Michael Stone, Esq.

Experience

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  Keep-U-Neat Cleaners

  Mar 2004 - Feb 2006

  Clerk, Assistant Manager

  Transitioned under old and new owners to address employee concerns and disagreements. Mitigated customer complaints and grievances over the telephone and in person. Prepared new employees for two of three of store locations, and volunteered as emergency coverage for all three locations. Collaborated with the owner for outstanding accounts receivable, reducing past due orders by twenty to thirty percent.

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  BEST-BUY

  Oct 2006 - Jan 2007

  Sales

  Coordinated large-item floor sales during "Black Friday" rush with warehouse department. Successfully aided other departments during peak demand. Among the ten percent retained after holiday season.

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  All-American Printing Services

  Jan 2007 - Jul 2010

  Bindery & Key Operator

  Collaborated in mass-mailing projects for various legal, real estate, and commercial entities. Trained with production staff to operate press-grade printer, decreased turnaround time for rush orders, and coordinated with management, production staff, and temporary employees to efficiently use labor and machinery. Scanned and edited hard copy documents for digital storage and immediate reproduction. Crafted organization system for archived documents, organized department inventory, produced maintenance parts inventory, and managed document flow to maximize limited equipment resources. Instructed multiple operators on department machinery and supervised complex projects, including a national corporation's training binders and manuals. Show less

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  University of Baltimore School of Law

  Aug 2010 - May 2013

  Law Student

  Board member for two campus clubs, responsible for outreach to volunteers for low-income public interest group, inform club members of public interest law opportunities in the community and the law school, and record and participate in club meetings as secretary of the University of Baltimore branch of the American Constitution Society.

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  DISTRICT COURT OF MARYLAND, DISTRICT ONE

  May 2011 - Jul 2011

  Judicial Internship

  Engaged in extensive research regarding judicial ethics for upcoming judicial conference. Observed and analyzed debt collection claims in small claims court. Researched impacts of evidentiary rules upon pro se litigants in small claims court. Discussed substantive policy impacts of court proceedings with attorneys and judges.

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  OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER - Circuit Court Division

  May 2011 - Jul 2011

  Legal Intern

  Assisted attorneys with client interviews and fact gathering, including interactions with multiple state agency representatives. Contacted witnesses and summarized multiple interviews for attorney use in trial preparation. Drafted legal motions for sentence modifications and defendant health evaluations. Conducted research for the admissibility of evidence regarding Maryland's Rape-Shield Law and relevant case law.

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  Homeless Persons Representation Project Inc.

  Sept 2011 - Mar 2013

  Volunteer Expungement Intake

  Traveled to HPRP off-site intake centers in soup kitchens and day centers to conduct expungement intake for persons that were homeless or at risk of homelessness. Intake included discussion about sensitive topics, such as income, assets, background, family status, and criminal history. Trained other volunteers on conducting intake.

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  Homeless Persons Representation Project, Inc.

  Apr 2012 - Mar 2013

  Volunteer Student Coordinator

  Coordinated 100-180 law students for HPRP community-based legal clinics. Tasks included: working with law school administration to reserve rooms for volunteer training, identifying student groups from which to recruit volunteers, provided volunteers with arrangements for transportation to and from clinic cites, and endeavored to lead fellow volunteers in interacting with homeless and at-risk clients in respectful and compassionate manner. Efforts resulted in increased volunteer turn out, even during summer months. Show less

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  OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC DEFENDER - Circuit Court Division

  Jan 2013 - Apr 2013

  Law Clerk

  Composed several legal memoranda for staff attorneys, including Fourth Amendment and Article 26 illegal seizure issues on behalf of client illegally seized outside a home. Conducted client interviews with clients facing criminal contempt sanctions for failure to pay child support. Participated in witness interviews with supervising attorney in first degree murder case for possible alibis. Examined discovery in multiple cases to evaluate for possible legal and factual defenses, in addition to outside fact finding using third party resources. General legal assistance to staff attorneys. Show less

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  Homeless Persons Representation Project Inc.

  Sept 2013 - Dec 2018

  Assumed supervision of HPRP’s Montgomery County Office. Prioritized outstanding tasks including addressing case assignment backlog, creating volunteer attorney outreach list, updating intake forms, and establishing a postage system. Oversaw HPRP's twice monthly general civil clinic at a soup kitchen in Silver Spring, MD. Established a third expungement clinic site at a women's shelter in Rockville. Oversaw approximately seventeen expungement legal clinics and attorney meetings at three locations throughout Montgomery County. Interacted with Montgomery County officials at interagency meetings relating to the county's responses to homelessness and submitted testimony on behalf of HPRP in opposition to a bill in the Montgomery County Council that would have criminalized panhandling. Worked in collaboration with other HPRP employees to assist the Hiring Committee in better reflecting racial and ethnic equity goals in hiring and onboarding of new employees, as well as in HPRP's Tech Committee to align the organization’s tech infrastructure with its size and needs. Advised HPRP's Executive Director regarding substantive legal issues that impacted individuals experiencing or at-risk of homelessness. Opened 266 new cases and closed 210 cases for clients experiencing or at-risk of homelessness with only one paralegal as support staff for half the year. Show less Operated two regular legal clinics for rural Maryland Veterans who were experiencing or at-risk of homelessness. Interacted with federal agencies to request records, analyze facts, and apply relevant federal statutes and regulations on behalf of clients for individual cases. Conducted multiple, separate, remote and in-person attorney and non-attorney trainings annually for VA disability benefits and Maryland criminal record expungement, including creating reference PowerPoint presentations, practice guides, and other support documents. Conducted targeted outreach and provided legal assistance to LGBTQAI+ individuals to remove barriers to employment and housing. Assisted pro bono attorneys with writing support and analysis of assigned cases. Mentored pro bono attorneys regarding veteran benefits access and military discharge upgrades. Managed case load of approximately of approximately 80 cases. Trained Director of Pro Bono Programs, Swapna Yeluri, in substantive law and office policy, and collaborated with her in management of pro bono attorneys and participated in several subject matter conference panels. Drafted the Maryland State Bar Association Veterans’ Affairs & Military Law Section position in support of expansion of federal military character of discharge upgrades. Show less Pioneered HPRP’s Rural Veterans Legal Assistance Project (RVLAP) to bring civil legal aid to Veterans living in rural areas of Maryland using video conference technology. Recruited, trained, and mentored volunteer attorneys to represent rural homeless veterans in veteran benefits claims, serving a total of approximately 133 Veterans. Drafted support testimony for HB 590 (to expand expungement of probation before judgment criminal records) in the 2016 legislative session. Created intake sites in Cecil and St. Mary’s County. Established referral partners on the Eastern Shore and in Western Maryland. Engaged with the MSBA’s Veteran’s Affairs and Military Law Sections to represent the interests of low-income veterans. Prepared regular grant reports to RVLAP partners and funders. Created and updated attorney trainings for VA benefits, as well as created “Know Your Rights” outreach presentations for veterans experiencing or at-risk of homelessness. Trained Director of Pro Bono Programs, Jeff Gold, in substantive law and office policy. Show less

  • Kent Morrison Director of Montgomery and Prince George's Co. Office

    Jan 2018 - Dec 2018

  • Staff Attorney

    Sept 2016 - Dec 2017

  • Equal Justice Works Fellow Sponsored by Lockheed Martin and Hogan Lovells

    Sept 2014 - Sept 2016

  • Temporary Pro Bono Counsel

    Mar 2014 - Sept 2014

  • Legal Apprentice Fellow

    Sept 2013 - Mar 2014
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  Self

  Jan 2019 - Sept 2020

  Attorney

  Direct pro bono legal representation of clients who are experiencing or at-risk of homelessness with Maryland criminal record expungement at the Homeless Persons Representation Project.

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  Homeless Persons Representation Project Inc.

  Oct 2020 - now

  Supervise the Homeless Persons Representation Project's (HPRP) Pro Bono Program. Conduct multiple, separate, remote and in-person attorney and non-attorney trainings annually for VA disability benefits and Maryland criminal record expungement, including creating reference PowerPoint presentations, practice guides, and other support documents. Supervise the bulk of HPRP’s 400+ pro bono volunteers, including attorneys, law students, and paralegals. Train and supervise two paralegals and one staff attorney. Co-manage the Workforce Development Program (Workforce), including overseeing three additional expungement legal clinic sites and the grant reporting for Workforce. Supervise approximately 1000 expungement, Veteran benefits, and discharge upgrade cases. Direct six of HPRP’s Baltimore-area expungement clinics, as well as most of its general expungement intake. Track cases and outcomes for several grants, including a private veteran services grant, two Maryland Legal Services Corporation grants, and a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Assist pro bono attorneys with writing support and analysis of assigned cases for Veteran benefit, discharge upgrade, and criminal record expungement matters. Assume primary representation in cases in the event volunteer attorneys cannot complete case. Mentor staff on VA benefits and discharge upgrade cases, interaction with pro bono attorneys, time management, and team coordination. Coordinate with partner civil legal aid organizations to address common hurdles to criminal record expungement. Closed over 500 cases in fiscal year 2024. Show less Assumed supervision of HPRP’s Pro Bono Program. With assistance of Managing Attorney, reevaluated the legacy Pro Bono Program's capacity, efficacy, and integrity in relation to reduced resources. Conducted multiple, separate, remote and in-person attorney and non-attorney trainings annually for VA disability benefits and Maryland criminal record expungement, including creating reference PowerPoint presentations, practice guides, and other support documents. Supervised the bulk of HPRP’s pro bono volunteers, including attorneys, law students, and paralegals, as well as a paralegal and two attorney staff positions. Oversaw HPRP’s three Veteran legal clinics in Baltimore, Perry Point, and Southern Maryland, as well as its several pro bono expungement clinics. Tracked cases and outcomes for preparation of several grants. Assisted pro bono attorneys with writing support and analysis of assigned cases for Veteran benefit, discharge upgrade, and criminal record expungement issues. Mentored staff on VA benefits/discharge upgrade cases, interaction with pro bono attorneys, time management, and team coordination. Engaged with the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services to develop a program to serve incarcerated individuals with criminal record expungement needs and reduce the likelihood of homelessness upon release. Coordinated with partner civil legal aid organizations to address common hurdles to criminal record expungement. Show less

  • Director of Pro Bono Programs

    May 2021 - now

  • Interim Director of Pro Bono Programs

    Oct 2020 - May 2021