Shore Legal Access, a nonprofit organization that uses the legal system to protect and advance the economic stability of limited-income individuals and households on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, welcomes attorney Matt Arthur, Esq. as its new Equal Justice Works Housing Justice Program Fellow. Arthur, who recently graduated from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, will join Shore Legal Access’ housing team, which provides free representation to tenants facing eviction in the eight counties the organization serves: Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico, and Worcester.
“We are honored to continue our partnership with Equal Justice Works and excited to welcome Matt to our team,” Shore Legal Access Executive Director Meredith Girard, Esq. said. “He brings experience working with tenants facing eviction and a passion for advancing access to justice for Eastern Shore residents who need it most. Matt will help us ensure that more tenants remain in their homes.”
Equal Justice Works’ mission is to create opportunities for lawyers to transform their passion for equal justice into a lifelong commitment to public service. The prestigious Housing Justice Program Fellowship, which places attorneys for a two-year period with organizations working at the front lines to advance access to justice, was created to provide representation for limited-means individuals who are currently, or at risk of, experiencing housing instability and involuntary displacement, particularly due to eviction. Since 2022, Shore Legal Access has hosted four Fellows, including Arthur. Three former Fellows, Bibi Barnes, Esq., Elliett Earhart, and Pete Rolph, Esq., were hired to Shore Legal Access’ staff in 2024 to continue their important housing work.
Arthur, a Maryland-native who completed his undergraduate studies at Washington College in Kent County, embodies Equal Justice Works’ mission. He is passionate about using the law to help limited-income tenants remain in or achieve stable and safe living situations because he believes that everyone deserves a place to live, no matter their socioeconomic status. The consequences of losing one’s home, Arthur notes, are often financially disastrous and psychologically traumatizing. Arthur’s role as a housing attorney at Shore Legal Access, as he sees it, is to be an advocate for people who too often don’t have one.
Arthur’s goals for the Fellowship, he says, are to “grow both as a lawyer and a person, while providing for the community in whatever way I can.” Besides his passion for the law, Arthur is an avid reader, animal lover, and aspiring birdwatcher.
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 planning. For more information or to support Shore Legal Access, call 410-690-8128 or visit shorelegal.org.
