The Maryland Association for Justice Foundation provides education and awareness to the public regarding public safety, scholarships to students, and charitable giving to other non-profit organizations. The Foundation supports projects that keep families safe, educates the public about the civil justice system, and helps those who need it most in Maryland. Even before the Foundation was formalized as a separate nonprofit organization in 2009, MAJ members made it a priority to give back. From 2000 to 2009, MAJ members donated over $85,000 to support the Baltimore City Fire Department’s annual distribution of smoke detectors, bike helmets, and school supplies to those in need, and to the Bea Gaddy Foundation. Today, MAJ members remain steadfast in their generosity and support of giving back to vulnerable Marylanders.
Since 2009, the MAJ Foundation has continued to expand its scope. Some highlights include:
- Charitable donations totaling more than $120,000 to support nonprofit organizations such as The Annapolis Light House, Maryland Volunteer Lawyer Service, Disability Rights Maryland, MyLaw Mock Trial program, Girls on the Run of Central Maryland, Back on My Feet Baltimore, GEDCO, The Blue Ribbon Project, Weekend Backpacks, and the Women’s Law Center of Maryland.
- Supporting the work of End Distracted Driving, a national program to raise awareness among youth of the dangers of driving while distracted. MAJ members have touched hundreds of students through the EndDD program by making in-school presentations across Maryland.
- Establishing two annual scholarship funds to support law student scholarships. The MAJ Foundation Trial Advocacy Scholarship is awarded annually to all rising 2L, 3L, 2E, 3E, or 4E students at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law (“Maryland Carey Law”) who meet the criteria and complete an application process. The Foundation board is working to relaunch a similar scholarship program at University of Baltimore School of Law in 2024.
After the passing of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in September 2020, the MAJ Women’s Caucus set up a fund to accept donations to honor Justice Ginsburg’s legacy by funding the bar examination fee for 9 applicants. Through a partnership with the University of Maryland School of Law and their Women, Leadership, and Equality Fellowship program, 25 women applied for and were given the scholarship to fund their bar exam fee since 2020.
“The late Justice Ginsburg left the legal field better than how she found it and she inspires me to do the same. Justice Ginsburg’s legacy of expanding gender equality, reproductive justice, LGBTQ rights, and voting rights are all admirable goals in and of themselves. She did not fight for these goals to improve revenues for businesses or boost her net worth. She fought for them because of her core values of equity and diversity. I have many similar goals and plan to use my law degree to continue Ginsburg’s important work of creating a more equitable world.” – Emma Kaufman ’21
MAJ Caucus members are also active volunteers. The Women’s Caucus will host its second annual event for members in February 2024 with Weekend Backpacks of Baltimore, filling backpacks for students in need. Weekend Backpacks supports over 1200 students in 43 different schools in Baltimore. Each week they deliver food to help the students experiencing food insecurity. The bags of non-perishable food are designed to feed 4 people throughout the weekend as no child lives alone. Weekend Backpacks’ mission is to support these children and their families, so they are ready to learn at the start of each week.
MAJ’s Minority Caucus has regular clothing drives for Dress for Success and Progress Place/Interfaith Ministries in Silver Spring, a facility that works with individuals and families in crisis to help them lift themselves from poverty and homelessness through prevention, stabilization, and empowerment programs. The Caucus also partnered with other minority bar associations last year to host a free Legal Clinic in Rockville.
You can help support MAJ Foundation efforts with a tax-deductible donation. Your financial support will enable us to continue to provide law student scholarships and support charitable initiatives important to MAJ members. Donations can be made online at mdforjustice.com/Foundation, or sent to MAJ Foundation, 10440 Little Patuxent Parkway Suite 250, Columbia, MD 21044.
Thank you for all you do as a trial lawyer to give back – keep up the important work.
MAJ Foundation Board of Governors 2023-2024
Chair - Christopher Wright, Iliff, Meredith, Wildberger & Brennan, PC
Treasurer - Emily Malarkey, Bekman, Marder, Hopper, Malarkey & Perlin, LLC
Secretary - Cara O’Brien, O’Brien Law
Gwen-Marie Davis, GDH Law
Thomas Keilty, Keilty Bonadio, LLC
David Muncy, Plaxen Adler Muncy PA
Samuel Pulver, The Yost Law Group
Tiffany Randolph, Shulman Rogers
My MAJ
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