Washington DC-Baltimore Area
Experienced paralegal and investigator with a demonstrated history of working in the nonprofit and government sectors. Skilled in legal writing, community organizing, policy analysis, and criminal law.
▪ Review and evaluate applications for representation, often serving as the first point of contact, in writing and person, with clients and potential clients across Maryland’s prisons. ▪ Interview clients, locate and interview witnesses and family members throughout Baltimore, often working collaboratively with an investigative team of attorneys and interns. ▪ Provide transition assistance to exonerated clients reentering society, including helping them obtain government identification, health insurance, and initial employment. ▪ Obtain governmental records through Maryland Public Information Act requests (state FOIA equivalent). ▪ Review various documents, including court documents like trial transcripts, police records, and states’ attorneys’ files and prepare memoranda for attorneys based on review. ▪ Assist attorneys in preparing briefs and other court filings by proofreading, cite checking, drafting facts sections, fact checking, and ensuring compliance with court rules. ▪ Collaborate with the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City’s Conviction Integrity Unit; coordinate monthly meetings, create agenda, and compose minutes. ▪ Supervise and train law students each semester and summers on case work, from initial analysis of merits of claims of innocence through investigation, including advising students on document collection, reviewing students’ written product like investigative interview plans and case-related memoranda; prepping and supervising students during client and witness interviews. ▪ Teach pro bono counsel on how to initiate Maryland Public Information Act requests and coordinate review of available documents. ▪ Upload, organize, and preserve case documents, including through use of Microsoft Suite, Google Drive Suite, and Clio case management system.
▪ Supported multiple federal clients through technical writing, editing, facilitation, oral communication, and analysis. ▪ Facilitated development of business and technical requirements with multiple stakeholders and conducted market research and analysis in the procurement of products related to Information Technology systems. ▪ Implemented company’s quality management system’s processes when editing colleagues’ research and writing projects. ▪ Designed and edited company’s bi-monthly, corporate newsletter.
• Investigated allegations of discrimination and negotiated agreements to settle discrimination complaints in housing, employment, public accommodations and state contracts on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, marital status, disability, age and sexual orientation.
• Support the legal activities of the General Counsel and Assistant General Counsels of the agency. • Convey administrative decisions and legal policies to the agency and legal staff. • Assist and coordinate agency legislative agenda, track and monitor legal requests and assignments; maintain law library.
• Served as a judicial officer presiding over defendants' initial appearance hearings. • Set bail, issued charging documents, summonses and warrants. • Assisted the public by issuing protective orders in domestic violence situations.
• Drafted opinions for seven district court judges in civil and criminal matters. • Researched and drafted memos recommending a particular course of action in response to parties' motions after weighing relevant case law and statutes. • Conducted legal research and drafted memos on complex issues for civil, criminal, and drug court cases.