2023 Annual Report

When David Wade called MVLS, he dialed a different number than his sister once had. That’s because he wasn’t calling for legal help – he was calling to make a gift in her memory, and in honor of the volunteer attorney who helped her.   

David’s sister, Lillian Hunter, was a vital woman who rode a motorcycle, cared deeply for her pets, and loved her family. And like many clients, she called Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service during a heartbreaking time of her life.  

Living with a degenerative illness, Lillian experienced serious abuse at the hands of her husband who was also her primary caregiver, and she needed the marriage to end.  

Through MVLS, attorney Jason Morton took her case and, working closely with her brother, helped Lillian get a divorce and find safety in the remaining years of her life. Sadly, Lillian passed away in the spring of 2023.  

Before her death, David and his sister had discussed her passing, and what she wanted done with her modest estate. Lillian wanted to make gifts to the places that took care of her.  

Giving to MVLS, David said, was “a small token of the huge impact that Jason had on my sister and our family. “MVLS took care of her in a big way when she was going through a really tough time.”  

Honoring Jason was an important part of their gift. “Anything legal can be quite complicated at times,” David explained, “but Jason was very personable, down to earth, and tried to make things as simple as he could.” 

“It would have been a real burden for us to have had to pay,” he acknowledged, adding “my sisters felt that God’s hand was involved in connecting him to our family.”

For Jason, an attorney at Salvatore & Morton and longtime MVLS volunteer, working on this case illuminated just how dedicated David was to his sister. “In my eyes, David is the hero of this story,” he said.   

A legacy gift to MVLS can provide free legal help for years to come. For more information about becoming a member of MVLS’ Legacy Society, visit our donation page or contact Katie Sutton, Director of Development, at ksutton@mvlslaw.org and 443-451-4065 to discuss a planned gift.