2006 Community Legal Services Award Recipients
New Attorney Pro Bono Award Charles Ashurst, Esquire
Charles (Chuck) Ashurst received his J.D. from the University of District of Columbia and was admitted to the Maryland Bar in June 2002. Chuck was employed with U.S. Government and Postal Service from 1974-2002. His law practice centers on Family Law. Chuck says “Community Legal Services gave me the opportunity to practice law and the necessary mentoring to proceed with assigned cases. “ Chuck has shared office space with several lawyers who taught him how to have a case in Rockville, Baltimore City, La Plata, and Prince Frederick all on the same day, and this year he is learning how to actually bill and collect for services performed.
Law Firm Pro Bono Award Meyers, Rodbell & Rosenbaum, P.A.
Founded in 1975 for the purpose of providing prompt assistance to clients in regard to their most difficult legal problems, the firm has grown and expanded its practice and capabilities so as to better serve clients and the community.
Today, MR&R's experienced attorneys represent a broad spectrum of legal disciplines. This diversity enables the firm to provide a myriad of legal services in a number of emerging areas, as well as most of the traditional areas of civil and criminal law.
The Firm provides countless hours of representation to Community Legal Services clients and mentoring to new attorneys. Firm members serve on the Board of Directors of Community Legal Services, provide legal services directly to the Foundation, and generously allow the use of their conference room for Community Legal Services meetings.
Many members and former members of the firm are Fellows of Community Legal Services and continue to provide support to the Foundation.
Fred Joseph Pro Bono Award Janet Hart, Esquire
Janet Hart has championed the rights of indigent defendants for twenty years as an Assistant Public Defender in Prince George's County. Janet has defended the rights of individuals charged in a wide variety of complex felony cases.
Of the four clients Janet represented who were facing the death penalty, none are on death row. Janet has enhanced the professional development of young attorneys through individual mentoring and continuing legal education programs as a supervisor in the District and Circuit Court. Janet twice was named Public Defender of the Year.
Janet has made a lifetime commitment to equal justice for all through tireless services and outstanding achievement in defending and protecting the rights of the poor.
2006 Community Legal Services Award Recipients Small Firm Pro Bono Award
E. A. Lawson-Jackson & Associates Edith Lawson-Jackson, Esquire
and Jacqueline Ogunye-Raphael, Esquire
Edith Lawson-Jackson, a solo practitioner, began operation of the firm in July 1998, at its present location in Bowie, Maryland. Jacqueline Ogunye-Raphaël joined the firm as an Associate in October 2000. The Office handles cases in several practice areas, such as Domestic Relations, Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice, Contracts and Landlord/Tenant law. The firm’s mission is to provide individualized and exceptional legal services to its clients, regardless of the ability to pay. The firm devotes a sizeable number of hours each year to pro bono and reduced fee cases. Edy Lawson-Jackson is a 1993 graduate of the Howard University School of Law in Washington, DC. She is a 1990 graduate of St. Mary’s College of Maryland, holding a Bachelor of Arts degree in English.
She is admitted to the State Bars of Maryland, Pennsylvania, the District of Columbia, as well as the United States District Court for Maryland and the District of Columbia. Ms. Lawson-Jackson practiced law for five years at the small law office of Pinckney & Sroufe, P.C. before establishing her solo practice in 1998. She practices primarily in the area of Family Law and is a Court appointed Guardian Ad Litem in contested custody cases. Her interest is in providing equal access to justice and thus, the law office takes a considerable amount of pro bono and reduced fee cases, both through Community Legal Services and from various other outside sources. In addition to practicing law, Ms. Lawson-Jackson has an unusual interest in health and fitness and writes a monthly column for the Prince George’s County Law Journal on the topic of health and fitness.
Jacqueline Ogunye-Raphaël is a 2000 graduate of the Howard University School of Law in Washington, DC. Jacqueline is a 1990 graduate from a foreign university, has a nursing background and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in French.
Jacqueline is admitted to the State Bars of Maryland and New Jersey, as well as to the United States District Court in both jurisdictions. Although her work is limited to civil practice, Ms. Ogunye-Raphaël is an avid follower of all things pertaining to forensics and criminal investigations.
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