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MVLS Succeeds In Getting Client’s $11K Refund Released

Posted on by Chandler Walters

Janice Shih, Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC) Director at MVLS spoke with CNN correspondent Gabe Cohen on January 25th about problems with the IRS, most notably the delays in receiving refunds, and why it is happening. Many taxpayers have not yet received refunds from tax returns filed from last tax season. MVLS’ LITC has been helping ensure that Marylanders of limited means obtain critical funds during the pandemic including the stimulus payments and their long-overdue tax refunds. 

However, the story does not end there for client Jasmine Jones who came to MVLS for assistance with her missing refund in late November. The LITC accepted her case and reached out to the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) to learn why it was being held up. The TAS was able to determine what the issue was, saw that it had been resolved internally but that her refund had not been queued up for release. TAS put in a request for release of the refund, allowing Jasmine to receive it 3 weeks later. Had TAS and MVLS not intervened, Jasmine’s refund might still be sitting there.  

Learn how to get involved with MVLS and take a case. 

Questions? Please contact Janice Shih, LITC Director.  

UB School of Law and MVLS Receive Department of Justice Grant

Posted on by Chandler Walters

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

UB School of Law and MVLS Receive Department of Justice Grant to Significantly Expand the Human Trafficking Prevention Project (HTPP) in Maryland

The HTPP Supports Survivors of Human Trafficking and At-Risk Populations with Critical Legal Services to Create a Path toward Self-Sufficiency

BALTIMORE, December 21, 2021 – The University of Baltimore School of Law and Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service (MVLS), the largest provider of pro bono civil legal services in Maryland, today announced new funding from the Department of Justice (DOJ) to significantly expand their Human Trafficking Prevention Project (HTPP). The HTPP supports survivors of human trafficking and populations put at high risk of exploitation due to experiences with interpersonal violence, sexual assault, housing instability, and other types of trauma or systemic inequities with critical legal services that create a path to stability. The grant will provide nearly $600,000 over the course of three years to extend the reach of the program in Baltimore City and into more rural areas of Maryland, as well as increase the number of staff who will deliver free legal services and full representation to survivors.

“We are thrilled that the Human Trafficking Prevention Project, a partnership between the University of Baltimore School of Law and the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service, has been recognized by the Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crimes as deserving of this generous grant,” said Jessica Emerson, director of the Human Trafficking Prevention Project. “The HTPP was founded to provide survivors of human trafficking with access to criminal record relief, which can dramatically shift a survivor’s outlook on life. The training, outreach and direct legal services the HTPP provides aids clients in improving their self-sufficiency and stability, which in turn assists in recovery from trauma and reduces the likelihood of continued exploitation. We look forward to growing this program throughout the state of Maryland, so that many more survivors can move beyond the trauma of their trafficking experience to build positive, empowering futures for themselves and their families.”

Created in 2015, the Human Trafficking Prevention Project provides criminal record relief to survivors of human trafficking and other at-risk populations to remove barriers to employment, housing, public benefits, and student loans caused by having a criminal record so they can move forward with their lives. In addition to criminal record relief, the HTPP, through its partnership with MVLS, provides access to a wide range of civil legal services, including legal representation for cases involving family law, tax and bankruptcy, landlord/tenant, name and gender marker changes, and consumer matters. The HTPP collaborates with victim service providers and Human Trafficking Task Forces around Maryland to lead free trainings on human trafficking prevention and criminal record relief.

“We are so proud of Jessica Emerson, a University of Baltimore law school graduate and a leader in the movement to protect victims of human trafficking,” said Ronald Weich, dean of the University of Baltimore School of Law. “Her clinic offered students a chance to engage in this important social justice effort. And now this federal grant will enable her to take her vision to a new level, working with our longtime partners at MVLS.”

Since its creation, the HTPP has helped more than 900 survivors create opportunities for self-sufficiency through education and free civil legal services. With the generous funding, the HTPP will hire a paralegal and two staff attorneys to assist more survivors of trauma and exploitation and to grow the regional scope of the project.

“We are extremely grateful for the DOJ funding to build awareness of the HTPP among local human trafficking survivors – many of whom don’t realize there are free specialized legal services to help them reclaim and stabilize their lives,” commented Heather Heiman, Human Trafficking Prevention Project manager at Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service. “We lean on a network of pro bono attorneys and tax professionals as well as community partners to remove barriers to employment and housing, making it easier for survivors to have greater agency and opportunities as they move forward with their lives. We look forward to continuing this important work in concert with the University of Baltimore School of Law.”

This project is authorized by the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015 (18 U.S.C. § 3014(h)(2)) and the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000 (22 U.S.C. § 7105(b)(2)).

To learn more about the Human Trafficking Prevention Project, please visit www.mvlslaw.org/HT. 

About the University of Baltimore School of Law

Founded in 1925, the University of Baltimore School of Law provides a rigorous and practical legal education, combining doctrinal coursework and community-based learning to ensure that its graduates are exceptionally well prepared to practice law. The University of Baltimore is a member of the University System of Maryland and comprises the College of Public Affairs, the Merrick School of Business, the UB School of Law and the Yale Gordon College of Arts and Sciences.

About Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service (MVLS)

Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service (MVLS) removes barriers to justice through free civil legal help, community engagement, and advocacy for equitable laws. The organization matches clients with volunteer lawyers, tax professionals and staff attorneys who represent them in a wide range of consumer finance, family and housing situations, including foreclosure, bankruptcy, divorce/custody, deed changes, as well as income tax disputes, estate planning, and criminal record relief. MVLS advocates for racial equity in Maryland’s legal system and works in concert with community partners to move toward a fair legal system that is free of injustice and equitably serves underrepresented Marylanders. For more information about MVLS, please visit www.mvlslaw.org.

Media Contacts

University of Baltimore School of Law
Christine Stutz
Phone: 410.961.6467
Email: cstutz@ubalt.edu

 

Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service
Andrea Martin
Phone: 443.927.6183
Email: andrea@consultmartin.com

 

MVLS Tangled Title Work Featured by WYPR

Posted on by Chandler Walters

MVLS was featured in a piece written by Emily Sullivan for WYPR. In her publication, Sullivan shares her findings on tangled titles and barriers that families face when estate planning. She explores the loss of generational wealth in Baltimore, and shares the crucial work MVLS is doing in both estate planning and estate administration to combat this challenge and help stabilize communities.

Read or listen to the WYPR article here.

MVLS announces new members, Tyree Ayers, Shereefat Balogun, Brian Gordon, La’Tika Howard, Robin Leone, Marc Shach, and Ann Irvine, to the Board of Directors

Posted on by Chandler Walters

Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service (MVLS), the largest provider of pro bono legal services, today announced the election of seven (7) new board members – attorneys Tyree Ayers, Shereefat Balogun, Brian Gordon, La’Tika Howard, Robin Leone, Marc Shach, and Dr. Ann Irvine. MVLS’ Board of Directors is responsible for governance and directing the organization’s strategic plan to deliver life changing pro bono legal services to Marylanders. In addition, board members serve as MVLS volunteers and are generous supporters of its mission.

 

Tyree Ayers is vice president and associate general counsBoard member photo el at Erickson Living Management, LLC. Tyree draws upon her legal expertise to offer creative, ethical, and effective guidance to corporate and community clients. She is the Co-Chair of the Community Outreach Pillar of the Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Council. Tyree earned her J.D. from Boston University School of Law.

 

Board member Balogun

Shereefat Balogun is chief legal and compliance counsel at State Employees Credit Union (SECU). She manages all legal and compliance aspects of federally insured stated-charted credit union with over $3 billion in assets. Shereefat is current Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Nigerian Lawyers Association. Shereefat earned her J.D. at the University at Buffalo Law School.

 

Board member Brian Gordon is associate counsel and compliance officer at Brown Advisory Inc. He provides legal advice on institutional and private client related matters and service provider contracts. Gordon is currently a Board Member of Child First Authority, Inc. He earned his J.D. at the University at Maryland, Francis King School of Law.

 

 

Board memberLa’Tika Howard is an associate, focusing on corporate and securities law, at Womble Bond Dickinson (US) LLC. She represents large and small corporations and limited liability companies to assist with general corporate matters. La’Tika has experience being both a volunteer mentor and scholar mentor for programs such as Garland Hayward Youth Center and The Fannie Angelo’s Program for Academic Excellence. She earned her J.D. at the University of Baltimore School of Law.

 

Board member Anne Irvine is a data scientist and machine learning expert at a cyber insurance startup, Resilience. Anne currently serves on the Loyola Data Science Industrial Advisory Board. She is excited to bring a new technological lens to MVLS in the realm of community engagement. Anne received her Ph.D. in Computer Science at Johns Hopkins University where her research focused on machine learning and natural language processing.

 

Board member Robin Leone is a litigator who helps clients with complex commercial business disputes as counsel at Saul, Ewing Arnstein & Lehr LLP. Robin represents the interest of a diverse client base. She also serves as the chair of the firm-wide Pro Bono Committee. She currently serves as vice president of the Board of Directors of the Chesapeake Women’s Ice Hockey Club. Robin received her J.D. at Georgetown University Law Center.

 

Board memberMarc E. Shach is an attorney practicing bankruptcy, business law and transactions, and commercial litigation at Coon & Cole Law. Marc has served the legal field as an educator, editor, author, and speaker. He has taken many pro bono cases with MVLS and formerly served as a member of the Board of Directors at the Maryland Pro Bono Resource Center. Marc received his J.D. at University of Baltimore School of Law.

 

To learn more about MVLS’ services or to become a volunteer attorney, please visit www.mvlslaw.org. If you are interested in being considered as an MVLS board candidate, contact Susan Francis, Executive Director, at sfrancis@mvlslaw.org.

 

About Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service (MVLS)

Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service (MVLS) removes barriers to justice through free civil legal help, community engagement, and advocacy for equitable laws. The organization matches clients with volunteer lawyers, tax professionals and staff attorneys who represent them in a wide range of consumer finance, family and housing situations, including foreclosure, bankruptcy, divorce/custody, deed changes, as well as income tax disputes, estate planning, and criminal record relief. MVLS advocates for racial equity in Maryland’s legal system and works in concert with community partners to move toward a fair legal system that is free of injustice and equitably serves underrepresented Marylanders. For more information about MVLS, please visit www.mvlslaw.org.

 

Read the press release published by the Daily Record Staff 

 

For more information:

Susan Francis, Esq.                                                                               Andrea Martin 
Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service (MVLS)                                       Andrea D. Martin Consulting LLC
phone: 443-451-4084                                                                          phone: 443-927-6183
email: sfrancis@mvlslaw.org                                                               email: andrea@consultmartin.com

A Lifeline for Our Clients

Posted on by Katie Sutton
While the IRS and Maryland Comptroller’s Office closed to the public for a substantial period in 2020 and 2021 because of the pandemic, MVLS Low Income Taxpayer Clinic Director, Janice Shih, quickly recognized that Marylanders who were most in need of receiving the economic impact payments were those most at risk of not securing these life-saving funds. The stimulus checks were essential to our client’s stability, but thousands of Marylanders who needed the payments the most were at risk of not receiving them.

Here’s what we were up against:

  • Someone with a very low income doesn’t have to file taxes each year. As a result, the IRS didn’t have mailing addresses for those with very little to no income.
  • The stimulus payments were initially issued as direct deposits, but because of disinvestment in many communities of color, many low-income neighborhoods don’t have access to banks.
  • Stimulus checks were mailed in blank envelopes with no indication of what they were, leading many individuals to not opening the envelopes or throwing them away believing it was a scam.

MVLS’ LITC led an enormous outreach effort, focusing on legal services programs and community programs. For months, the LITC provided important information about how to obtain the stimulus payments and how to ensure individuals who didn’t file 2018 or 2019 taxes would receive these essential funds. Our outreach even included interviews with WBAL and Maryland Public Television to highlight these important issues.

“We were a life-line for clients at a time when the IRS was closed. It was so reassuring to have someone to just answer the phone and listen to their situation and get helpful information.” – Janice Shih, Low Income Taxpayer Clinic Director 

Our LITC then launched Maryland’s only tax-hotline to help people navigate the process of filing a basic tax return with the IRS so they could receive these critical funds and to assist desperate individuals who hadn’t received their stimulus funds. “We were a life-line for clients at a time when the IRS was closed. It was so reassuring to have someone to just answer the phone and listen to their situation and get helpful information,” Janice explained. Because many of our clients don’t have access to computers and places where they would normally access computers, like public libraries, were closed, Janice and LITC volunteers would often walk through the process with an individual and then file the returns for the client to eliminate the digital divide barrier. With long delays by the IRS, the LITC continues to work with individuals seeking their stimulus funds.

The MVLS Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC) works with anyone who has tax issues with the Comptroller of Maryland or the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). MVLS was one of the first organizations to offer LITC 20 years ago and operates one of the three LITC that exist in our state today. LITC clients are at or below 250% of the federal poverty level, which is about $15.00 or less per hour in Maryland. While tax controversy is a specialized legal practice, lawyers and tax professionals like Certified Public Accountants (CPA’s) and Enrolled Agents (EA’s) assist clients with resolving tax disputes with these agencies.

To learn more about volunteering with MVLS LITC, visit: www.mvlslaw.org/volunteer-tax-representative-registration/

July 2021 Volunteer of the Month – Kathleen Adcock

Posted on by jrandolph
 
 
Kathleen Adcock has taken 56 cases in her time with us since 2012. Her practice focuses on estate planning, tax, elder law, probate/trust, and nonprofit legal assistance.
 

Read on to learn why Kathleen volunteers:

 

  • Why do you choose to volunteer with MVLS?

It’s pretty simple – because I can. There are people who need help, I can spare the time, and MVLS makes it super simple with screening. The staff is great to work with and the portal makes it easy to get things done.

 

  • Do you have any standout stories?

Sorry no.  Just the usual thing – a will, a power of attorney and an advance care directive. I have a few tax cases I take as well.

 

  • What is your favorite part about volunteering with MVLS?

The clients – they do appreciate what I have to contribute to their situation. It is such a relief for many not to worry about what will happen after they pass away. For many people, unintended tax reporting errors can lead to nightmares they don’t know how to solve and can mean the difference between food and shelter and no food and no shelter.

 

  • Why should other attorneys do pro bono?

Attorneys are generally problem solvers or advocates. Pro bono work often gives attorneys the freedom to work on something without worrying about the bottom line for the case. Sometimes it’s a matter of expanding into a new area of law to try something different. Other times it’s just to get pro bono reporting hours in during the year. It may be for the personal satisfaction. Just give it a try, you’re really making a difference for someone.

 

  • Where do you see the impact civil legal services in the next ten years?

If the wealth gap continues to widen, and law becomes more and more complex (did anyone figure out the TCJA kiddie tax computation?), simple legal services are going to continue moving out of reach of much of the population. Simple things like passing a house along to children, managing finances for elderly parents, and correcting an earned income tax credit will no longer be possible for a wide swath of the population.

June 2021 Volunteer of the Month – Jennifer Jaimes

Posted on by jrandolph
 
 
Jennifer Jaimes has been a reliable volunteer during the pandemic and has helped with many of our Special Immigrant Juvenile Status(SIJS)-related child custody cases. She also helps many of our Spanish-speaking clients.  Jennifer was an integral part of developing the partnership with KIND for unaccompanied youth cases.
 

Read on to learn why Jennifer volunteers:

 

  • Why do you choose to volunteer with MVLS?

I choose to volunteer with MVLS because the cases I get from MVLS are very rewarding.  Thanks to the many different cases I have taken, I have learned a lot. 

 

  • Do you have any standout stories?

Yes, I represented a mother obtain custody of a girl who was top in her class. 

 

  • What is your favorite part about volunteering with MVLS?

Serving individuals who are very grateful for your service. 

 

  • Why should other attorneys do pro bono?

It is a great way to learn a different area of law in a supported way.  There are a lot of resources available through MVLS.

 

  • Where do you see the impact civil legal services in the next ten years?

I hope that children get representation in all matters, including immigration law matters.

Baltimore to Remove Owner-occupied Homes from Annual Tax Sale

Posted on by jrandolph

On May 3, 2021, Mayor Scott announced that many owner occupants on this year’s tax sale list will be removed from tax sale. This news was a huge relief to MVLS clients, who faced losing their homes during the pandemic. We applaud this announcement from the Scott administration and remain dedicated to continue to working with them on long term systemic reform to tax sale.Baltimore Row Homes

MVLS has been part of a coalition of organizations advocating for reforms to Baltimore’s tax sale system and the terrible impact tax sale has on homeowners of limited means for many years. MVLS and other advocates shared a Tax Sale White Paper with the Mayor’s Office, Finance Department and other City officials. The White Paper recommends a new tax sale system with enhanced protections for vulnerable homeowners.

Through our advocacy, the Stop Oppressive Seizures Fund was created. A program created by Nneka N’namdi of Fight Blight Bmore and John Kern, MVLS’ Advanced Planning Project Coordinator, that distributes money to homeowners at risk of losing their properties through tax sale.

The Baltimore City Bureau of Revenue Collections will provide help to homeowners who have liens on their homes. For assistance, call (410) 396-3556.

May 2021 Volunteer of the Month – Stephanie Guevara

Posted on by jrandolph
 
 
Stephanie Guevara began volunteering with MVLS in 2019 and handles Landlord Tenant, Labor and Employment, Consumer Protection, Family Law and Immigration issues. She has taken several cases that were reassignments from previous volunteers, where she turned things around and got a successful outcome for a client with a tough case!
 

Read on to learn why Stephanie volunteers:

 

  • Why do you choose to volunteer with MVLS?

Because I absolutely love to put my skill to work for clients who otherwise will have to go unrepresented due to lack of funds to pay market price for an attorney.

 

  • Do you have any standout stories?

My first client from MVLS, who was blind, had been trying to divorce her estranged husband for 20 years.  She tried to get a divorce through another attorney but they backed out when the estranged husband was avoiding service.  After using a private process server who reduces rates for MVLS clients, we were able to get the affidavit of evasion necessary to support a grant of a motion for alternative service.  She was extremely happy for how easy it was for us after that!  She wanted to invite me to a “divorce party” she was going to throw but the divorce was granted during the COVID quarantine.

 

  • What is your favorite part about volunteering with MVLS?

The clients are genuinely grateful and happy to achieve their legal goals.  I love sharing the moments of success and joy with them.

 

  • Why should other attorneys do pro bono?

It builds stronger people and therefore a stronger society.  I feel all of us sometimes take for granted how blessed we are to be able to have the capacity to finish college, finish law school, pass the bar, pass the character fitness exam, and go into practice.  We forget about the people who are completely unable to manage their own legal affairs due to lack of knowledge and skill. 

So why should attorneys not do pro bono and watch as clients who lose inheritance, lose shady debt collection cases, can’t divorce their spouse and die, leaving their things to people they do not love, have no will, lose their home in foreclosure, can’t get their security deposit back, or get evicted from their home?  Especially if we could have done something but didn’t?  We can’t be that cold as human beings with special  skills.

 

  • Where do you see the impact civil legal services in the next ten years?

Mortgage interest rates are incredibly low, which is driving today’s housing prices higher.  When the market corrects itself, many people will find themselves underwater.  Foreclosures could go up as a result.  Also, the evictions will be starting up someday soon and this will cause a mass of people to lose their rental homes due to high arrearages built up over the pandemic.  As children return to school, the schools will have to honor IEPs completely, so education cases will likely be on the rise.