Attach to Form 990 or Form 990-EZ.
Go to
www.irs.gov/Form990 for the latest information.
| (i) Name of supported organization | (ii) EIN | (iii) Type of organization (described on lines 1- 10 above (see instructions)) | (iv) Is the organization listed in your governing document? | (v) Amount of monetary support (see instructions) | (vi) Amount of other support (see instructions) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | No | |||||
|
Total |
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Calendar year (or fiscal year beginning in) ![]() |
(a) 2014 | (b) 2015 | (c) 2016 | (d) 2017 | (e) 2018 | (f) Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gifts, grants, contributions, and membership fees received. (Do not include any "unusual grant.") .. | 23,503,774 | 25,865,640 | 26,019,065 | 27,083,768 | 29,500,933 | 131,973,180 |
| 2 | Tax revenues levied for the organization's benefit and either paid to or expended on its behalf.... | ||||||
| 3 | The value of services or facilities furnished by a governmental unit to the organization without charge.. | ||||||
| 4 | Total. Add lines 1 through 3 | 23,503,774 | 25,865,640 | 26,019,065 | 27,083,768 | 29,500,933 | 131,973,180 |
| 5 | The portion of total contributions by each person (other than a governmental unit or publicly supported organization) included on line 1 that exceeds 2% of the amount shown on line 11, column (f).. | ||||||
| 6 | Public support. Subtract line 5 from line 4. | 131,973,180 | |||||
Calendar year
(or fiscal year beginning in) ![]() |
(a) 2014 | (b) 2015 | (c) 2016 | (d) 2017 | (e) 2018 | (f) Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Amounts from line 4.. | 23,503,774 | 25,865,640 | 26,019,065 | 27,083,768 | 29,500,933 | 131,973,180 |
| 8 | Gross income from interest, dividends, payments received on securities loans, rents, royalties and income from similar sources... | 9,744 | 14,685 | 39,563 | 76,394 | 233,289 | 373,675 |
| 9 | Net income from unrelated business activities, whether or not the business is regularly carried on.. | ||||||
| 10 | Other income. Do not include gain or loss from the sale of capital assets (Explain in Part VI.).. | 306,314 | 220,940 | 262,503 | 115,371 | 99,153 | 1,004,281 |
| 11 | Total support. Add lines 7 through 10 | 133,351,136 | |||||
Calendar year (or fiscal year beginning in) ![]() |
(a) 2014 | (b) 2015 | (c) 2016 | (d) 2017 | (e) 2018 | (f) Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gifts, grants, contributions, and membership fees received. (Do not include any "unusual grants.") . | ||||||
| 2 | Gross receipts from admissions, merchandise sold or services performed, or facilities furnished in any activity that is related to the organization's tax-exempt purpose | ||||||
| 3 | Gross receipts from activities that are not an unrelated trade or business under section 513 ..... | ||||||
| 4 | Tax revenues levied for the organization's benefit and either paid to or expended on its behalf... | ||||||
| 5 | The value of services or facilities furnished by a governmental unit to the organization without charge | ||||||
| 6 | Total. Add lines 1 through 5 | ||||||
| 7a | Amounts included on lines 1, 2, and 3 received from disqualified persons | ||||||
| b | Amounts included on lines 2 and 3 received from other than disqualified persons that exceed the greater of $5,000 or 1% of the amount on line 13 for the year. | ||||||
| c | Add lines 7a and 7b.. | ||||||
| 8 | Public support. (Subtract line 7c from line 6.) | ||||||
Calendar year (or fiscal year beginning in) ![]() |
(a) 2014 | (b) 2015 | (c) 2016 | (d) 2017 | (e) 2018 | (f) Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Amounts from line 6... | ||||||
| 10a | Gross income from interest, dividends, payments received on securities loans, rents, royalties and income from similar sources.. | ||||||
| b | Unrelated business taxable income (less section 511 taxes) from businesses acquired after June 30, 1975. | ||||||
| c | Add lines 10a and 10b. | ||||||
| 11 | Net income from unrelated business activities not included in line 10b, whether or not the business is regularly carried on. | ||||||
| 12 | Other income. Do not include gain or loss from the sale of capital assets (Explain in Part VI.) .. | ||||||
| 13 | Total support. (Add lines 9, 10c, 11, and 12.).. | ||||||
| Section A - Adjusted Net Income | (A) Prior Year |
(B) Current Year (optional) |
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| 1 | Net short-term capital gain | 1 | ||||
| 2 | Recoveries of prior-year distributions | 2 | ||||
| 3 | Other gross income (see instructions) | 3 | ||||
| 4 | Add lines 1 through 3 | 4 | ||||
| 5 | Depreciation and depletion | 5 | ||||
| 6 | Portion of operating expenses paid or incurred for production or collection of gross income or for management, conservation, or maintenance of property held for production of income (see instructions) | 6 | ||||
| 7 | Other expenses (see instructions) | 7 | ||||
| 8 | Adjusted Net Income (subtract lines 5, 6 and 7 from line 4) | 8 | ||||
| Section B - Minimum Asset Amount | (A) Prior Year |
(B) Current Year (optional) |
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| 1 | Aggregate fair market value of all non-exempt-use assets (see instructions for short tax year or assets held for part of year): | 1 | ||||
| a | Average monthly value of securities | 1a | ||||
| b | Average monthly cash balances | 1b | ||||
| c | Fair market value of other non-exempt-use assets | 1c | ||||
| d | Total (add lines 1a, 1b, and 1c) | 1d | ||||
| e |
Discount claimed for blockage or other factors (explain in detail in Part VI): |
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| 2 | Acquisition indebtedness applicable to non-exempt use assets | 2 | ||||
| 3 | Subtract line 2 from line 1d | 3 | ||||
| 4 | Cash deemed held for exempt use. Enter 1-1/2% of line 3 (for greater amount, see instructions). | 4 | ||||
| 5 | Net value of non-exempt-use assets (subtract line 4 from line 3) | 5 | ||||
| 6 | Multiply line 5 by .035 | 6 | ||||
| 7 | Recoveries of prior-year distributions | 7 | ||||
| 8 | Minimum Asset Amount (add line 7 to line 6) | 8 | ||||
| Section C - Distributable Amount | Current Year | |||||
| 1 | Adjusted net income for prior year (from Section A, line 8, Column A) | 1 | ||||
| 2 | Enter 85% of line 1 | 2 | ||||
| 3 | Minimum asset amount for prior year (from Section B, line 8, Column A) | 3 | ||||
| 4 | Enter greater of line 2 or line 3 | 4 | ||||
| 5 | Income tax imposed in prior year | 5 | ||||
| 6 | Distributable Amount. Subtract line 5 from line 4, unless subject to emergency temporary reduction (see instructions) | 6 | ||||
| Section D - Distributions | Current Year | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Amounts paid to supported organizations to accomplish exempt purposes | ||
|
2
Amounts paid to perform activity that directly furthers exempt purposes of supported organizations, in excess of income from activity |
||
| 3 Administrative expenses paid to accomplish exempt purposes of supported organizations | ||
| 4 Amounts paid to acquire exempt-use assets | ||
| 5 Qualified set-aside amounts (prior IRS approval required) | ||
| 6 Other distributions (describe in Part VI). See instructions | ||
| 7Total annual distributions. Add lines 1 through 6. | ||
|
8
Distributions to attentive supported organizations to which the organization is responsive (provide details in Part VI). See instructions |
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| 9 Distributable amount for 2018 from Section C, line 6 | ||
| 10 Line 8 amount divided by Line 9 amount | ||
| Section E - Distribution Allocations (see instructions) |
(i) Excess Distributions |
(ii) Underdistributions Pre-2018 |
(iii) Distributable Amount for 2018 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
Distributable amount for 2018 from Section C, line 6 |
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|
2
Underdistributions, if any, for years prior to 2018 (reasonable cause required-- explain in Part VI). See instructions. |
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| 3 Excess distributions carryover, if any, to 2018: | ||||
| a From 2013....... | ||||
| b From 2014....... | ||||
| c From 2015....... | ||||
| d From 2016....... | ||||
| e From 2017....... | ||||
| fTotal of lines 3a through e | ||||
| g Applied to underdistributions of prior years | ||||
| h Applied to 2018 distributable amount | ||||
|
i
Carryover from 2013 not applied (see instructions) |
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| j Remainder. Subtract lines 3g, 3h, and 3i from 3f. | ||||
| 4Distributions for 2018 from Section D, line 7: | ||||
| $ | ||||
| a Applied to underdistributions of prior years | ||||
| b Applied to 2018 distributable amount | ||||
| c Remainder. Subtract lines 4a and 4b from 4. | ||||
|
5
Remaining underdistributions for years prior to 2018, if any. Subtract lines 3g and 4a from line 2. If the amount is greater than zero, explain in Part VI. See instructions. |
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|
6
Remaining underdistributions for 2018. Subtract lines 3h and 4b from line 1. If the amount is greater than zero, explain in Part VI. See instructions. |
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|
7 Excess distributions carryover to 2019. Add lines 3j and 4c. |
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| 8 Breakdown of line 7: | ||||
| a Excess from 2014...... | ||||
| b Excess from 2015..... | ||||
| c Excess from 2016..... | ||||
| d Excess from 2017..... | ||||
| e Excess from 2018..... | ||||
| Facts And Circumstances Test |
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| Return Reference | Explanation |
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| Software ID: | |
| Software Version: |
Attach to Form 990 or 990-EZ.
Go to www.irs.gov/Form990 for the latest information.
| Return Reference | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Form 990, Part VI, Section B, line 11b | The Form 990 is reviewed in detail by Management and then Management reviews the return with the Finance Committee. Once approved by Management and the Finance Committee, the Form 990 is distributed to the full Board of Directors, where they have the opportunity to discuss the return with Management and the Finance Committee before the return is filed. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Section B, line 12c | Annually, each officer, director, or member of a committee with governing Board delegated powers is required to sign a statement which affirms such person has received a copy of the conflicts of interest policy, has read and understands the policy, and has agreed to comply with the policy. Determinations of whether a conflict exists, and appropriate resolution of those conflicts, is made either by the governing Board of Directors or by a committee appointed by the Board of Directors. No person determined to have a conflict of interest is allowed to participate in the deliberations or decision regarding resolution of that conflict or the approval of transactions related to it. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Section B, line 15 | The Finance Committee of the Board of Directors uses comparable compensation data obtained from other legal services programs, Legal Services Corporation, Maryland Association for Nonprofits, and state, federal and local governments to determine an appropriate compensation level for the Executive Director. The Finance Committee then forwards its recommendation to the entire governing Board of Directors for its review and approval. The Executive Director determines the compensation of all key employees following reference to comparability information obtained from other legal services programs, Maryland Association of Nonprofits and state, federal, and local governments. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Section C, line 19 | The Organization's governing documents, conflict of interest policy and financial statements are made available to the public upon request. |
| Form 990, Part XI, line 9: | Annual Actuarial Pension Adjustment - Non Operating Revenue/Loss -2,375,675. |
| Form 990, Part XII, Line 2c: | The process has not changed from prior year. |
| Form 990, Page 2, Part III, Line 4a: | In 1911, the Legal Aid Bureau (Maryland Legal Aid) was organized as a department of the Federated Charities of Baltimore and was incorporated as a separate entity in 1929. The direct lineage of Federated Charities, and therefore, Maryland Legal Aid (MLA), can be traced back to 1849 with the formation of The Association for the Improvement of the Condition of the Poor in Baltimore City. Formed by the Baltimore City mayor at the time, it was the third organization of its kind in the United States. To this day, Maryland Legal Aid remains devoted to many of the same goals as its earliest predecessors. Since its inception, MLA has been providing free legal services to Maryland's most vulnerable citizens pursuing the ideal of equal justice for all. MLA has grown to become Maryland's premier statewide public service law firm maintaining 12 full-service offices. Through these offices, civil legal services are provided free of charge to vulnerable and low-income individuals and families throughout Maryland. Maryland Center for Legal Assistance, LLC (MCLA) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of MLA. Through a contract with the Administrative Office of the Courts, MCLA operates the District Court Self-Help Centers in Baltimore City, Glen Burnie, Upper Marlboro, and Salisbury and the Maryland Courts Self-Help Centers in Frederick and Annapolis. The District Court Self-Help Centers are walk-in facilities that assist with District Court civil matters only, including landlord-tenant, small claims, debt collection and protective orders. In addition to these matters, the Maryland Courts Self-Help Centers also assist with a broad range of issues including custody, divorce, and expungement of criminal records via phone, live chat and a new walk-in center in Frederick. MCLA staff consists of a Managing Director, 30 attorneys, and 6 administrative assistants. MLA is funded, in part, by the federal Legal Services Corporation (LSC). MCLA is a separate legal entity which does not receive LSC funds, and operates in compliance with the program integrity regulations established by LSC. MCLA is a single member LLC and, as such, is a disregarded entity for federal income tax purposes and, therefore, is considered a branch or division of MLA. Its assets, liabilities and operations are included in both this Form 990 and MLA's audited consolidated financial statements. MLA provides legal assistance in a number of areas, including foreclosure and eviction prevention, housing, unemployment, consumer debt, health care, criminal records expungement, educational issues, government benefits, family matters, and domestic violence. This assistance is especially vital because, unlike in criminal cases where there is typically a Constitutional right to counsel, there is no right to a lawyer in most civil cases. With an organizational vision to protect and advance human rights, MLA provides legal services in civil matters to individuals and families in Maryland with incomes below 125% of the federal poverty level, and, in some instances, pursuant to Maryland Legal Services Corporation (MLSC) guidelines, to those whose income is less than one-half of Maryland's median income. MLA sets priorities for service delivery based on the expressed and assessed needs of potential clients. To date, demand for services has been highest on issues related to family/domestic law, housing, consumer, and income maintenance (both employment and public benefits) law. In addition, MLA has increased its focus on addressing the needs of Limited English Proficient (LEP) populations in Maryland and providing services which are sensitive to the ethnic and cultural diversity of Maryland's low-income population. MLA attempts to strategically coordinate advocacy and resources to meet these needs statewide. Experience also has enhanced MLA's awareness of the legal needs of veterans, senior citizens, long-term and assisted care residents, migrant farmworkers, neglected and abused children, and individuals with expungable criminal records, particularly those involved in drug rehabilitation programs. Many veterans frequently struggle with the transition from military to civilian life, and are often faced with unique challenges that require more highly skilled and specialized legal assistance. Senior citizens are challenged primarily by consumer debt and debt incurred to meet basic needs such as health care and housing; farmworkers by substandard housing and exploitative employer practices; and children and youth by family and community environments which are unsafe and hinder healthy development. Helping people expunge their criminal records can open doors to decent jobs, affordable housing, and even custody of their children. Targeted service delivery guides the legal assistance provided to clients and permits MLA to continually assess the needs of the populations it serves. Service is also provided through the use of telephone intake, which assists clients over age 60 and non-seniors within MLSC income guidelines and telephone hotlines (including the Family Law Hotline, Senior Helpline, and a Veterans Hotline); through outreach to, and intake of, senior citizens eligible for legal assistance through Title III-B of the Older Americans Act; through outreach to community service providers, and to other vulnerable populations such as veterans, migrant farmworkers, persons living with HIV and AIDS, and disconnected youth and young adult populations in highly distressed communities; and by the provision of legal representation to children in child protection, foster care, and termination of parental rights proceedings. MLA assures that its services are available to clients with special needs: Limited English Proficient (LEP) clients are served by a variety of means. MLA staff are fluent in at least 16 foreign languages along with American Sign Language, and MLA promotes the hiring of bilingual staff, who are the first resource available for translation and interpretation services. Paralegals and/or attorneys having fluency in languages other than English are currently on staff in the following offices: Baltimore City, Metropolitan, Midwestern, Northeastern, and Anne Arundel, Baltimore, and Montgomery Counties, as well as MLA's Telephone Intake and the Farmworker Program. If staff are not available, professional interpreter services enable staff to communicate with virtually any LEP client or applicant for services. MLA negotiates and administers the Language Line contract for the benefit of all participating providers in Maryland. Further, many of MLA's forms and client education materials are translated into Spanish and, where appropriate, other languages. Clients with physical disabilities are accommodated by MLA's Telephone Intake Unit and specialized advice and referral services. Services offered through the Senior Legal Helpline, Sixty Plus Legal Program, and the Family Law Hotline often reduce or eliminate the need for face-to-face contact. Telephone intake is done at all MLA offices. If a face-to-face meeting is needed, accessible interview space is available at each office and special appointments can be made. When necessary, staff make home visits to clients and to nursing homes, hospitals or other institutional settings. Where absolutely necessary and with client consent, the client may designate a representative to assist with the case. For example, through a contract with the Maryland Department of Health, MLA provides legal assistance and representation to indigent residents in Development Disabilities Administration's facilities, including the Regional Institutes for Children and Adolescents, the Thomas B. Finan Center, Spring Grove Hospital Center, and the Holly Center. Services include obtaining benefits/entitlements, and representation during the resident grievance process. In addition, MLA identifies residents who may have legal problems, but, due to their disabilities, may not have the capacity to request assistance. Despite ever present funding challenges, MLA has successfully sought and obtained support and funding from a broad range of public and private sources, which, combined with the hard work and dedication of its staff, has allowed it to consistently expand capacity and to excel in the delivery of quality legal services. MLA is able to address emerging and pervasive community issues such as foreclosure, lack of affordable housing and access to health care, legal barriers to employment, lack of access for low-income workers to services and opportunities, and the protracted delay in the processing of veterans benefits and other services to meet their needs. |
| Form 990, Page 2, Part III, Line 4a: | Highlights of 2018 Accomplishments: MLA opened a new Southern Maryland office in Hughesville, Charles County, which offers greater accessibility for clients and a more modern and professional work environment for staff. The new leased space covers more than 5,500 square feet on the second floor of the SMECO (Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative) building. The office has been completely renovated to accommodate nine full-time staff and several volunteers. Upon the hiring of a new staff attorney responsible for veterans issues statewide, MLA's veterans work has been re-energized. Regular outreach and expungement events take place at MLA's Baltimore City neighbor and partner, McVets. Education, legal information and expungement opportunities were provided at the local Maryland Stand Down at the Baltimore City War Memorial Building. The staff attorney is actively engaged in building community partners such as NABVETs, the Baltimore City Veterans' Commission, the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion Department of Maryland. These organizations not only refer clients to MLA, they also turn to MLA for information regarding legal information related to veterans' issues. In MLA's Metropolitan Maryland office, the chief and a senior paralegal attended the Howard County Veterans' Fair in November 2018, and multiple staff members attended the Prince George's County Veterans' Stand Down and Homeless Resource Day also in November 2018. In an effort to deepen MLA's bench with respect to expertise in veterans' issues, a staff attorney in the Metropolitan office has become the office's "go to" advocate for veterans' issues and has advised veteran clients on a wide range of legal matters. Finally, MLA's Director of Advocacy for Training and Pro Bono serves as the Secretary for the Maryland State Bar Association's Section for Veterans and Military Affairs. In this role, she is able to connect the private bar with MLA's Joining Forces hotline and extended representation services for Maryland veterans. MLA's Long-Term Care Assistance Project (LTCAP) continued during 2018 to focus its services on clients in danger of being involuntarily discharged from nursing facilities or losing needed Medicaid health-related services provided through home and community-based services. These services include Community First Choice (CFC), the Home and Community-Based Options Waiver (HCBOW), and medical day care. Case types include: 1) protecting nursing home residents' rights not to be discharged against their will; 2) appealing erroneous denials of Medicaid coverage for long term care; and 3) safeguarding individual rights for all those who receive long-term services and supports. To that end, LTCAP staff not only engage in legal representation, but also participate in related policy work. The following LTCAP brochures were created or updated to reflect changes in the law over the past year: Signing a Nursing Home Admission Contract for Someone Else; Involuntary Discharges and Transfers from Nursing Homes: Know Your Rights; Protect Your Rights in Assisted Living, Community First Choice; Protecting Your Rights in a Nursing Home; and Long Term Care Medical Assistance: Paying for the Nursing Home. New Community Medical Assistance brochures and Mobility Paratransit Rights brochures are scheduled to be completed in 2019. During 2018 MLA's Anne Arundel County office established a collaboration with Chrysalis House, a local women's substance abuse recovery program. This effort created a streamlined process for referring incoming clients of Chrysalis House to MLA for evaluation of eligibility for expungements and possible representation. The office's supervising attorney gave a presentation to approximately 175 people from Chrysalis House about MLA's services and wide range of legal issues covering expungements, family law, and housing. MLA's Community Lawyering Initiative (CLI) engages in legal clinics in community spaces such as libraries, places of worship, and neighborhood centers. During 2018, CLI hosted one of its largest expungement clinics ever in Prince George's County. 209 clients were served and 791 expungement petitions were completed. At the request of clients, CLI also established a civil forfeiture program in 2018. During 2018, CLI completed the first cases in this program, and staff were successful in securing forfeited money for clients. In an effort to bring legal services directly to rural communities, CLI expanded its programming to Western Maryland, hosting library clinics in Allegany and Garrett Counties, and to the Eastern Shore, hosting clinics in Dorchester, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico, and Worcester Counties. In Baltimore City, MLA's CLI staff represented the Cherry Hill Tenant Council, helping them navigate the recent Community Benefits Agreement with the Port Covington Development Project. In so doing, CLI staff assisted the council with by-laws, organizational structure, and with making decisions about the Fishers Cove project, a 60-acre plot of land in Cherry Hill that was formerly the site of a public housing complex. The Cherry Hill tenant council is anticipating that this plot will be used for housing which could lead to affordable home ownership. In doing this work, CLI staff have built trust and relationships in the Cherry Hill community, leading to increased attendance at Lawyer in the Library clinics, and a newly formed school clinic partnership. One of the many successes achieved by MLA's VISTA RAD (Rental Assistance Demonstration) Legal Fellowship program has been its engagement with tenants and clients who reside in property owned by the Cumberland Housing Authority. The two RAD Fellows assisted residents in getting a meeting space so that they could discuss issues affecting residents and possible solutions to those issues. The residents took tentative steps toward establishing an independent tenant council and were helped by MLA's Fellows and the staff of MLA's Western Maryland office in pushing back against Housing Authority attempts to control the bylaws and the meeting space of the tenant council. In Baltimore City, the RAD Fellows have assisted Perkins Homes residents in implementing a process to address and resolve issues with the Perkins Transformation Plan. The residents were able to convince the Baltimore City Housing Authority to agree to hold off on evictions until residents and the Housing Authority could come up with a Housing Stability plan for Perkins residents. The plan would coordinate the provision of legal and case management services for Perkins residents to ensure that residents get every opportunity to participate in the transformation coming to Perkins Homes. MLA officially launched its new Pro Bono unit and program, "It Starts with One," in October 2018. The unit is staffed with a program director, a program coordinator, a paralegal, and an administrative assistant. The program held its first "thank you and appreciation receptions around the state to commemorate pro bono month. Receptions were held in Baltimore City and Frederick and Montgomery counties. Each reception was well attended and generated excitement around the launch of the new program. Between October and December, the program recruited over 100 new attorneys for the pro bono extended representation panel, and placed over 50 cases for extended representation. The majority of cases involved wills, estates, family law matters, and security deposits. Additionally, MLA co-sponsored "Pro Bono Days" with bar associations across Maryland. In 2018, Pro Bono Days were planned and implemented in Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, and Washington counties. MLA staff promoted the events to the public, recruited private attorneys, and provided on-site intake, support services, and case management for the Pro Bono Day files. Over 150 private attorneys participated in pro bono days in the second half of 2018. MLA's Lower Eastern Shore office has been working with the Somerset, Worcester, and Wicomico counties Bar Associations to form a regional Pro Bono committee. MLA, in conjunction with other legal services providers in the area, will serve as a referral agency to place cases with local bar members. The committee is waiting on court approval through an Administrative Order to move forward with this project. |
| Form 990, Page 2, Part III, Line 4a: | MLA again partnered with Clothes4Souls and Macy's, Inc. to produce five successful "Coats and Clinics" events in December 2018. The events were held at St. Peter Claver Church in West Baltimore, The Lighthouse Homeless Prevention Support Center in Annapolis, the Muslim Community Center in Silver Spring, the Boys and Girls Club in South Baltimore, and Children in Need, Inc. in Hagerstown. Each event featured the distribution of over 500 new winter coats for men, women and children, along with free civil legal services and record expungements. Thousands of Marylanders attended these clinics, many of whom were in desperate need of a winter coat and who were formerly unaware of the legal services provided by MLA. In 2018, all MLSC-grantee organizations were invited to attend over 15 MLA trainings at no cost or pro bono obligation. MLSC grantees also attended MLA's annual New Lawyer Training at only the cost of an overnight stay and food at the retreat center. Maryland Center for Legal Assistance, LLC (MCLA): In 2018, the Maryland and District Court Self-Help Centers, staffed by MLA's subsidiary MCLA, assisted more than 95,000 visitors. The Maryland Court Self-Help Center in Frederick began serving visitors on July 18, 2018. By the end of 2018, the Center had assisted 1,733 visitors. In September 2017, MCLA launched a pro bono expungement clinic at the Prince George's DCSHC in Upper Marlboro. Since then, 232 visitors have received assistance expunging their criminal records. MCLA offers monthly webinars on a range of civil legal issues. These webinars are free and available to the public. Webinar topics have included, filing for divorce, completing the Failure to Pay Rent from, defending yourself in a Failure to Pay Rent case, and completing the Small Claim form. In 2018, MCLA launched two new webinars to assist visitors collecting on a judgment and dealing with child custody matters. More than 210 visitors have participated in MCLA's webinars since their inception in 2017. |
| Form 990, Page 2, Part III, Line 4a: | Maryland Center for Legal Assistance, LLC (MCLA) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of MLA. Through a contract with the Administrative Office of the Courts, MCLA operates the District Court Self-Help Centers in Baltimore City, Glen Burnie, Upper Marlboro, and Salisbury and the Maryland Courts Self-Help Centers in Frederick and Annapolis. The District Court Self-Help Centers are walk-in facilities that assist with District Court civil matters only, including landlord-tenant, small claims, debt collection and protective orders. In addition to these matters, the Maryland Courts Self-Help Centers also assist with a broad range of issues including custody, divorce, and expungement of criminal records via phone, live chat and a new walk-in center in Frederick. MCLA staff consists of a Managing Director, 30 attorneys, and 6 administrative assistants. MLA is funded, in part, by the federal Legal Services Corporation (LSC). MCLA is a separate legal entity which does not receive LSC funds and operates in compliance with the program integrity regulations established by LSC. MCLA is a single member LLC and, as such, is a disregarded entity for federal income tax purposes and, therefore, is considered a branch or division of MLA. Its assets, liabilities and operations are included in both this Form 990 and MLA's audited consolidated financial statements. Highlights of MCLA 2018 Accomplishments: In 2018, the Maryland and District Court Self-Help Centers, staffed by MLA's subsidiary MCLA, assisted more than 95,000 visitors. The Maryland Court Self-Help Center in Frederick began serving visitors on July 18, 2018. By the end of 2018, the Center had assisted 1,733 visitors. In September 2017, MCLA launched a pro bono expungement clinic at the Prince George's DCSHC in Upper Marlboro. Since then, 232 visitors have received assistance expunging their criminal records. MCLA offers monthly webinars on a range of civil legal issues. These webinars are free and available to the public. Webinar topics have included, filing for divorce, completing the Failure to Pay Rent from, defending yourself in a Failure to Pay Rent case, and completing the Small Claim form. In 2018, MCLA launched two new webinars to assist visitors collecting on a judgment and dealing with child custody matters. More than 210 visitors have participated in MCLA's webinars since their inception in 2017. |
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