2025 Annual Report

Every expungement represents more than a clear record — it’s the hope for a second chance. At Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service (MVLS), our Workforce Development Project ensures that underserved Marylanders can move beyond the lasting harm of over-policing and the War on Drugs to rebuild stable, dignified lives. 

 “Just knowing I do not have to worry about my background being stereotyped anymore helps in my confidence, and the steps to become a successful human of society.“

Anonymous MVLS Client

Over his tenure at MVLS, Workforce Development Manager Chris Sweeney has personally handled approximately 1,500 expungement cases, each representing an individual’s opportunity for a fresh start. While that number reflects Chris’s own impact, over the last 45 years, MVLS has become a community, legislative, and pro bono leader amongst our workforce development and legal service partners. Behind every case is a client ready to reclaim opportunity — a job applicant finally getting a fair interview, a parent securing housing, or a community member walking into a new future without stigma. 

MVLS’ criminal record relief work extends beyond expungement to include shielding and vacatur (a potential remedy limited to human trafficking survivors). Yet expungement remains our most-requested service among workforce clients and community partners — and for good reason.  

“The relief is life-changing: it removes barriers to employment, housing, and consumer stability, empowering clients to participate fully in their communities.“

Chris Sweeney, Workforce Development Manager

However, meeting the increasing needs of our clients, and partners for expungement services can be challenging. Volunteer and staff capacity can fluctuate, and delays can stall job training participation or workforce placement. But under Sweeney’s leadership, the Workforce Development Project has built a reputation for adaptability and resilience — embedding legal services within partner programs, coordinating across multiple training sites, and ensuring quality never falters. Meeting clients face-to-face, hearing their stories, and witnessing their progression keeps the team motivated even during the busiest times. 

Today, MVLS partners formally with 11 job training sites and collaborates informally with several others, collectively handling 350–400 expungement cases each year, in addition to addressing many other potentially destabilizing legal issues. In FY25, MVLS volunteers and staff helped 451 Marylanders with criminal record relief. Each file represents a story of perseverance and possibility. 

Volunteers are the heartbeat of this work. They review records, file petitions, meet clients at clinics, and offer compassionate support through complex procedures. One volunteer recently helped a client shield dismissed protective order cases still showing up on background checks — a detail that could have jeopardized their future employment. MVLS volunteers also assist with presentations, community outreach, and pro bono recruitment, ensuring that our workforce services remain robust and accessible even during periods of limited capacity. 

Community partnerships magnify that impact. The collaboration between MVLS and Per Scholas, a national tech-training nonprofit with a strong Baltimore footprint, shows what strong partnerships can achieve. What began under temporary American Rescue Plan Act funding evolved into a lasting relationship—thanks in large part to the leadership of Workforce Development Project Coordinator Shyia Clark. 

When the federal funding ended, many similar initiatives across the state closed. But Shyia recognized the powerful alignment between MVLS’ mission and Per Scholas’s commitment to helping students overcome barriers to employment. Through her dedication and on-the-ground collaboration with Per Scholas staff, MVLS embedded legal support directly into the student experience. Today, trainees can access expungement, shielding, and other legal services alongside their job-readiness coursework. 

This partnership remains one of the strongest examples of how MVLS’ workforce development model meets people where they are—literally inside classrooms and training sites—so they can move forward without the weight of a criminal record. As a result, Per Scholas students routinely cite MVLS’ legal support as a turning point in their path to employment and stability. It’s a model of innovation and trust, driven by staff like Shyia who ensure that relationships thrive even when external funding ends. 

MVLS’ expungement work also intersects with broader advocacy efforts. The organization has gained recognition as a leader in expungement policy, providing testimony in Annapolis and contributing input to Governor Moore’s 2024 cannabis pardons. These statewide initiatives amplify the impact of individual casework, demonstrating how client-level advocacy can inform policy and create systemic change. 

Looking ahead, the Workforce Development Project aims to continue advocating for improved expungement laws, strengthening existing partnerships, and maintaining rapid, client-centered legal support. The need remains vast—approximately 25% of Maryland residents, or 1.5 million people, have a criminal record (Maryland General Assembly, 2022). These are everyday Marylanders—parents, workers, and neighbors—striving to improve their circumstances. 

Expungement is more than a civil legal process—it is a tool for social equity, economic mobility, and community resilience. Each case represents progress not only for one person but for an entire community. 

At MVLS, every cleared record is a step toward justice. Every volunteer, donor, and community partner helps write the next chapter of second chances. 

Reference: 
Maryland General Assembly. (2022). Testimony for the Judiciary Committee: Maryland REDEEM Act of 2022. Maryland General Assembly. https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/cmte_testimony/2022/jpr/1OQxrpV6FJQFu6Jei7MIsOvXvZXJo29rD.pdf 

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