Kudos to our March Volunteers
We’re proud of and grateful for the dedication of our volunteer lawyers year-round, and this March was no exception! Kudos to the incredible advocates below, who took on challenging and important cases for our clients and helped change many lives for the better.
Our amazing DCVLP volunteers are advocating for justice and making a real impact in the lives of survivors and vulnerable individuals.
Are you interested in getting involved or learning more about our volunteer opportunities?
Supporting Survivors of Domestic Violence
- Andrew Lamotte (Department of Labor) – Provided compassionate guidance to a domestic violence survivor, helping them make an informed decision about their legal options.
- Joseph Miller (Law Office of Joseph Shepherd Miller) – Secured a Civil Protection Order for a survivor through negotiations and later helped another survivor obtain a two-year order, ensuring safety and custody protections.
- Emily Bedoya (Postal Regulatory Commission) – Advocated for a survivor in a tough custody and divorce case, supporting them through negotiations and an in-court settlement conference.
- Whitney Taylor Dunsmore – Took on a case and secured a two-year Civil Protection Order in just a few days!
- Rachel Buff (Hogan Lovells LLP) – Won a two-year Civil Protection Order extension after a long, hard-fought trial.
- Cristina Zambrana (PSA Airlines) – Jumped in and quickly secured a two-year Civil Protection Order for a survivor.
- Gwendolyn Washington (Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP) – Helped a survivor get a Permanent Custody Order and child support.
- Ebe Inegbenebor (Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP) – Secured a two-year Civil Protection Order, giving a survivor the safety and peace of mind they deserve.
- Caitlin Hubbard, Sade Harper, and Kate St. Romain (Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson) – Successfully represented a survivor in a contested trial, resulting in a much-needed protection order.
Advocating for Children
- Maureen Taylor (U.S. Office of Special Counsel) & Susan Schneider (U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission) – Made sure a 16-year-old had a voice in court and secured an outcome in their best interest.
- Sean MacDonald (Hogan Lovells LLP) – Won a permanent custody order, ensuring an 8-year-old stays safe in a loving home.
- Fleming Farrell (Hogan Lovells LLP) – Spent two years fighting for an 8-year-old’s safety, ultimately securing a permanent custody order.
- Rachel May (Eversheds Sutherland LLP) & Lauren Sormani (Biohaven Pharmaceuticals) – Helped a 12-year-old secure a permanent custody order, keeping them in a stable and supportive home.
Fighting for Immigrant Rights
- Mary Penn & Patrick Flaherty (Verizon) – Helped a young asylum seeker gain legal status and a green card for a brighter future.
- Joseph Bower, Paul Lee, Blanca Caceres, & Shehzad Hasan (Steptoe LLP) – Worked tirelessly for 2.5 years to win asylum for their Afghan clients.
- Trillium Chang & Graeme Bush (Zuckerman Spaeder LLP) – Wrapped up complex evidentiary hearings in a challenging asylum case.
- Neer Gupta & Eddy Valverde (Verizon Foundation) – Fought for an abandoned youth’s safety, securing legal status and work authorization.
- Marcus Andrews & Stephen Shannon (Department of Labor) – Filed an urgent request to reunite an asylee client with their child.
Pursuing Justice in the Courtroom
- Justin Hutchings (Hogan Lovells LLP) – Nailed a cross-examination and secured a rare civil relief ruling.
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Melissa Giangrande, Katherine Valde, Blair Decker, & Ashley Johnson (Hogan Lovells LLP) – Successfully defended a custody and child support order in the Court of Appeals.
- Mikaela Meyer & Deon McCray (Wilkinson Stekloff) – Beat back a retaliatory case filed by a survivor’s abuser, getting it dismissed.
- Justin Hutchings & Amanda Allen (Hogan Lovells LLP) – Kept their cool during a tough, high-stakes trial full of surprises.
Going Above & Beyond
- DH Nam, Blair Decker, Lucia Cadavid Arango, & Liam Phibbs (Hogan Lovells LLP) – Negotiated a fantastic settlement in a divorce and custody case, securing safety and stability for a survivor.
- Sherry Rhodes – Provided outstanding support to a Spanish-speaking client, ensuring they felt prepared and confident in court.
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Liz Symonds (U.S. Federal Government) and Nancy Lopez (Washington Council of Lawyers) – Took on their first Maryland Protective Order case with incredible dedication, earning the deep trust of their young client.