Shore Legal Access (SLA) recognizes the contributions of its three Sandy Brown Public Interest Interns – Giana Cauble, Alexander Vlangas, and Lilibeth Baltazar – as they end their summer internships at the nonprofit legal aid organization. Cauble and Vlangas have worked from SLA’s Salisbury office, and Baltazar has been based in Easton.
The Sandy Brown Public Interest Internship, created in honor of former long-time SLA Executive Director Sandy Brown, offers a stipend to undergraduate and law students as they gain invaluable experience in the field of public interest law at a respected nonprofit organization. The Internship’s goal is to expand the pool of diverse, qualified, and committed candidates for career positions in public interest work on the Eastern Shore.
Over the summer, Baltazar, Cauble, and Vlangas supported attorneys in rent court, helped with legal research, and participated in community outreach events, each of which gave them unique insights into public interest law. All three noted how meaningful it was to interact with clients and to see the legal process up close. They were greatly valued by the attorneys and case managers they worked with for the help they provided and the contributions they made to their clients’ well-being.
“Our Sandy Brown Public Interest Interns get the unique experience of working with people who need civil legal assistance the most but who have the hardest time accessing it due to the cost of a private attorney,” said SLA Executive Director Meredith Girard, Esq. “Alex, Giana, and Lilibeth were an important part of SLA’s team, working alongside our attorneys and case managers to support our clients and find innovative ways to make legal services accessible to all. We greatly value their contributions and hope that their time at SLA will serve them well in their future careers.”
Vlangas, a law student at University of Baltimore School of Law, was the first legal intern to work at SLA’s Lower Shore office. He said of his experience that “it’s an opportunity that most students are not able to get,” and noted how impressed he was at how quickly SLA’s attorneys are able to communicate with clients at rent court and to make arrangements that, in many cases, keep them from being evicted. “I would highly recommend this internship,” he said.
Cauble, of Berlin, received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Salisbury University in 2024 and is returning for the fall semester of 2025 to complete a bachelor’s in philosophy. Her experience shows that even people who don’t intend to become an attorney can substantially contribute to public interest law.
“What has surprised me the most about this internship,” Cauble said, “is that my areas of focus are actually philosophy and psychology, so even though I don’t have a legal background and I’m not pursuing a law degree or law school, there have still been a lot of opportunities for me to showcase my strengths.”
Baltazar attends Towson University, where she is majoring in sociology and anthropology, with a concentration in criminal justice. A graduate of North Caroline High School in Caroline County, where she earned the Maryland Seal of Biliteracy, Baltazar experienced how important legal assistance is for people on the Eastern Shore: “This internship has reconnected me with my community and opened doors I never imagined. Working pro bono has given me a glimpse into people’s realities and viewpoints.”
Shore Legal Access connects individuals and families with volunteer attorneys to ensure justice is for all. Focus areas include criminal record expungement, economic stability, family law, housing, and life and estate planning. For more information or to support Shore Legal Access, call 410-690-8128 or visit shorelegal.org.
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- Alexander Vlangas
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- Giana Cauble
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- Lilibeth Baltazar
