Volunteer

Allegany Law Foundation, Inc. was organized by the Bar Association of Allegany County in 1997 to provide a means for the legal community to assist Allegany County residents with their legal needs.  Some of the opportunities for attorney involvement in our programs are listed below.  Other volunteer opportunities are available for legal assistants, interns and other interested community members. Please call Allegany Law at 301-722-3390 if you are interested in participating in one or more of these programs.  If you have suggestions for new community programs and/or training opportunities for the Bar, let us know of the need.  Please feel free to refer clients to our offices for screening and referrals.

Pro Bono Volunteers providing assistance for individual clients in brief advice, document preparation and representation at administrative and court hearings:  Attorneys that are available to assist low-income clients in civil matters are encouraged to call our office at 301-722-3390 to inquire as to specific opportunities for client representation.  We place civil cases in Allegany County.

Participation in Workshops such as the Foreclosure Solutions Workshops and Law Day Senior Centers Clinics:  Attorneys meet with individuals at free, walk-in clinics open to the public to assist with specific areas of the law as needed.

Judicare Contract Attorneys:  A family law reduced-fee program providing compensation for private attorneys who accept cases in contested family law matters at the rate of $80 per hour.  The cap is $1,600 for 20 hours of work, with additional supplemental funding possibly available.  Judicare attorneys are guaranteed compensation, pre-approved litigation expenses and mentoring support if needed.   Attorneys are expected to assist in the various pro bono activities throughout the program.

Foreclosure Care Contract Attorneys:   Panel of private attorneys who have participated in legal training in the foreclosure area through Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland.  Attorneys are referred cases to assist distressed homeowners in the areas of foreclosure defense, foreclosure mediation representation and consumer debtor relief.  Attorneys are compensated at $80 per hour with a cap of $1600 for 20 hours of work.

Family Law Self-Help Clinics:  Local contractual attorneys staff the clinic at the Circuit Courthouse Annex providing advice and assistance with public filing pro se family law cases.

Information for Volunteer Attorneys

Litigation Expense Fund: The Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland (PBRC) administers a Pro Bono/Judicare Litigation Fund, an annual grant funded by the Maryland Legal Services Corporation (MLSC). Attorneys who handle Judicare or pro bono cases through MLSC funded legal services programs may be eligible for reimbursement through the Litigation Fund. Requests must be submitted within 60 days of the incurred expense. Funds are limited and may be exhausted before the end of the fiscal year. Reimbursement is subject to the availability of funds and is disbursed on a first come, first serve basis. There is no guarantee that requests will be approved.  An interactive, fillable PDF version is available at https://www.probonomd.org/for-lawyers/litigation-fund/. If you have an eligibility question about an expense, please contact Annie Speedie, Director of Programming at 443-703-3051 or aspeedie@probnomd.org.

Fee Waiver Procedures: Starting July 1, 2015, under Maryland Rule 1-325, indigent clients became entitled to an automatic waiver of prepaid costs if their attorney is representing them through an organization identified by the Maryland Legal Services Corporation under section (d) of the amended rule. Attorneys will still be required to file a request for a waiver of final costs, and the request will still require an affidavit. A summary of the changes, the list of approved providers, and relevant forms are available at http://mdcourts.gov/courts/feewaiverprocedures.html. Volunteers should follow this precedure instead of requesting reimbursement from the Litigation Fund for prepaid costs like filing fees and appearance fees.