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OUR STAFF

The region's first nonprofit law firm that charges based on your ability to pay.

Mary.JPG
Mary F. Chicorelli
Founder / Executive Director
mfc@equalaccesslegal.org
 

Practicing law is personal for Mary. Her mother is a refugee and immigrant to the United States, and her grandfather was the victim of financial abuse. Mary has practiced law since 2010 to protect people just like the members of her family. In March 2016, Mary founded Equal Access Legal Services to help people who didn't have access to quality, affordable legal representation.

EDUCATION

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  • Juris Doctor  |  New England Law

  • Master of the Arts  |  Rutgers University

  • Bachelor of the Arts  |  Salisbury University 

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BAR ADMISSIONS

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  • Pennsylvania

  • New Jersey

  • New York

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QUALIFICATIONS

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  • Member of the Philadelphia Bar Association

  • Certified City Planner

  • Board Member for Legacy of Hope

  • Board Member for Diversified Community Services

  • Board Member for Ralph Brooks Park Community Garden

  • Pro Bono Roll of Honor First Judicial District of Pennsylvania (2016 and 2018)

  • 40 Under 40 Rising Star
    City & State Pennsylvania (2016)

  • LinkedIn - Grey Circle
  • Facebook - Grey Circle
  • Twitter - Grey Circle
REQUEST AN INTERVIEW

Since founding Equal Access Legal Services, Mary Chicorelli has been interviewed for local news stories on immigration and housing issues, including:

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  • The Philadelphia Inquirer

  • WHYY

  • The Philadelphia Tribune

  • The Germantown Courier

 

Mary’s work in immigration began during law school, volunteering for the Center for Law and Social Policy and interning for Trial Chambers II at the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal.  She represented Tibetan refugees who applied for asylum in the United States. She continues to do this in her current practice.

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Mary also provides soundly drafted estate documents, resolves tangled title issues and appears in Orphans Court for guardianship claims for low-income residents.

OUR SUPPORT STAFF

Monica Sanchez
Spanish Interpreter

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Monica has been interpreting Spanish/English professionally since 2015 however it has been part of her daily life since 2008. Having genuine passion for the Spanish language and culture, she lives in a Spanish speaking home and has traveled to several Spanish speaking countries including Mexico, El Salvador, and Belize. She is happy to use her skills and passion to serve as a bridge in any situation where the ultimate goal is helping others.

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Lorry Rayme, BSW
Creole Interpreter

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Lorry holds a Bachelor of Social Work degree from Cairn University. Lorry is a naturalized citizen from Haiti who grew up in Langhorne, PA. She has a passion for helping people, especially her fellow Haitian people. In addition to being one of the translators at Equal Access Legal Services, she is a volunteer translator for Education for Orphans where she works alongside the CEO to effectively communication with children at the New Life orphanage in Haiti.

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Valerie Marlowe
Volunteer Researcher

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Valerie Marlowe is an archival researcher specializing in government and public records access and archival document analysis. Valerie is particularly interested in helping clients find records that may otherwise be difficult to locate. Valerie received a Masters degree from Vanderbilt University and is currently pursuing a Doctoral degree at the University of Delaware, where her research focuses on the construction of archives and other forms of cultural heritage management in the post-disaster context. Valerie lives in Philadelphia with her partner and their two dogs, Bella and Jammy.

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