Bono 2026.

📅 Celebrate Pro Bono — October 13, 6-9PM
📍 The Factory – West Baltimore Opportunity Center
⏰ Last day to register: TODAY, October 7
💛 Free for MVLS volunteers who have taken a case within the past three years
🚫 No tickets will be sold at the door
🎟️ Register now: mvlslaw.org/cpb2026

In less than a week, we’ll gather at The Factory to celebrate our 2026 awardees and recognize the volunteers who handled 10 or more MVLS cases during FY26:

Anne S. Gold-Rand, Esq.
Antonio Gioia, Esq.
Brian Marron, Esq.
Edward L. Wender, Esq.
Frank E. Turney, Esq.
Jessica S. Macauley, Esq.
John H. Doud III, Esq.
Joy Sakamoto-Wengel, Esq.
Kathryn Chib
Kiyanoush Razaghi, Esq.
Larry Coppel, Esq.
Larry J. Macklin, Esq.
Lauren Pruitt, Esq.
Marie-Yves Nadine Jean-Baptiste, Esq., LL.M.
Marlin Q. Parker, Esq.
Michele A. Manculich, Esq.
Natalie Jean, Esq.
Patrice M. Clarke, Esq.
Rehana S. Wieseman, Esq.
Rob M. Goldman, Esq.
Tae Y. Yee, Esq.
Vincent Mosley, Esq.
Zachary A. Kowalski, Esq.

That’s 23 volunteers who each handled 10 or more cases in a single fiscal year. We can’t wait to recognize them — and all of our 2026 honorees — on October 13.

Register now: mvlslaw.org/cpb2026

Legal skills can make a difference beyond the classroom. Please join us in welcoming Omar Sabra, our Fall Law School Int...
10/06/2026

Legal skills can make a difference beyond the classroom.

Please join us in welcoming Omar Sabra, our Fall Law School Intern from the University of Baltimore School of Law!

Omar is looking forward to gaining hands-on legal experience and strengthening his research and writing skills while supporting MVLS’s work to expand access to justice.

“I am proud to be part of an organization that improves access to justice for people in the community who may not otherwise be able to afford legal representation.” — Omar Sabra

We’re excited to have Omar on the team. Help us give him a warm MVLS welcome!

For the first time in MVLS history, we’re proud to recognize volunteers for 30 years of dedicated service. 🎉At Celebrate...
10/05/2026

For the first time in MVLS history, we’re proud to recognize volunteers for 30 years of dedicated service. 🎉

At Celebrate Pro Bono 2026, Constance Hare, Esq. and Erika Slater, Esq. will become MVLS’ first volunteers recognized for this extraordinary milestone.

Connie has spent decades helping Marylanders navigate bankruptcy and debtor-relief matters, consistently going above and beyond to provide clients with dedicated representation.

Erika has devoted her service to family law, helping clients through divorce, custody, and adoption matters and supporting Marylanders who need full representation.

Their long-term commitment is a powerful example of what sustained pro bono service can mean for individuals and families across Maryland.

Join us as we celebrate Connie, Erika, and all of our 2026 honorees at Celebrate Pro Bono on October 13.

⏰ Last day to register: October 7!
🎟️ Register: https://mvlslaw.org/mvls-events/celebrate-pro-bono-2026/

Removing barriers to justice takes a village—and we’re excited to welcome Alina Zavala to ours!Our Fall Outreach and Com...
10/02/2026

Removing barriers to justice takes a village—and we’re excited to welcome Alina Zavala to ours!

Our Fall Outreach and Communications Intern is a senior political science major and swim team member at Loyola University Maryland. This semester, Alina will work alongside Outreach and Communications Manager Chandler Walters to help connect Marylanders with free civil legal services and resources.

“I am really excited to join the MVLS team as an intern this semester! I am looking forward to applying my knowledge of systemic injustice and institutional barriers to find ways to make legal services more accessible.” — Alina Zavala

We’re excited to support Alina as she puts her classroom learning into practice and brings her perspective to our community outreach.

Help us give Alina a warm welcome in the comments! Interested in putting your learning into practice? MVLS will welcome up to two Outreach and Communications Interns this spring! Students and university partners can learn more about the opportunities here: https://buff.ly/fSSZCMS

Sometimes, leading a nonprofit looks like needing eight arms. 🐙Fundraising, supporting staff, managing operations, build...
10/01/2026

Sometimes, leading a nonprofit looks like needing eight arms. 🐙

Fundraising, supporting staff, managing operations, building relationships, and keeping the mission at the center—the octopus pictured with MVLS Executive Director Susan Francis, Esq., captures the many responsibilities nonprofit leaders balance.

This week, Susan is joining fellow leaders at the Parks & People Foundation’s Stone House in Baltimore for the 2026 T. Rowe Price and Support Center Executive Director Retreat. Selected from more than 50 applicants for one of just 15 spots, she’s taking time to exchange ideas, reflect, and explore practical leadership tools alongside her peers.

Investing in that learning helps strengthen the organization behind our work—and our ability to serve Marylanders facing civil legal challenges.

Thank you to the T. Rowe Price Foundation for supporting nonprofit leaders and to Support Center, which has helped nonprofits strengthen their leadership and management for more than 30 years.

Join us in congratulating Susan on this opportunity to learn, connect, and bring fresh ideas back to MVLS!

Taking one case can make a difference. Twenty years of taking cases can leave a legacy.   For Marylanders facing a civil...
09/30/2026

Taking one case can make a difference. Twenty years of taking cases can leave a legacy.

For Marylanders facing a civil legal issue, having an MVLS volunteer can dramatically change what happens next. In Maryland, people with legal representation are 6.5 times more likely to have a favorable outcome. (Source: Task Force to Study Implementing a Civil Right to Counsel in Maryland)

That difference is possible because volunteers have been showing up for 46 years.

This year, MVLS is proud to recognize Joy Sakamoto-Wengel, Esq., for 20 years of continuous volunteer service. A longtime pro bono leader, Joy has helped clients navigate a wide range of civil legal issues while putting her experience to work for Marylanders in need.

Join us October 13 at Celebrate Pro Bono as we honor Joy and celebrate the volunteers and community partners who make access to justice possible.

🎟️ Reserve your spot: https://mvlslaw.org/mvls-events/celebrate-pro-bono-2026/
🎟️ Registration closes October 7!

MVLS volunteers who have taken a case within the past three years are eligible for FREE REGISTRATION. ($50 value)

Questions about whether you qualify for FREE admission? Contact Margaret Henn, Deputy Director, at [email protected] or 443-451-4067.

09/29/2026

DID YOU KNOW? 💡

When money is tight, paying your credit card first may not be your best move.

In this MVLS: Know Your Rights & Resources video, Sean Russell, Housing and Consumer Staff Attorney, explains why housing, utilities, and transportation should generally take priority — and when other debts can become more urgent.

▶️ Watch the full video: https://buff.ly/E4dlj2n

This October, one case is enough to make a difference.For a Marylander facing a legal problem involving their home, fami...
09/28/2026

This October, one case is enough to make a difference.

For a Marylander facing a legal problem involving their home, family, or financial future, having a volunteer in their corner can change what comes next.

Celebrate Pro Bono Month begins this Thursday, October 1. If you’ve been thinking about volunteering with MVLS, make this the month you jump in:

Take One Case. Change One Outcome.
🔗 https://buff.ly/nNw1xrD

Our latest Pro Bono Champions show what putting legal knowledge into service looks like. Please join us in recognizing:

• Daniel Hatcher, Esq. – University of Baltimore School of Law
• Edward L. Wender, Esq. – Potomac Law Group, PLLC
• Gregor D. Weeks, Esq. – The Weeks Law Firm, LLC
• Jaime E. Seaton, Esq. – BGS Law LLC
• Jessica E. Zadjura, Esq. – Zadjura Family Law LLC
• Krishan Zaveri, Esq. – Zaveri Law Firm
• Michael J. McKeown, Esq. – Office of the Attorney General
• Peter E. Ford, Esq. – Ford Tax Law, LLC
• Sarah Nadolny, Esq. – MLO/Mulinazzi Law Office
• Susan DuMont, Esq. – Miles & Stockbridge

You don’t have to do it alone. MVLS provides training, mentorship, and ongoing support. You bring your legal skills and the willingness to help one Marylander move forward.

This October, will you take one case, and change one outcome?
🔗 https://buff.ly/nNw1xrD

“It reminds me why I became an attorney in the first place.”Phillip Dehoux’s day-to-day work focuses on data protection ...
09/25/2026

“It reminds me why I became an attorney in the first place.”

Phillip Dehoux’s day-to-day work focuses on data protection and AI. Through MVLS, he’s helping Marylanders plan for the future and navigate difficult family transitions—people who might otherwise face the legal system alone.

This month, we’re proud to recognize Phillip Dehoux of Dehoux Law, LLC, as our Volunteer of the Month!

Phillip stepped into family law and estate planning with MVLS’s training, mentorship, and support. Along the way, he’s built new skills while offering clients something deeply meaningful: someone to stand beside them, explain their options, and advocate for them during a vulnerable moment.

His advice to fellow attorneys? “You have the tools to change someone’s trajectory for the better; you just have to raise your hand.”

Read Phillip’s story: https://buff.ly/jpOnOgz

These MVLS volunteers are being recognized for 10 Years of Service at Celebrate Pro Bono 2026!We are proud to celebrate ...
09/24/2026

These MVLS volunteers are being recognized for 10 Years of Service at Celebrate Pro Bono 2026!

We are proud to celebrate volunteers who have taken at least one MVLS case every year for 10 years, helping expand access to justice for Marylanders across the state.

Congratulations to:
• Catherine M. Cook, Esq.
• Chelsea R. Ortega, Esq.
• David G. Sommer, Esq.
• John H. Doud III, Esq.
• Joseph E. Stolz, Jr., Esq.
• Samuel C.P. Baldwin, Jr., Esq.

Join us October 13 as we celebrate our 2026 honorees.
Register: https://buff.ly/LwfSovA

Address

201 N Charles Street, Ste 1400
Baltimore, MD
21201

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+14105476537

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