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Doctors Routinely Turn Away Kids On Medicaid
Maryland Access to Justice Commission - 2010 Annual Report
The 2010 Annual Report of the Maryland Access to Justice Commission includes a narrative report of the Commission's activities, the 2009-2010 Listening Events and key initiatives. Appendices includes key Commission work product including: Implementing a Civil Right to Counsel in Maryland, Fee-Shifting to Promote the Public Interest in Maryland, and draft rules and forms to support limited scope representation.
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Implementing a Civil Right to Counsel in Maryland
Anticipating a day when a right to counsel in civil matters involving basic human needs may be recognized in Maryland, the state’s Access to Justice Commission rolled up its sleeves and created a working framework for the implementation of such a right. Civil legal services providers and other Maryland stakeholders participated in developing the framework, which builds on the existing legal services delivery system. Among other resources, the Commission relied on the In the same report, the Maryland Commission also began the process of estimating the cost of providing counsel throughout the state in basic human needs cases, relying on data from the courts, legal services providers, self-help clinics, and other resources.
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SSI Benefits and Joint Bank Accounts
Dealing with bank accounts of SSI recipients when the funds do not belong to the recipient.
There are several reasons why an SSI recipient may be named on a bank account that belongs to someone else, and generally that bank account should not count as a resource for the SSI recipient. However, problems can occur when ownership of a bank account is not clear to the Social Security Administration (SSA), which can lead SSA to stop SSI benefits due to excess resources.
The National Center for Law and Elder Rights has some ideas to deal with this problem in their July 2018 practice tip SSI Benefits and Joint Bank Accounts.
SSI Benefits and Joint Bank Accounts
Dealing with bank accounts of SSI recipients when the funds do not belong to the recipient.
There are several reasons why an SSI recipient may be named on a bank account that belongs to someone else, and generally that bank account should not count as a resource for the SSI recipient. However, problems can occur when ownership of a bank account is not clear to the Social Security Administration (SSA), which can lead SSA to stop SSI benefits due to excess resources.
The National Center for Law and Elder Rights has some ideas to deal with this problem in their July 2018 practice tip. SSI Benefits and Ownership of Joint Bank Accounts
The Office of Administrative Hearings now has a searchable database of selected decisions.
MVLS Tax Controversy Training for Attorneys, Law Students, CPAs and EAs
TAX CONTROVERSY TRAINING FOR ATTORNEYS, LAW STUDENTS, CPAs and EAs
Tuesday, May 8, 2018
9am - 1pm
Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service Office
201 N. Charles Street, #1400
Baltimore, MD 21201
Note: This training is also available for remote viewing by webinar
Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service invites interested attorneys, law students, CPAs and EAs to attend a free training session on handling IRS and Maryland tax controversy cases for low-income taxpayers on Tuesday, May 8, 2018 from 9am to 1pm, at MVLS' office at 201 N. Charles Street, #1400. This class will also be available for viewing by webinar at the same time.
The course will be taught by experienced tax attorneys, Gerald Kelly and Cheri Wendt-Taczak; IRS Local Taxpayer Advocate, James Leith; and Assistant Director, Compliance Division, Comptroller of Maryland, Jay Maschas. While the training will cover handling tax cases generally, the focus of this session will be on the mechancics of advocating for the taxpayer who is battling with tax collection issues.
There is no fee to attend but each participant will be asked to accept one tax controversy case over the next six months. Please register at jshih@mvlslaw.org or contact Janice Shih at 443-451-4061 or jshih@mvlslaw.org for more information.
Continental breakfast will be served.
Nuts & Bolts of Collections: IRS and MD
Nuts & Bolts of Collections: IRS and MD
February 21 5:30pm-7:30pm
Hosted by the Annapolis Office of Frost & Associates
888 Bestgate Road, Suite 400
Annapolis, MD 21401
Foreclosure Mediation Brief Advice Clinic-Anne Arundel
Your client brings in a letter from the IRS or the Maryland Comptroller threatening collection. What do you do?
Join Rebecca Sheppard, Esq. of Frost and Associates and Cheri Wendt-Taczak, Esq. of the Annapolis-based Law Office of Cheri Wendt-Taczak, LLC, as they discuss the different approaches to collection problems and how to choose the best one for your client.
there is no fee for this training but all participants will b asked to take a Tax Collections case within the next six months. Please contact Janice Shih at 443-451-4061 or jshih@mvlslaw.org for more information.
A light dinner will be served.
MVLS TAX CONTROVERSY TRAINING FOR ATTORNEYS, LAW STUDENTS, CPAs and EAs
Building Your Resume with Pro Bono
Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service (MVLS) and University of Baltimore School of Law are hosting a panel discussion about building up your resume with pro bono work. Panelists include Hong Le (Law Office of P. Hong Le, LLC), Anthony Butler (Founding Partner of TBMG Law), and Adrianne Blake (UB law student, class of 2018) with MVLS Staff Attorney and UB Alum Ellyn Riedl moderating. This is a free event.
Nuts & Bolts of Defending Consumers in District Court
Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service (MVLS) will be hosting an in-person training to arm volunteer attorneys with the substantive tools needed to advise defendants in district court consumer cases. Attendees will learn about the substantive law governing credit card, debt buyer, bail bond, and landlord/tenant collections cases, and how to defend these cases in court. The training will include issue spotting of common defenses and potential affirmative claims using real-life examples. This training will also be available for viewing via webinar.
There is no fee to attend but each participant will be asked to accept one case over the next six months.
To register for the live training, click here. To sign up for the webinar version, click here.
Breakfast and lunch will be served.
World Elder Abuse Awreness Day - Randallstown Community Center
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WEAAD Flyer 2017.pdf | 640.42 KB |
MVLS Celebrate Pro Bono Volunteer Recognition Event
Join Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service (MVLS) on Wednesday October 4th from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the American Visionary Arts Museum in Baltimore. We will Celebrate Pro Bono by honoring volunteer lawyers, donors and friends at our annual recognition reception.
Guests will enjoy a cocktail hour, seated dinner and awards ceremony honoring those who have made noteworthy contributions to the delivery of pro bono legal services over the past year. The reception also kicks off Maryland’s participation in the American Bar Association’s National Celebrate Pro Bono Week (October 22-28).
There is a suggested $35 donation to attend Celebrate Pro Bono. and RSVP is required. Registration will open in June. please check back soon for further details!
Event Sponsorship
We invite sponsors to partner with us to recognize our amazing volunteers by underwriting the cost of this great event. Sponsorship’s start at $500 and sponsors are publicly acknowledged for their generosity. Click here for a full list of sponsorship levels and benefits.
Tax Controversy Training for Attorneys
Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service invites interested attorneys to attend a free training session on handling IRS and Maryland tax controversy cases for low-income taxpayers on Wednesday, June 21, 2017, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at MVLS’ office at 201 N. Charles St., Suite 1400, Baltimore, MD 21201. This case will also available for viewing by webinar.
The course will be taught by experienced tax attorneys, Gerald Kelly and Cheri Wendt-Taczak; IRS Local Taxpayer Advocate, James Leith; and Assistant Director, Compliance Division, Comptroller of Maryland, Jay Maschas. While the training will cover handling tax cases generally, the focus of this session will be on the mechanics of advocating for the taxpayer who is battling with tax collection issues.
There is no fee to attend but each participant will be asked to accept one tax controversy case over the next six months. Please contact Janice Shih at 443-451-4061 or jshih@mvlslaw.org for more information.
Continental breakfast will be served.
Maryland Tax Controversy Training & Discussion for Attorneys, Enrolled Agents and CPAs
Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service invites interested attorneys, enrolled agents, and CPAs to attend a free training and discussion session on handling Maryland tax controversy cases for low-income taxpayers.
The training will be taught by Assistant Director, Compliance Division, Comptroller of Maryland, Jay Maschas and experienced tax attorney, Cheri Wendt-Taczak, so these issues will be approached from both sides. The focus of this session will be on the mechanics of advocating for the taxpayer who is battling with tax collection issues.
There is no fee to attend but each participant is asked to register. Please contact Janice Shih at 443-451-4061 or jshih@mvlslaw.org to register. This training will be held on Wednesday, February 22, 2017 from 9am - 11am at the MVLS Conference Room, 201 N. Charles Street, #1400, Baltimore, MD 21201.
A continental breakfast will be served.
Tax Sale Prevention in Baltimore City
A training for volunteer attorneys & housing counselors.
Topics Covered: Baltimore City Tax Sale Process, Environmental Liens, Water bills and liens, counseling homeowners and community groups.
Register online - probonomd.org/training
Name Change and Gender Identity Petitions - Representing Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Clients Effectively
Topics Covered: Filing procedures, including statutoryauthority and case law, Sample pleadings for both types of petitions, Best practices and cultural competence in working with transgender and gender non-conforming clients AND MORE
A free training for volunteer attorneys - at Saul Ewing, LLP - 500 East Pratt St. Suite 900, Baltimore MD 21202
Co-sponsored by FreeState Justice and Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland
Medicaid Financial Eligibility in 2017 Pursuant to the Pickle Amendment
From Justice in Aging:
Medicaid
benefits can help increase the affordability of Medicare for some low-income
people who qualify. In most states, one avenue for qualifying for Medicaid
benefits is “Pickle” eligibility, which is available to certain individuals who
once received both SSI and Social Security benefits but now only receive Social
Security because their income exceeds SSI limits.
Older adults who are eligible through the Pickle Amendment can save hundreds
or even thousands of dollars a year in Medicare Part B premiums and copayments.
Younger adults with disabilities, particularly those who do not live in states
that have expanded Medicaid, may also find Pickle eligibility to be a
lifesaver.
Figuring out whether your client might qualify for Medicaid under Pickle rules
can seem daunting, but thanks to a
tool developed by the Tennessee Justice Center, it’s really not hard at
all. The tool
has just been updated for 2017 and makes it easy to do the math to determine
whether your client will qualify.
Be sure to start
using this 2017 version as soon as the New Year starts.
Our thanks to Gordon Bonnyman at Tennessee Justice Center for sharing this
valuable resource with advocates from other states.
Social Security disability benefits may be available to wounded veterans and active duty military
Helping Veterans and Active Duty Military Members
For veterans and active duty members of the military who return home with injuries, Social Security is a resource they can turn to. If you know any wounded veterans, please let them know about Social Security’s Wounded Warriors website at www.socialsecurity.gov/woundedwarriors.
Benefits available through Social Security are different than those from the Department of Veterans Affairs and require a separate application. The expedited process is used for military service members who become disabled while on active military service on or after October 1, 2001, regardless of where the disability occurs.
Even active duty military who continue to receive pay while in a hospital or on medical leave should consider applying for disability benefits if they’re unable to work due to a disabling condition. Active duty status and receipt of military pay doesn’t necessarily prevent payment of Social Security disability benefits. Although a person can’t receive Social Security disability benefits while engaging in substantial work for pay or profit, receipt of military payments should never stop someone from applying for disability benefits from Social Security.
Social Security is proud to support the veterans and active duty members of the military. Let these heroes know they can count on us when they need to take advantage of their earned benefits at www.socialsecurity.gov/woundedwarriors.
REPRESENTING SERVICEMEMBERS IN DISCHARGE UPGRADES
Friday,
November 4, 2016 | 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM
University of Baltimore School of Law, 1401 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD
21201
Co-sponsored
by:
The Bob Parsons Veterans Advocacy Clinic at the University of Baltimore,
Homeless Persons Representation Project (HPRP), and Pro Bono Resource Center of
Maryland
Interested
in participating?
REGISTER
NOW | FLYER
QUESTIONS: Contact Kiah Pierre at kpierre@probonomd.org
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