About Us

About Us

What We Do

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.

Vision

DIGNITY, EQUITY, AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.

Our 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

Leadership

Sophia Barilone, Esq.
Sophia Barilone, Esq.
Supervising Attorney, Victim Assistance Program
Rachel Bitter, Esq.
Rachel Bitter, Esq.
Chief Attorney, Upper Eastern Shore
Laurence Boylan, Esq.
Laurence Boylan, Esq.
Supervising Attorney, Baltimore City Intake Services Unit
John Butler, Esq.
John Butler, Esq.
Supervising Attorney, Baltimore County Office
Matthew Braun, Esq.
Matthew Braun, Esq.
Supervising Attorney, Prince George's County Office
Cornelia Bright Gordon, Esq.
Cornelia Bright Gordon, Esq.
Advocacy Director for Administrative Law
Arlene Callender, Esq.
Arlene Callender, Esq.
Chief Attorney, Harford/Cecil County Office
Louise Carwell, Esq.
Louise Carwell, Esq.
Chief Attorney, Baltimore City Housing & Consumer Law
Kyle Coleman, Esq.
Kyle Coleman, Esq.
Supervising Attorney, Baltimore City Housing & Consumer Law
Natalie Coley-Lawrence, Esq.
Natalie Coley-Lawrence, Esq.
Chief Attorney, Baltimore City Intake Services Unit
Teresa Cooke, Esq.
Teresa Cooke, Esq.
Supervising Attorney, Prince George's County Office
Gregory Countess, Esq.
Gregory Countess, Esq.
Advocacy Director for Housing & Community Development
Graham Cowger
Graham Cowger
Director of Development
Anthony Davis, Esq.
Anthony Davis, Esq.
Advocacy Director for Consumer Law
Angus Derbyshire, Esq.
Angus Derbyshire, Esq.
Director of Pro Bono
Katherine Gillespie, Esq.
Katherine Gillespie, Esq.
Deputy Legal & Advocacy Director
Bay Golfin, Esq.
Bay Golfin, Esq.
Supervising Attorney, Anne Arundel/Howard Office
Lee Heithoff, Esq.
Lee Heithoff, Esq.
Chief Attorney, Southern Maryland Office
John Jeffcott, Esq.
John Jeffcott, Esq.
Director of Information Technology
Karwolo Kamei, Esq.
Karwolo Kamei, Esq.
Supervising Attorney, Community Lawyering Initiative
Jeff Kaplan, Esq.
Jeff Kaplan, Esq.
Chief Attorney, Domestic Law Unit
Jennifer Lavella
Jennifer Lavella
Director of Marketing and Communications
Erica LeMon, Esq.
Erica LeMon, Esq.
Advocacy Director for Children's Rights
Joan Little, Esq.
Joan Little, Esq.
Chief Attorney, Baltimore City CINA
Ashley Mariner, Esq.
Ashley Mariner, Esq.
Chief Attorney, Lower Easter Shore Office
Meaghan McDermott, Esq.
Meaghan McDermott, Esq.
Chief Attorney, Community Lawyering Initiative
Jamie Miliman, Esq.
Jamie Miliman, Esq.
Supervising Attorney, Lower Eastern Shore Office
Christina Moore, Esq.
Christina Moore, Esq.
Chief Attorney, Administrative Law Unit
Alice Mutter, Esq.
Alice Mutter, Esq.
Acting Chief Attorney, Montgomery County Office
Eileen Nnoli, Esq.
Eileen Nnoli, Esq.
Supervising Attorney, Baltimore City Intake Services Unit
Lee Ogburn, Esq.
Lee Ogburn, Esq.
Advocacy Director for Appellate Law
Shireen Parsi, Esq.
Shireen Parsi, Esq.
Supervising Attorney, Montgomery County Office
Kristen Pisani-Jacques, J.D., CWLS
Kristen Pisani-Jacques, J.D., CWLS
Deputy Legal & Advocacy Director
Priya Sarathy
Priya Sarathy
Chief Financial Officer
Jennifer Schauffler
Jennifer Schauffler
Director of Grants, Contracts and Compliance
Kristi Schulenberg, Esq.
Kristi Schulenberg, Esq.
Chief Operating Officer
Vicki Schultz, Esq.
Vicki Schultz, Esq.
Executive Director
Mariel Shutinya, Esq.
Mariel Shutinya, Esq.
Director of Training
Janine Scott, Esq.
Janine Scott, Esq.
Chief Attorney, Baltimore County Office
Zafar Shah, Esq.
Zafar Shah, Esq.
Assistant Advocacy Director for Tenant Right to Counsel (TRCP)
Rich Sherriffe
Rich Sherriffe
Director of Administrative Services
Nina Shore, Esq.
Nina Shore, Esq.
Chief Attorney, Midwestern Maryland Office
James Silver, Esq.
James Silver, Esq.
Supervising Attorney, Adult Guardianship Program
Miriam Sincell, Esq.
Miriam Sincell, Esq.
Chief Attorney, Allegany/Garrett Office
William Steinwedel, Esq.
William Steinwedel, Esq.
Supervising Attorney, Foreclosure Legal Assistance Project
Jessica Sysak
Jessica Sysak
Chief Human Resources Officer
Vicki Taitano, Esq.
Vicki Taitano, Esq.
Chief Attorney, Prince George's County Office
Frank Vitale, Esq.
Frank Vitale, Esq.
Chief Attorney, Anne Arundel/Howard Office
Amee Vora, Esq.
Amee Vora, Esq.
Advocacy Director for Family Law
Patricia Waldman, Esq.
Patricia Waldman, Esq.
Supervising Attorney, Prince George's County Office
Shannon Weaver, Esq.
Shannon Weaver, Esq.
Supervising Attorney, Baltimore City CINA

Board of Directors

Brian Hochheimer, Esq.
Brian Hochheimer, Esq.
President
Ora Johnson
Ora Johnson
Vice President
Richard L. Wasserman, Esq.
Richard L. Wasserman, Esq.
Treasurer
Marquita Wise-Jones
Marquita Wise-Jones
Secretary
Emerson L. Dorsey, Jr., Esq.
Emerson L. Dorsey, Jr., Esq.
Member at Large
Richard “Ricky” Adams, Esq.
Richard “Ricky” Adams, Esq.
Lorenzo A. Bivans, Jr., Esq.
Lorenzo A. Bivans, Jr., Esq.
Jessica A. duHoffmann, Esq.
Jessica A. duHoffmann, Esq.
Manuel “Manny” R. Geraldo, Esq.
Manuel “Manny” R. Geraldo, Esq.
Ashley M. Green
Ashley M. Green
Brandyn J. Hicks, Esq.
Brandyn J. Hicks, Esq.
Donald “Tim” Howe
Donald “Tim” Howe
Ranak K. Jasani, Esq.
Ranak K. Jasani, Esq.
Lauren Lacey, Esq.
Lauren Lacey, Esq.
Charles “Chuck” J. Morton, Jr., Esq.
Charles “Chuck” J. Morton, Jr., Esq.
Chelsea Ortega, Esq.
Chelsea Ortega, Esq.

Honorary Board of Directors

Phyllis Butler
Jo Glasco
Gwendolyn Johnson
Warren Oliveri, Esq.

Brief History