Attorneys
Volunteer your pro bono hours.
We are bursting at the seams to keep up with our community’s legal needs. In fact, the number of people contacting us for legal help has doubled in some parts of the Eastern Shore in the last year! But with your help, we can change that — and say yes to more families and individuals in need.
As a volunteer attorney with Shore Legal Access, you can represent a client, volunteer at one of our many legal clinics, or do case review and provide advice over the phone. The many benefits of volunteering your time with us include having our team handle tracking your pro bono hours, networking opportunities throughout the legal community, free or reduced fee-training on current and new legal practices, and use of our office space for both our clients and yours. Together, we can give people hope and a voice by delivering life-changing legal assistance — and ensure justice truly is for all.
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Additional benefits of volunteering your time with Shore Legal Access include:
- Weekly Volunteer Attorney Newsletter: Registered volunteers receive our weekly newsletter with our pending case list, training and informational resources, and other updates. Register by filling out our volunteer attorney registration.
- Malpractice Insurance: Work done under the umbrella of Shore Legal Access is covered by our malpractice insurance.
- Training: We provide frequent learning opportunities for attorneys to learn new areas and accept pro bono cases. You can also find helpful attorney resources on the Resources page. We hold an annual volunteer orientation and equity and inclusion training.
- Office Space: Use of our office spaces in Easton and Salisbury for client meetings, whether they are Shore Legal Access clients or your own.
- Experience: Volunteering is a great way to gain experience if you are a new attorney or a great way to venture into a new practice area if you’re an established attorney looking to grow. We are always in need of experienced attorneys willing to volunteer as a mentor for new attorneys or provide training and support for our volunteers.
- Community Recognition: Shore Legal Access partners with a wide variety of other non-profit organizations and is recognized across the Eastern Shore as a leader in providing legal services to people with limited financial means.
- Variety of Ways to Volunteer: Attorneys can choose to represent a client, volunteer at one of our many legal clinics, or give brief advice over the phone.
- Flexible Pro Bono Options: Direct representation/clinics/limited scope.
- Reduced-Fee Referral Opportunities: Expand your practice! Shore Legal Access refers clients not eligible for pro bono representation to attorneys willing to accept flat rate, sliding scale, or an hourly rate of $150 or less directly from the client.
- Networking: Meet and work with people in the legal community including judges, other attorneys, government officials, and various state agencies.
- Mid-Shore Regional Pro Bono Committee: Shore Legal Access is the official host of the Regional Mid-Shore Pro Bono Committee and hosts its annual meeting. You can read the most recent report here.
- Annual Pro Bono Hours Report: Let Shore Legal Access keep track of your pro bono hours — we’ll provide a report at the end of the year for your needs.
- Judicare Program: Attorneys can earn $120/hr (up to $4,200 per case) for qualified family law cases through Judicare. Learn more by clicking here.
- Legal Updates: We can keep you updated on changes to the law through our attorney panels or via our weekly volunteer attorney newsletter [hyperlink to email newsletter subscription].
- Pro Bono Resource Center: We are proud to partner with the Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland (PBRC), a provider of free and low-cost training opportunities. PBRC also provides reimbursement of certain fees through their Litigation Fund for Pro Bono cases taken through Shore Legal Access.
- Recognition: We highlight the extraordinary work of our volunteer attorney network at every opportunity and host an annual appreciation event where we honor our top volunteers.
Attorneys not licensed to practice in Maryland but licensed in other states may volunteer their services at Shore Legal Access under Maryland Rule 19. Attorneys with an active license in another state can apply for a special certification to represent clients through qualified legal service organizations in Maryland as long as they receive no compensation for their time. We also welcome retired Maryland lawyers interested in giving back to the community through pro bono service. Attorneys may contact Shore Legal Access for more information on the certification process.
Not an attorney? We need volunteer interpreters! Haitian Creole and American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters are especially needed. To volunteer as an interpreter, click here to fill out our volunteer registration form.
Thank you to all of our wonderful volunteer interpreters, interns, translators, and attorneys!
I feel as though the organization and the staff have been a godsend to me as a retired person. It allows me to stay active, do good, Meet nice people almost all of the time, and work with great people. It’s almost like having an office again. Which I do miss in retirement. Not the office politics, but the camaraderie. And as you know, there’s so much need out there, and there is so little that one person can do. But with Shore Legal Access, professional people have the opportunity to do good without having to do any of the behind-the-scenes work. The staff takes care of all of that for us, so it’s easy to be a volunteer attorney.
When I left my prior career as a teacher to go to law school, I wanted to be sure that I didn’t lose sight of helping people. SLA facilitates that and makes me feel like I’m doing something meaningful for my community
It is my pleasure to improve the Lower Shore one case at a time
Volunteering will change your life. It is the greatest opportunity to help people who, well, all they can do is say “thanks”. Yes, there are sacrifices and frustrations when you volunteer, but these experiences can also be fun and joyous and, without a doubt, rewarding.
The team at Shore Legal Access provide valuable resources to clients in need during difficult times in their lives. I am happy to be part of an organization that allows me to advocate for those who may not be able to advocate for themselves. I hope that more attorneys volunteer to help the most vulnerable people during their time of need. When there is virtually nobody to turn to SLA is there.
CORE VALUES
Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, & Access Goal
Shore Legal Access seeks to acknowledge and honor individual differences by fostering a culture of dignity, respect, and belonging for all service recipients, staff, volunteers, and leaders.
Discover how you can get involved below
Volunteer as an attorney
Help us provide civil legal services to more individuals and families in need.
Provide additional volunteer services
Speak another language? Help provide translation services!
Intern with us
For those who are interested in law, social justice, and community service.
Partner with us
Help us provide civil legal services to more individuals and families in need.
Make a gift
With your help, we can continue making the law accessible and affordable.