Maryland Task Force Takes on the Access-to-Justice Gap
While the legal system should deliver fair outcomes, the results are typically skewed when one party lacks legal counsel. Yet, in the United States, in roughly 75% of the 20 million civil cases filed each year, only one side has an attorney. In Maryland, this translates to an astonishing 461,000 cases where one party must navigate the complexities of the legal system alone. The rulings in such matters are far from balanced; unrepresented parties often lose their homes, custody of their children, or access to life-saving public benefits, not because they did anything wrong, but simply because they couldn’t afford legal help.
The Innovations in Tiered Legal Services Task Force, a joint effort by the Maryland Judiciary, the Maryland State Bar Association (MSBA), and the Maryland Access to Justice Commission (A2JC), aims to tackle the justice gap created by a lack of legal representation head-on. The goal of this collaborative initiative is to find new, innovative ways to meet the civil legal needs of Marylanders who are currently going unserved by attorneys.
Exploring Innovative Solutions from Across the Nation
The Innovations Task Force is studying a nationwide movement to create different tiers within the legal profession. This approach employs allied legal professionals and legal technology to provide civil legal help to those who cannot afford or access a traditional attorney. So far, close to 20 states offer tiered legal services.
The Task Force’s work builds on the findings of the previous Affordable Law Task Force, which revealed that approximately 40% of all Marylanders, including those living below the poverty line and those struggling to make ends meet, cannot afford a lawyer at market rate. The new Task Force will explore key concepts to address this gap:
- Legal Practitioners (LPs): Akin to a Nurse Practitioner, a Legal Practitioner would be trained, tested and licensed to provide civil legal aid in specific, high-need areas where people are currently underserved.
- Community Justice Workers (CJWs): Modeled after Community Health Workers, CJWs can be trusted members of a community who work in community or civil legal aid organizations and are upskilled to provide civil legal help, essentially “bringing law to where the people are.”
- Legal Technology: The Task Force is also exploring how other states are using technology to help people navigate and resolve their civil legal problems without the need for an attorney.
To ensure all perspectives are heard, the Task Force is organized into five committees focusing on Outreach, LPScope, LP Education, Community Justice Workers, and Legal Technology.
Meet the Leaders of the Task Force
The Innovations Task Force is co-chaired by three distinguished leaders from the collaborating organizations:
Hon. Angela M. Eaves Maryland Supreme Court Justice
M. Natalie McSherry Former President of the Maryland State Bar Association
Reena K. Shah Executive Director of the Maryland Access to Justice Commission
The Task Force, which launched in September 2024, is working diligently and is expected to report its findings and recommendations by Spring 2026. This initiative is a vital step toward creating a more equitable legal system that provides every Marylander access to the help they need.