Christian

Legal Experience

Plan, build, test, and manage legal document assembly interviews, mobile applications, and legal programming for self-represented litigants. Coordinate technology installations and training with Maryland judiciary staff. Supervise and evaluate intern performance. Train and provide software support to court personnel, contractors, and interpreters. Manage and administer grants awarded to courts and non-profit entities. Document, respond to, and resolve public complaints regarding their court experiences. Research and draft fiscal notes analyzing proposed legislation from the Maryland General Assembly and its effect on the Maryland Judiciary.  Brainstorm and develop innovative technological solutions for self-represented litigants. Represent the Maryland Judiciary before other individuals and organizations in areas related to technology initiatives.

Analyzed complex and confidential communications for responsiveness to client requests using Relativity. Determined attorney/client privilege and common interest with confidential communication. Redacted sensitive and privileged matters.

Wrote and researched briefs for immigration court and USCIS regarding asylum claims. Completed forms and ascertained eligibility for TPS renewal. Prepared case plans and briefs for Special Immigrant Juvenile status clients. Assed clients’ immigration eligibility options including asylum, T-Visa, U-Visa, VAWA, DACA, and SIJS. Verified clients’ eligibility to naturalize as U.S. citizens. Participated in monthly immigration legal clinics for low-income, multicultural clients.

Finalized Adjustment of Status petitions (Forms I-485, I-131, I-765) and supporting evidence for over 50 foreign nationals. Prepared and reviewed over 300 H-1B, L-1B, H-Extension, L-Extension petitions for multinational companies.  Gathered evidence and additional requirements to respond to Requests for Evidence.  Created petition templates and process documents for general and specific use.  Researched issues regarding complex immigration issues such as F-1 OPT extensions.  Troubleshooted hardware and software technological issues.  Acted as a liaison between vendors, customers, and USILaw.

Prepared and filed clients’ required evidence for immigration matters such as H-1B, PERM Labor Certification, J-1 Conrad 30 Waiver, L-1A, L-1B, R-1, TN Extension, asylum request, and a EB-2 National Interest Waiver.  Gathered evidence and responded to requests for evidence.  Researched issues regarding international adoption and issues effecting good moral character.

Represented clients in Master Calendar hearings.  Interviewed clients and witnesses to ascertain asylum and Special Immigrant Juvenile eligibility.  Researched law and develop evidence for asylum hearing.  Prepared multiple filings for court including Motion to Withdraw and Motion to Change Venue.  Petitioned USCIS and CBP for various documents relating to clients.  Viewed immigration court proceedings in preparation for an individual hearing.  Viewed Family Court guardianship hearing in preparation for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status determination.

Conducted research and wrote memos on the third-party doctrine, legislative intransigence, data collection, and constitutional protections.  Compared, contrasted, and proofed documents of up to seventy-five pages in length.

Drafted contract provisions including limitation of liabilities and indemnity clauses between major corporations. Gathered potential infringement evidence between a Japanese corporation and an American corporation. Summarized recent 2nd Amendment developments for a presentation to Japanese attorneys.  Observed Japanese intellectual property court proceedings.

Conducted legal research on various issues in draft opinions and verified sources in the Petitioner and Respondent briefs before the Court of Special Appeals. Drafted bench memoranda on issues such as child custody, ballistics evidence, and warrantless GPS tracking.  Observed oral arguments.  

Interviewed clients regarding asset allocations in divorce proceedings. Drafted motion memoranda and pleadings. Performed research on employment and patent issues. Observed client negotiations, arbitrations, and administrative proceedings. Curated and verified expert witness information. Proofed various legal documents for legal conclusions and readability. Completed and filed patent applications with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Corresponded with, collected, and analyzed information from 40+ class action members.

Awards and Recognition

• 2024 Maryland Bar Foundation Fellow

• 2019 – 2021 Maryland State Bar Association – Leadership Academy Fellow

  • Project: Courthouse Closet collects blazers and belts to provide to litigants for use in court proceedings. Courthouse Closet seeks to increase access to justice and assist low-income and pro se litigants by providing information and resources to address disparities resulting from a lack of access to courtroom attire.

• 2018 Maryland State Bar Association - Young Lawyers Section Alex Fee Pro Bono Service Award

• 2015 University of Baltimore School of Law - Silver Level Pro Bono Service Award

• 2015 University of Virginia / International Committee of the Red Cross - International Humanitarian Workshop

Professional Memberships

Mid-Atlantic Association for Court Management

• 2023 – Present; Secretary, Technology Committee

Maryland State Bar Association

• 2024 – Present; Access to Justice Commission Public Interest Law Committee Member

• 2021 – 2024; Board of Governors, Young Lawyers Section Representative

• 2022 – 2024; Bylaws Committee Member

• 2016 – 2024; Young Lawyers Section Council, Public Service Co-Chair

• 2021 – 2022; Membership & Content Committee Member

• 2016 – 2020; Immigration Section Council Member

Publications

MSBA Leadership Academy Launches Courtroom Closet Program. MSBA Bar Bulletin, Vol. XXXVII, No. 3. Maryland State Bar Association. March 15, 2020. pp. 11 (https://www.mdaccesstojustice.org/news-insights/msba-leadership-academy-fellows-launch-courtroom-closet-program/)

Speaking Engagements

2023 Joint Conference of Clerks of Court, Court Administrative, and Administrative Clerks

• Speaker, Resources for Self-Represented Litigants

 2023 Mid-Atlantic Association for Court Management Annual Meeting

• Speaker, Neufeld Award Winner Presentation – Maryland Justice Passport   

2022, Maryland Court Help Provider’s Conference

• Speaker, E-Filing for the Self-Represented

• Speaker, Technology-Based Resources for the Self-Represented

Education

Additional Experience

Pro Bono experience at CASA de Maryland, Tahirih Justice Center, Kids In Need of Defense (KIND), Maryland Volunteer Legal Service, the Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland, and FreeState Justice. Community volunteer experience at Habitat for Humanity, Operation Welcome Home, Whispering Rise Farm, Our Daily Bread, Polar Bear Plunge, and Jessup Correctional Institution (Storybook Project).