Times of crisis for low-income families are often hard to see. It's easy to miss the eviction papers taped to a neighbor's front door. It's impossible to see the weight of debt on your co-worker's shoulders, her worry about how she'll feed her children tonight. But these crises, especially right now, are happening all around us. Over the past 20 years, Shore Legal Access (SLA) has helped more than 40,000 Eastern Shore residents access critical civil legal services, mobilized hundreds of volunteer attorneys and secured nearly $10 million in economic benefits for families facing housing, financial and family law challenges.

This year, we are celebrating our 20th anniversary, marking two decades of expanding access to justice across Maryland’s Eastern Shore and ensuring that individuals and families with limited financial means have the legal support they need to navigate complex civil legal issues.

Founded in 2006 as Mid-Shore Pro Bono, the organization was created by Eastern Shore judges and attorneys who recognized that many residents lacked access to legal representation due to geography and limited financial resources. Today, SLA serves residents in eight counties across Maryland’s Eastern Shore, providing a vital bridge between community members in need and the legal system.

Access to justice is fundamental to strong and healthy communities. For many people, a legal issue can mean the difference between keeping their home, protecting their finances or maintaining family stability. Our goal has always been to ensure that people on the Eastern Shore have somewhere to turn when they need legal help.

Over the past 20 years, SLA has:

Served more than 40,000 individuals and families
Engaged more than 400 volunteer attorneys
Generated nearly 100,000 hours of volunteer legal services
Helped secure nearly $9.9 million in direct economic benefits for clients, including debt relief, settlements and financial protections

Each year, the organization assists 3,000 to 4,000 residents with civil legal matters ranging from divorce and getting a will to housing disputes and consumer debt.

SLA’s origins trace back to statewide efforts to expand pro bono legal services in Maryland. In the early 2000s, following recommendations from the Maryland Judicial Commission on Pro Bono, Eastern Shore judges – including Judge Karen Jensen, Judge Bo Earnest and Judge Thomas Ross – collaborated to create the Mid-Shore Pro Bono Project, the state’s first regional pro bono program.

With seed funding from the judiciary, the initiative launched with a part-time executive director and a small network of volunteer attorneys. Over time, it evolved into a professional nonprofit organization with offices in Easton and Salisbury and a robust network of legal volunteers serving communities across the region.

A major period of expansion came under the leadership of longtime executive director Sandy Brown, who served from 2007 to 2021. During her tenure, the organization broadened its services and played a key role in assisting homeowners during the foreclosure crisis, helping families navigate complex legal challenges during a difficult economic period.

In 2022, Meredith Girard, who previously served as managing attorney, became executive director and began leading a new phase of growth focused on expanding tenant representation and access to legal counsel across all eight Eastern Shore counties. In 2023, the organization changed its name from Mid-Shore Pro Bono to Shore Legal Access to better reflect its mission and geographic reach.

While our name has evolved, our mission remains the same. We believe everyone deserves the opportunity to resolve civil legal issues and move forward with dignity. None of this work would be possible without the dedication of our volunteer attorneys, community partners and supporters who share that belief.

As Shore Legal Access celebrates its 20th anniversary, we continue to strengthen partnerships with courts, community organizations and volunteer attorneys to ensure that individuals and families facing civil legal challenges have the support they need.

Looking ahead, our work is far from finished. The need for civil legal assistance remains significant across rural communities like the Eastern Shore. Our commitment is to keep building partnerships and expanding resources so that access to justice is truly within reach for everyone.

Your contribution will help:

Families secure custody agreements
Tenants resolve disputes with their landlords
Workers clear old criminal records
People obtain a will and other essential planning documents
Consumers resolve overwhelming debt

Together we can ensure that justice truly is for all.

Shore Legal Access 20th Anniversary Auction

Going once, going twice, going strong!