Mission:
We advocate with and for Marylanders experiencing poverty to achieve equity and social justice through free civil legal services, community collaboration, and systems change.
Core Values:
-We are holistic problem-solvers. We care about the whole person and seek to provide comprehensive and client-centered legal services to address poverty’s causes and consequences in our communities.
-We are visionary. We are bold and audacious advocates, seeing possibilities for individual and systemic transformation at every juncture.
-We are anti-racist. We stand against racism, actively fostering equity and transformative change in all we do.
-We are inclusive. We treat every person with dignity and respect, embrace our differences, and strive to
create brave spaces where differences are celebrated.
-We are committed to excellence. We learn from challenges, successes, and failures, using each encounter as an opportunity to refine our skills and deepen our expertise.
-We are compassionate. We approach our work with one another and the people we serve with empathy, thoughtfulness, and consideration.
-We are collaborative. We recognize that the best results emerge from working closely and collaborating with our client community partners. We actively seek opportunities to work together across our organization and -with our legal services, community, and agency partners.
Maryland Legal Aid (MLA) is a statewide private, nonprofit law firm that provides free, civil legal services to low-income and vulnerable people to address their most fundamental legal problems. From its 12 offices around the state and through its many community-based clinics, we help our clients preserve and access safe and affordable housing, maintain custody of their children, and be safe from domestic violence. MLA increases our clients’ economic security by defending against consumer debt, including foreclosures and tax sales, removing barriers to employment, and accessing critical income supports such as unemployment, food stamps and other vital public benefits. Through special projects, we represent seniors, nursing home residents, children in alleged abuse and neglect cases, migrant farmworkers, and those in mental health institutions. In its advocacy, MLA seeks systemic change through impact litigation, policy advocacy, and by telling our clients’ compelling stories.