The General Assembly of Maryland finds and declares that:

      (a)      There is a need to provide equal access to the system of justice for individuals who seek redress of grievances;

      (b)      Reduction of federal funds has diminished the legal services provided by the existing statewide legal services programs: the Legal Aid Bureau, Inc.; the Maryland Advocacy Unit for the Developmentally Disabled, Inc.; and the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service, Inc.;

      (c)      There is a need to continue and expand legal assistance to those who would otherwise be unable to afford adequate legal counsel;

      (d)      The availability of legal services reaffirms faith in our government of laws;

      (e)      The funding of legal assistance programs for those who are unable to afford legal counsel will serve the ends of justice and the general welfare of all Maryland citizens; and

      (f)      Attorneys providing legal assistance must have full freedom to protect the best interests of their clients in keeping with the Code of Professional Conduct and the high standards of the legal profession.