Maryland Legal Services Corporation

General information

Maryland Legal Services Corporation (MLSC) was established by the Maryland General Assembly in 1982 to receive and distribute funds to nonprofit organizations that provide civil legal aid for low-income Marylanders. From its inception, MLSC has made grants totaling over $260 million to help provide services in more than 2.7 million legal matters involving child custody, housing, consumer rights, immigration, benefits, employment and more. With MLSC funding, grantees help victims of domestic violence find protection, families save their homes from foreclosure and veterans receive much needed benefits.

MLSC is governed by a nine-person Board of Directors appointed by the Governor of Maryland and confirmed by the Maryland Senate. The MLSC Board hires the Executive Director, who serves ex officio on the Board and manages the organization. One of MLSC’s principal funding sources is the Interest on Lawyer Trust Account (IOLTA) program, also established by state legislation in 1982.