Sophia Barilone

Sophia Barilone is Deputy Director for Victims' Rights at Maryland Legal Aid, a nonprofit civil law firm in Maryland that provides free representation to indigent clients. In this role, she leads a team handling cases for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and elder abuse, focusing on protective orders, custody, divorce, and child support while emphasizing trauma-informed practices and team well-being. Barilone began her career at Maryland Legal Aid, then spent five years as a public defender in Baltimore City representing clients in misdemeanor and felony cases through jury trials, before returning to train the next generation of litigators. After law school, she lived and worked in Haiti for one year on civic education about land rights and the Constitution. She is actively involved in professional organizations such as the Maryland State Bar Association, the Baltimore County Bar where she's the vice chair the Family Law Committee, member at large for the Alliance of Black Women Lawyers of Maryland, the Haitian grassroots group Komite Ayiti, and the Board of Trustees for the Community College of Baltimore County. Barilone also contributes to community initiatives including church outreach and clinics providing standby guardianships for immigrant families.