Welcome Aja Pollack

We are thrilled to welcome attorney Aja Pollack to OPD's Decarceration Initiative team. A former public school teacher, Aja furthered her advocacy for individuals from marginalized communities in law school, serving as a student attorney with the Post Conviction and Sentencing Clinic at the University of Maryland and interning at the Prisoner Rights Information System of Maryland and the Federal Public Defender's Office. Following graduating, Aja clerked for the Honorable Jennifer B. Schiffer in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City. Aja's wealth of experience and commitment to service make her a perfect fit to join the Decarceration Initiative team.

The Decarceration Initiative is a project to reduce mass incarceration in Maryland by providing representation to people eligible to file motions to reduce their sentences under the Juvenile Restoration Act (JuvRA). JuvRA authorizes individuals who have served 20 or more years incarceration for a crime committed when they were a child to seek a sentence reduction.  The Decarceration Initiative team provides high-quality multidisciplinary representation and partners with community organizations and pro bono attorneys to extend its reach. With an additional attorney, the Decarceration Initiative team will enhance their capacity to meet the needs of the hundreds of individuals eligible under the law.

We extend our deepest gratitude to Vital Projects for their generous support. Their contribution has been instrumental in allowing us to bring Aja onboard.