Anne Arundel County Pro Bono Committee

Meeting Agenda for February 25, 2015

Law Library Conference Room

Volunteer to take the minutes.

Approval of Minutes:  Minutes 12-10-2014 and Minutes 2015-01-28

I. Local Pro Bono Committee

A. Committee membership (MRP 16-902 (a) (3), (4) and (5) - reserved for email discussion

B. Plan Review - MRP 16-902 -

C. Wiki review and demonstration of Local Pro Bono Committee page - ongoing

II. Programs and Projects

A. Education and Outreach

1. Pro bono opportunity information to the bar

     a. Inns of Court and Judge Silkworth's Chambers Chats  

     b.  Pro Bono Recognition Lunch        

     c. AABA - 

          1. Bar President's Message - column and request for pro bono stories - follow up

          2. Pro Bono Award

          3. AABA functions

            (a) Young Lawyers: Meet the Judges update

            (b)  Bar Weekend message

            (c)  bar events and meetings

          4. Barrister Column to highlight “stars” and providers/opportunities - volunteers needed

B. Pro Bono Recruitment

     1  Best Practices: Volunteer Recruitment (p.27 Best Practices for Local Pro Bono Committees)

          a.  AABA Pro Bono Award - Standing Committee - Honor Roll recommendation

     2. Best Practices: Collaborating with the Judiciary (p.71 Best Practices for Local Pro Bono Committees)

          a. Bench Meeting presentation

C. Projects

     1. MVLS and PBRC programs - local coordination and PBRC E-Bulletin -

           a.  information to Inns and the Barrister (How to register and receive email alerts)

     2. Local referral service - collaboration with the bar - warm referrals - triage / centralization

          a. incubator program and LRS rules

          b. judges' list - MVLS partnership

     3. Pro Bono Celebration - week/month

          a. Three part challenge and Pro Bono article/email

               i. prize drawings awards

               ii. Challenge Part II        

     4. Homeless Resource Day - 3/28/2015

          a. MDEC / waivers -

  III. New Business:     

     1. Standing Committee on Pro Bono Legal Service Report to Court of Appeals of Maryland (January 2015)

     2. New statistics:  Final Report: Current Status of Pro Bono Service Among Maryland Lawyers, Year 2013, November 12, 2014 submitted by: ANASYS, Inc.

     See table 8: AA County is ranked 18 out of 24.  An improvement of 20.6% to 20.7% of attorneys providing 50 hours or more.  

     3. Representative Payee Program

Next Meeting: 03/25/2015

Special Guest, Elena Boisvert:  I am an elder law attorney in AA county and interested in exploring low bono opportunities to serve our senior community. I believe that there is a large segment of seniors that don't qualify for legal aid services but can't afford regular hourly attorney rates.  At the same time, given the current market, I think there are likely to be attorneys who would welcome an opportunity to provide legal services at discounted rates. I understand that you head a committee dedicated to pro/low bono initiatives and I would love to come to one of your meetings and discuss the feasibility of creating such a program.