KUDOS to our March Volunteers

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.
• 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.
• 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.