Shore Legal Access is a nonprofit organization that supports and assists individuals and families who are unable to afford representation in civil legal matters and provides connections to community services. Our vision is for all people on the Eastern Shore to be empowered to resolve civil legal issues and our core values are integrity, service orientation, compassion, professionalism, respect, dignity and collaboration.
Shore Legal Access was founded as Mid-Shore Pro Bono in 2005 by a small group of dedicated and compassionate local judges and attorneys who recognized the overwhelming need for basic civil legal services for low income people. Shore Legal Access was the first regional pro bono organization in Maryland dedicated to connecting private attorneys with low income people in need of civil legal representation. Shore Legal Access holds clinics for clients in need of family, life planning, and consumer debt, housing, and expungement assistance.
Shore Legal Access connects over 3,000 clients with legal representation annually, and our network of volunteer attorneys provided $1.83 million in legal services in FY2019 alone. Our longstanding relationships with the courts, attorneys, and community partners enable us to reach the most disenfranchised residents of the Eastern Shore. Shore Legal Access works hand-in-hand with local organizations to break down cultural, geographic and economic barriers to the civil justice system for the area’s poorest residents.
Shore Legal Access is based in Easton, Maryland with a satellite office located in Salisbury.