Members of the legal community from across Maryland gathered Nov. 16 at Westminster Hall in Baltimore to celebrate Maryland Legal Services Corporation’s 2023 Annual Awards Reception.
MLSC presented awards to seven individuals or organizations, recognizing significant contributions to civil legal services and access to justice for low-income Marylanders. MLSC Board Chair Debra Thomas and Maryland Supreme Court Chief Justice Matthew Fader presented the awards.
Former MLSC Board Chair and U.S. Sen. Benjamin Cardin, D-Md. provided opening remarks, addressing the importance of providing legal services and access to the courts to protect democracy and the rule of law.
The mission of MLSC is to ensure low-income Marylanders have access to stable, efficient and effective civil legal assistance through the distribution of funds to nonprofit legal services organizations.
In 1982, responding to the instability of federal funding for civil legal services, the Maryland General Assembly passed bills to create the Interest on Lawyer Trust Accounts (IOLTA) program to fund civil legal services and to create MLSC as an independent nonprofit to administer the funds and make grants to providers on the ground.
Still strong more than forty years later, this year MLSC made grant awards totaling more than $50 million to more than 45 organizations.
To submit photos for a future Business Album, email Assistant Editor Sean Wallace at [email protected].Honorees at Maryland Legal Services Corporation’s 2023 annual awards reception were, seated, from left, Joanna Armentrout Shapiro, former director of the Frederick County Family Law Clinic (Benjamin L. Cardin Distinguished Service Award); Jennifer Vido, executive director of Harford County Bar Foundation (William L. Marbury Outstanding Advocate Award); Elva E. Tillman, retired from the Baltimore City Law Department (Arthur W. Machen, Jr. Award); and Catherine McGuire, deputy director of Thurgood Marshall State Law Library (William L. Marbury Outstanding Advocate Award). Standing, from left, are Chief Justice Matthew Fader of the Maryland Supreme Court; Michelle Daugherty Siri, MLSC executive director; Aja’ Mallory, senior staff attorney at Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service (Rising Star Award); Reba Letsa, attorney at Baker Donelson (Rising Star Award); Paula Erdie, CEO of MAC Inc. (Herbert S. Garten Public Citizen Award); Debra Thomas, MLSC board chair; Catherine Bledsoe, MLSC board member. (Photo by Guill Photo Inc.)Joanna Armentrout Shapiro, former director of the Frederick County Family Law Clinic, displays the Benjamin Cardin Distinguished Service Award, given to her by its namesake, U.S. Sen. Benjamin Cardin, D-Md. (Photo by Guill Photo Inc.)From left, James Durham, director of the Thurgood Marshall State Law Library (TMSLL); Joan Bellistri, director of the Anne Arundel County Public Law Library; Catherine McGuire, deputy director of the TMSLL; and James McGuire, a member at McGuire, McGuire, Linden & Tardivo P.A., enjoy the evening during the Maryland Legal Services Corporation’s 2023 annual awards reception. (Photo by Guill Photo Inc.)From left, Kirsten Gettys Downs, executive director of Homeless Persons Representation Project; Natasha Dartigue, Maryland Public Defender; and Tattiana Goluskin, pro bono coordinator at Maryland Center for Legal Assistance, attended the Maryland Legal Services Corporation’s 2023 annual awards reception. (Photo by Guill Photo Inc.)From left, Sara Lucas, an associate at Gordon Feinblatt LLC; Katie Sutton, director of development at Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service; and Kathleen Gregory, director of development at Public Justice Center, enjoy some time together at the Maryland Legal Services Corporation’s 2023 annual awards reception. (Photo by Guill Photo Inc.)Maryland Legal Services Corp. Executive Director Michelle Daugherty, left, chats with Elva E. Tillman, retired principal counsel for Baltimore’s Department of Law Condemnation Group during the Maryland Legal Services Corporation’s 2023 annual awards reception. (Photo by Guill Photo Inc.)Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service colleagues take time for a photo during the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service. From left are Novlette Haughton, legal advocate; D’Khyra McFadden, HAF legal advocate; Aja’ Mallory, senior staff attorney; Imani Walton, administrative assistant; Erin Holloway, office manager; and Steven Kappen, staff attorney. (Photo by Guill Photo Inc.)From left, attorneys and Baker Donelson colleagues Reba Letsa, Chaitra Gowda and Sabrina Marquez attended the Maryland Legal Services Corporation’s 2023 annual awards reception. (Photo by Guill Photo Inc.)The Maryland Legal Services Corporation’s 2023 annual awards reception was held at historic Westminster Hall on the campus of the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law in Baltimore. (Photo by Guill Photo Inc.)U.S. Sen. Benjamin Cardin, D-Md. and a former Maryland Legal Services Corporation board chair, provided opening remarks at the organization’s 2023 annual awards reception. (Photo by Guill Photo Inc.)
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