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Loyola recognized by Maryland Legal Aid Justice Council for expungement clinics

Equal Justice Award
From left to right: Dan Barry (attorney volunteer), Aidan Harty (student volunteer), Carolyn Barry (Associate Dean for Social Sciences and Graduate Programs), Abbie Flanagan (attorney volunteer, CCSJ Assistant Director Outreach), Matt Beverlin (Pre-Law Advisor), Loyola President Terrence Sawyer, Charles Hiebler (Alumni Engagement; recruited attorney volunteers), Joe Bradley (Events), Scott McCabe (Events), Stephen Park (Service-Learning Partner with Md Legal Aid; CCSJ Service-Learning Faculty Fellow)

Loyola University Maryland was awarded the Community Partner for Justice Award by the Maryland Legal Aid Justice Council and the Equal Justice Council at the 24th Annual Equal Justice Awards Breakfast on Tuesday, May 16, 2023.

The award recognized Loyola’s support of three expungement clinics over the course of 2022 and 2023. Loyola partnered with Maryland Legal Aid to hold the expungement clinics at 5104 York Road in Baltimore, the location of Loyola’s Govans Farmers Market.

“The award we received today is a testament to the hard work of so many Loyola students and staff as well as the strong partnership we have developed with Maryland Legal Aid,” said Matt Beverlin, Ph.D., assistant teaching professor of political science. “In the years ahead, we’ll continue our work as a university community to strengthen our bonds with our neighbors and work toward the ideal of equal justice.”

Loyola students and attorneys who are alumni and friends of Loyola volunteered for the clinics, offering one-on-one assistance to participants, advising them on legal matters and preparing petitions on-site. Additionally, the clinic provided student volunteers an opportunity for service-learning, a critical part of Loyola’s mission and Jesuit, liberal arts education.

“This award represents the best of Loyola’s mission in action—a partnership with a high-impact nonprofit that created cross-campus collaborations, building on academic excellence in our arts and sciences areas while leveraging dedicated student, faculty, administrators, students, and alumni volunteers to the betterment of our York Road community,” said Gia Grier McGinnis, Dr.PH., executive director of the Center for Community, Service, and Justice.

The three clinics resulted in more than a hundred clients aided, and more than 135 petitions were issued.