SearchTim Chance is a current MVLS volunteer. After serving on the MVLS staff, he has continued to take cases and support Marylanders through his volunteer work. This Volunteer Appreciation Month, we sat down with Tim to talk about his experience with MVLS and what keeps him engaged in this work.
What is your favorite part of volunteering with MVLS?
I think the thing that brings me the most joy from my experiences with MVLS has been the direct client interaction. There is nothing more fulfilling than helping to make some level of positive difference in someone’s life, no matter how small. Just seeing the tangible good that you can do.
I am from Baltimore, so I’m deeply aware of the issues facing people in our city. This work feels especially personal to me. I feel like I’m actually helping my community and using my J.D. for good.
What is a memory from volunteering that has been impactful to you?
The bulk of cases I’ve taken for MVLS have been estate planning and estate administration. I’ve also done a few expungements, but estate cases have mostly been my focus.
The one that still sticks with me is my very first estate administration case with MVLS. The client had lived in her family home for most of her life. She was raised there, moved back as an adult, and was still living there when I met her.
The home had been in her sister’s name, who had passed away. The client had opened an estate and had been trying to retitle the home for over 10 years. The reason she couldn’t was due to outstanding water bills. At the time, you needed a clean lien sheet to transfer title.
This was back in 2020, and it was a major barrier. Through assistance from her family and her own efforts, she was finally able to pay off the lien. We were then able to retitle the home into her name.
That’s the tangible result I’m talking about. It felt incredibly fulfilling to help her achieve that. To play a part in her decade-long journey was immensely meaningful. That was six years ago, and it still stays with me.
Tell us the story of a case you have had recently
I can talk about a client I’m currently working with. We don’t have a defined outcome yet, but I’ve had this case for several years now.
I’ve been working with this client since at least 2023, and it has been a journey. Similar to my previous case, the client has lived in the property their entire life, but it remains in their deceased mother’s name. We are working to transfer ownership.
There are still barriers, including outstanding taxes and a mortgage on the property. What stands out in this case is how collaborative the work has been.
We’re working with multiple partners — the Stop Oppressive Seizures Fund, Legal Aid, and MVLS — using every available resource to support this client. It has been inspiring to see so many organizations come together around one goal.
Hopefully, we will have a positive outcome soon. It’s a case I think about every day — in fact, I was just speaking with the client this morning.
Why have you continued to volunteer with MVLS?
The need is still there. As long as the need exists, I’ll continue to volunteer.
Like I said, the work is meaningful. I don’t always get that same level of fulfillment from my day-to-day practice.
Has working with MVLS made you appreciate anything more about being a lawyer?
I may be repeating myself, but it’s the tangible impact.
A lot of law school is theoretical. It’s rewarding, especially as a newer attorney, to see practical outcomes and do hands-on work. When we’re handling estate administration cases or drafting life estate deeds, we’re not dealing with abstract concepts.
We’re working toward very real outcomes — like keeping someone in their home. Seeing that shift from theory to practice has been incredibly meaningful.
What is one piece of advice you would give to a new volunteer?
When you first start volunteering, there’s often a sense of hesitation. I felt that when I began taking estate administration cases, because they can seem daunting.
I would tell new volunteers not to let that deter them. MVLS has a strong support structure in place — including staff, mentors, and resource guides — so you’re not stepping into a new area of law alone or unprepared.
It’s a great way to build confidence while knowing you have support behind you.
What is your fondest memory related to MVLS?
I love the MVLS staff, and the events are always a great time, but my fondest memory is from a client.
I didn’t work with her for very long — it was an estate planning case, so it wasn’t as extended as estate administration work. We helped her with a life estate deed, a will, and a power of attorney.
Even in that short time, we built a strong connection. That summer, I was getting married, so I talked a lot about my upcoming wedding.
At the end of her case, she offered heartfelt well wishes for me and my wife-to-be. She even offered to cook us dinner. We didn’t take her up on it, but it was incredibly meaningful.
Anything else?
The need for this work is always there.
This year marks MVLS’s 45th anniversary — more than four decades of service — and the need remains as strong as ever. At the same time, it’s encouraging to see real change happening.
I’ve heard about some of the legislative wins MVLS has had, and it’s clear the organization is helping address these issues.
To anyone considering volunteering, I strongly encourage you to take that step.
Get Involved
If you are interested in volunteering with MVLS, check out our online Pro Bono Portal to view available cases or sign up to get involved.
Written by Volunteer Coordinator Etta Moen
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