WORKING TO BRING POSITIVE CHANGE Page 2 VISION, MISSION, VALUES Vision To be an innovative leader in creating and expanding access to justice for those in need of legal assistance. To maintain a robust network of public‐interest minded private attorneys who provide high‐quality and affordable legal assistance to underserved populations. Mission To increase the delivery of legal services to clients of low and moderate income while promoting a statewide network of solo, small firm and community based lawyers who share a common commitment to increasing access to justice through traditional and non‐traditional means. Values Integrity: We are honest, ethical and accountable in our endeavors and responsible stewards of our resources. Professionalism: We pursue excellence in the services we provide to our clients and members and promote high quality and effective practice among our Network attorneys. Community: We value the diverse strengths of our community and work in collaboration with our clients, members, staff and community justice partners. Respect: We respect the dignity, worth and diversity of individuals and treat clients, members, staff and partners fairly and equitably. Page 1 WORKING TO BRING POSITIVE CHANGE Dear Members and Friends, The past year has been a challenging one. The unrest in Baltimore and around the country was a stark reminder of the poverty, lack of opportunity and unfairness that afflicts too many of our citizens. It was also a reminder that the work of Civil Justice, our Network attorneys, and partner organizations is critical to achieve fairness and equality for those with low and moderate incomes. While many of the protests centered on the treatment of minority communities by the police, underlying the unrest is the strong current of poverty and lack of economic opportunity. Life truly is more difficult for the poor and the nearly poor, and for those living paycheck to paycheck, with no support system in the event of a personal or family crisis. Unfair and predatory practices by businesses that target lower income individuals lead to economic instability and make it difficult for individuals and families to escape poverty. Civil Justice’s assistance to lower income individuals who would not otherwise be able to obtain legal representation helps to address barriers to economic opportunity. While Civil Justice members handle a wide array of legal problems, the organization’s focus on economic hardship issues such as foreclosure prevention, abusive debt collection, automobile repossession, and predatory student loans helps to level the playing field for those who are struggling. Civil Justice and its Network of attorneys are committed to assisting those who would not otherwise have access to the legal system. Through our assistance people who dream of making a better life for themselves and their families will not be derailed by unfair practices. People who are trying hard to make it out of poverty will be able to fight the illegal actions of those who care more about their own profits than following laws and treating people fairly. Civil Justice and its Network attorneys know that in the face of big problems such poverty and injustice, if each of us does even a little, our collective work will help to bring about positive change. Civil Justice looks forward to continuing to work with our members, friends and partners in the legal community to achieve these important goals. Thank you for your continued support of the mission of Civil Justice. Sincerely, Cheryl L. Hystad Jane Santoni Executive Director President Page 2 CIVIL JUSTICE PROGRAMS Attorney Network & Referrals Used Car Dealer Held Civil Justice maintains and supports a Network of solo and small firm Accountable for attorneys who want to use private practice as a means to do public Unlawful Repossession interest work. Members are committed to the idea that, through participation in the Civil Justice Network, each member can grow their Ms. H contacted Civil Justice own practice while increasing access to the legal system by providing when a used car dealership sued affordable, high‐quality legal services to traditionally under‐served her for thousands of dollars after members of the public. Civil Justice operates an active telephone and it had wrongfully repossessed web‐based referral service and refers thousands of clients to member her car. The dealer resold the attorneys annually. Through our community outreach and contacts we car to another purchaser for are able help bridge the justice gap by connecting low and moderate more than Ms. H owed on the income clients with attorneys who can assist them. car, but still instructed a debt collector to sue Ms. H for the Automobile Repossession Abuse Initiative entire amount that she owed Civil Justice’s Automobile Repossession Abuse Initiative provides when the car was repossessed, advice and representation to low and moderate income individuals without giving any credit for the who have been the victims of fraudulent and unscrupulous practices resale. Civil Justice was by car dealers and finance companies. Many of the individuals assisted successful in getting the lawsuit through this project had their automobiles wrongfully repossessed and against Ms. H dismissed and are being sued for thousands of dollars by the dealer or finance then brought affirmative claims company. against the dealership. Ms. H received a favorable settlement that compensated her for her losses. Page 3 CIVIL JUSTICE PROGRAMS Foreclosure Brief Legal Advice Project Civil Justice and Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service (MVLS) partner to Loan Modification operate the Foreclosure Brief Legal Advice Project (FBLA). Homeowners Allows Mother to Stay facing foreclosure, who do not have legal representation, may obtain a free brief legal consultation with an experienced foreclosure defense in Family Home attorney. The attorneys answer questions related to foreclosure Ms. R contacted Civil Justice just mediation and the foreclosure process and provide legal advice to four days before her foreclosure homeowners. mediation hearing after being unable to find assistance to stop Foreclosure Recovery: On Track to Financial Health the foreclosure sale of her Civil Justice’s Foreclosure Recovery Program provides individuals and home. Ms. R had fallen behind families with an opportunity to meet with an attorney to review on her mortgage payments due outstanding legal and financial issues stemming from a foreclosure event to health problems, but her and develop a cohesive plan to move forward. Participants receive a household income had recently free, 90‐minute consultation with a Foreclosure Recovery panel attorney. increased due to her adult During the session, the attorney will review credit reports, legal notices, children returning to her home, and budgets and discuss an action plan that will guide the individual giving her enough income to toward financial recovery. qualify for a loan modification. However, Ms. R needed time to Low Bono Foreclosure Mediation obtain a quit claim deed from Civil Justice provides critical legal services to Maryland homeowners her ex‐husband in order to get a facing foreclosure through its Low Bono Foreclosure Mediation Program. loan modification. Civil Justice Since the summer of 2010, shortly after mediations became available for represented Ms. R at her homeowners in foreclosure, the program has assisted hundreds of low mediation and successfully and moderate income homeowners who do not qualify for pro bono argued for a continuance so that (free) representation in foreclosure mediations, but can afford to pay a she would have time to submit reduced fee to an attorney for representation. all of the paperwork needed for Of Counsel Panels for Housing Counselors a loan modification. After the mediation, Ms. R was able to Civil Justice’s Of Counsel Panel Program provides an important legal submit a complete loan resource for housing counselors throughout the state of Maryland. modification application and Housing counselors are often the first line of defense and assistance for received an affordable homeowners facing foreclosure and play a vital role in foreclosure modification. Her foreclosure prevention efforts. The Of Counsel Panel Program brings Civil Justice case was dismissed and she Network attorneys to in‐person roundtable meetings with housing continues to reside in her home counselors, and maintains listservs monitored by Network attorneys and with her children. Civil Justice staff where housing counselors can post questions and receive advice. Page 4 CIVIL JUSTICE PROGRAMS Public Interest Litigation Garnishment of Senior’s Civil Justice undertakes litigation on behalf of Maryland consumers with legal issues that have broad public impact. Cases involve Social Security Stopped mortgage servicing, predatory lending, foreclosure practices, Ms. L, a 71 year old senior citizen, automobile fraud, and other consumer protection issues. Civil contacted Civil Justice because her Justice files individual and class cases, co‐counsels with Civil Justice only source of income, Social Network members, and files amicus briefs in important consumer Security retirement, was being impact litigation. garnished in order to pay defaulted student loans. Civil Justice was able Student Loan Borrower Protection Project to get the garnishment suspended Civil Justice provides free legal advice and assistance to low and based on hardship, and obtained a moderate income student loan borrowers in Baltimore City. The partial refund for Ms. L of the money project focuses on helping borrowers who are entitled to a that was garnished. Civil Justice was discharge of their federal student loans, such as when the school also able to set up a rehabilitation closed while the borrower was still enrolled. It also provides agreement for Ms. L’s student loans, assistance with a range of other student loan issues, including which enabled her to get out of representing borrowers in lawsuits by schools to recover tuition default and enroll in an affordable repayment plan. debt and assisting federal student loan borrowers to get out of default and into affordable repayment plans. Damages Obtained for Couple After Illegal Eviction Mr.