Areas of Experience

Medical malpractice, personal injury, premises liability, products liability, construction, contracts, defamation, insurance coverage, local government, professional liability, real property, and family law including child/spousal support, custody/visitation, and equitable distribution.

Professional Experience

• Chief Judge, Superior Court of the District of Columbia, 2020-2024; Associate Judge, 1997-2020.
• Presiding Judge, Family Court, Superior Court of the District of Columbia, 2006-2008; Deputy Presiding Judge, 2001-2006.
• Deputy Director, Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia, 1994-1997; Attorney, 1988-1994.

Affiliations

• Former Member, Board of Trustees, National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges; Former Chair, Governance Committee; Former Chair, Diversity in the Profession Committee; Former Member, Child Welfare and Juvenile Law Advisory Committee.
• Former Regional Chair, 4^th District, National Association of Women Judges.
• Former Chair and Founding Judicial Council Member, Judicial Council Division, Washington Bar Association.
• Recipient, Woman Lawyer of the Year, Women’s Bar Association of the District of Columbia, 2022.
• Recipient, Star of the Bar, Women’s Bar Association of the District of Columbia, 2021.
• Recipient, Washington’s Most Powerful Women Award, Washingtonian, 2021.
• Recipient, Ollie Mae Cooper Award, Washington Bar Association, 2018.
• Recipient, Legacy Award for Law, Washington, D.C. Hall of Fame, 2018.

Education

• Georgetown University Law Center, J.D.
• Virginia Commonwealth University, B.A.