Sarah Coffey Bowes Email and Phone Number

Strengthened and stabilized the organization by:- Expanding partnerships with local, state, and national organizations providing assistance to low-income families,- Diversifying and expanding funding,- Implementing impactful legal services programming,- Streamlining operations, and- Building and mentoring a collaborative team that is committed to excellence.Increased the organization's revenue by over 200% in less than 4 years,Designed and implemented innovative legal services programming including:- The award-winning Maryland Justice Passport - a technology helping Marylanders navigate the legal services delivery system,- Coordinated Intake for Access to Counsel in Eviction - one of the nation's first programs centralizing intake across legal service organizations,- The Tenant Debt Defense Program which has defended tenants from illegal debt collection activities and saved low-income families more than $400,000 in family assets, and - The Renter Eviction Avoidance Program which prevented the eviction of more than 150 public housing families and coordinated more than $600,000 in rental assistance.Developed emerging leaders by encouraging speaking, educational, and leadership opportunities.

- Managed operation of the Maryland Judiciary’s Maryland and District Courts Self-Help Centers (Self-Help Centers).- Supervised growth of the programs from one to six offices in nine years as the program budget grew from $360,000 to $3.1 million per year.- Directed the continuous expansion of the Self-Help Centers while overseeing 35 employees serving more than 80,000 visitors a year.- Supervised all Self-Help Center operations including recruitment and retention of high-performing staff and delivery of efficient, high-quality legal services. - Cultivated stakeholder relationships to enhance the delivery of Self-Help Center services. - Directed programmatic improvements to maximize the efficiency of Self-Help Center operations.

Managing 4 offices and 25 staff around the state providing legal advice to more than 50,000 Marylanders each year.

Managed the opening, operation and statewide expansion of the District Court Self-Help Center (DCSHC) which was awarded the 2012 Maryland Access to Justice Commission’s Outstanding Program of the Year.Supervised staff attorneys, paralegals and law students in assisting over 100,000 self-represented litigants via walk-in, phone and live chat assistance.

Defended clients against eviction and housing subsidy terminations in administrative hearings and court proceedings and successfully litigated on behalf of illegally evicted tenants through injunctive and declaratory actions. Directed office participation in statewide needs assessment including coordinating and conducting interviews with service providers and client focus groups. Served as co-chair of Strategic Planning and Oversight Committee (SPOC) workgroup in statewide strategic planning process.

Defended clients against eviction and affordable housing terminations in administrative and court proceedings.