Tydings recognizes the importance of providing legal assistance to disadvantaged members in our community. By volunteering our time and our skills, our lawyers strive to improve the community, the administration of justice, and our profession through free or reduced legal services to those who need it the most.
We are or have been involved with local organizations, including:
Some notable examples of our pro bono work include:
-
In 2013, Tydings represented the Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault and 26 other State coalitions as amicus curiae (one who is not a party to a case, but advocates for a legal position) in an important Fourth Amendment case before the U.S. Supreme Court. At issue was the Maryland Court of Appeals' ruling that it was unconstitutional to DNA test people who are arrested for serious crimes. William Sammons, a partner in Tydings’ litigation department, worked with litigation associates to submit a brief in support of the law. The Supreme Court agreed with the position taken in Tydings’ brief and found that it was constitutional to DNA test those arrested of serious crimes.
-
In 2005, the firm worked with the Legal Aid Bureau of Maryland to assist with an on-going action against HUD and the City of Baltimore. The case challenged plans by HUD and the City to redevelop a 1,000-unit subsidized housing complex that provided affordable housing to low-income families. Seventeen former residents sued to force HUD and the City to comply with statutory requirements concerning multi-family housing properties and the Fair Housing Act. Tydings ultimately negotiated a settlement of the action and continued to represent the class of former residents to see that HUD and the City of Baltimore complied with the terms of the settlement.
At Tydings, we encourage our attorneys to devote time to pro bono organizations.