WASHINGTON COUNCIL OF LAWYERS

The Prison Policy Initiative projects that Maryland incarcerates 475 persons per every 100,000 people in the state. Maryland’s exceptionally high rate of incarceration stands out on an international scale, outpacing several NATO-member nations. See id.  As the State’s Attorney General recently acknowledged, Maryland’s prisons are among the worst in the nation for their racially disparate incarceration of Black people. The disparities are particularly extreme among the more than 2,000 people serving life-with-parole sentences: about 77% of Maryland lifers are Black, in a state that is about 31% Black. For those who were children at the time they were first incarcerated, the numbers are even more stark – 84%.

Tim Cordova, an associate in the Health Care Group at Alston & Bird, has built a reputation for his meticulous work in health care legislative and regulatory compliance matters. But beyond his daily practice, Tim's has established a commitment to pro bono work, particularly in helping disabled individuals secure much-needed Social Security disability benefits and health care coverage. Tim has become an advocate for those who need it most, working tirelessly to assist clients through difficult appeals processes and ensuring they receive the support they deserve.

In Washington, D.C., the collaboration between La Clinica Del Pueblo and the Tahirih Justice Center is significantly impacting the lives by—Latiné* immigrant survivors of gender-based violence (GBV). This medical-legal partnership represents a crucial lifeline for communities often excluded from traditional healthcare and legal support, particularly for those within the Latiné immigrant population. By combining the expertise of La Clinica Del Pueblo in providing culturally appropriate health services with the legal advocacy strength of the Tahirih Justice Center, this initiative provides an integrated and holistic approach to the complex challenges faced by these individuals.

Nonprofits play a critical role in serving low-income, historically underserved communities. In Washington, DC, the DC Volunteer Lawyers Project fills these gaps by recruiting, training, and supervising pro bono attorneys who in turn represent clients in family law, child advocacy, and immigration matters. DCVLP and its volunteers focus on serving survivors of domestic violence, survivors of gender-based violence, and vulnerable children. Volunteer attorneys donated 48,000 pro bono hours in 2023 alone. Two of these volunteers are Anne (Annie) Bonfiglio and Sarah Tunney.