Author: JGL Law

JGL Partner Erika Jacobsen White will work at a fundraiser entitled “ELEVATE: A Benefit for ATLAS’ City at Peace,” hosted by Foundation for Creative Cultural Expression on August 5, 2023 from 1-9pm.

City at Peace is a youth development program rooted in social justice for teens and young adults ages 14-24, which provides a safe, collaborative and nurturing space outside of school and other environments where they can examine issues and conditions that divide them. City at Peace uses performing arts as a learning tool to develop skills in dance, theatre, voice and state production, as well as skills in conflict resolution, personal storytelling, empathy, understanding and leadership.

Reversing the district court’s grant of motions to dismiss in five cases in favor of defendant lenders in Real Estate Settlement Procedures (RESPA) and reviving consumer plaintiffs’ claims of fraudulent kickbacks in real estate settlements. Edmonson v. Eagle Nat’l Bank, 922 F.3d 535 (4th Cir. 2019) (PDF)

JGL Senior Counsel, Michal Shinnar, spoke at the 2023 National Employment Lawyers Association Annual Conference panel “25 Years Since Faragher-Ellerth” with Allegra Fishel and Phillip Kitzer, taking an in-depth look at the standards for employer liability for harassment in the 25 years since these seminal Supreme Court cases were decided.

JGL Associate Virginia “Gia” Grimm, has been heavily involved in the recent passage of HB 16, and recently attended the bill signing.

HB 16 requires Maryland public schools to inform students, parents and families about how they can file sexual misconduct complaints, what supports are in place for people who file complaints and who serves as the institutions’ Title IX coordinator.

A Prince George’s County Jury awarded $1.19 Million in a case where a Maryland state trooper pulled over a Prince George’s county police lieutenant for talking on her cell phone, arrested her, and filed false charges against her.

Read more here.

Principal Tim Maloney was quoted in the Washington Post article “Pr. George’s Police Office Acquitted in Alleged Traffic Stop Assault.”

JGL principal Tim Maloney was awarded the James H. Taylor Award at the Prince George’s County Bar Association Annual Meeting on June 13, 2023.

Taylor was the first black circuit court judge in Prince George’s County, and the award in his honor is given for Maloney’s years of dedication and commitment to the law, the courts and the community. The evening event was held at the Newton White Mansion, and included Gavel Passing to Michael H. Adams, Esq. Nearly twenty JGL attorneys attended. 

A Prince George’s County jury this morning awarded $1.19 million in damages in a case where a Maryland state trooper pulled over a Prince George’s county police lieutenant for talking on her cell phone, arrested her, and filed false charges against her.

On May 15, 2019, Trooper Shareef Lewis of the Prince Frederick Barracks of the Maryland State Police pulled over Prince George’s County Police Lt. Alita Gaskill in National Harbor for speaking on her cell phone without using Bluetooth.  Maryland law permits police officers to speak on their cellphones for police matters. Trooper Lewis was off-duty and outside of his regular patrol area in Calvert County.

In a lawsuit filed in the Circuit Court, Lt. Gaskill alleged that Trooper Lewis wrongfully arrested her, used excessive force, and filed false criminal charges against her, including failure to obey a lawful order and resisting arrest.  The charges were later dismissed by the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office.   Lt. Gaskill retired from the County police department in 2020 after 25 years of service.

The jury this morning found Trooper Lewis and the State of Maryland liable for violations of Lt. Gaskill’s state constitutional rights, and it found Trooper Lewis liable for false arrest, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, and gross negligence. The jury awarded Lt. Gaskill $215,000 for compensatory damages and $975,000 in punitive damages, for a total verdict of $1.19 million. The case was tried before Prince George’s County Circuit Court Judge Dwight D. Jackson.

Trooper Lewis and the State of Maryland were represented by the Office of the Maryland Attorney General. Retired Lt. Gaskill was represented by attorneys Timothy F. Maloney and Matthew M. Bryant of the firm of Joseph, Greenwald and Laake, PA in Greenbelt.

“Lt. Gaskill feels vindicated by today’s verdict,” said Maloney.  “This was a trooper out of control and he testified that he would do it again.   During this same time period, in 2019, he also ripped out another driver’s window in a traffic stop in Calvert County in a widely publicized video¹. But just like this case, the State Police took no action. Today’s jury verdict sends a strong message that the Maryland State Police need to get their house in order.”

¹ https://www.fox5dc.com/news/trooper-who-smashed-window-during-recorded-traffic-stop-was-in-compliance-cops-say

JGL partner and high-stakes divorce lawyer Reza Golesorkhi is recognized in the June issue of DC Magazine. You view his profile linked here.

Howard County, Maryland agreed to pay a Salvadoran man to settle his allegation of violation of his constitutional rights and their own policies by handing him over to immigration authorities.

JGL attorneys Tim Maloney and Drew LaFramboise represented the plaintiff. You can read the full article here (PDF).

Timothy Maloney was quoted in the article “Sykesville Working to Reclaim Ownership of 12 Historic Buildings in Warfield Development” featured in the Carroll County Times.

On May 17th, David Bulitt was interviewed on DC News Now during the Living Local DMV segment, covering his new book “The Secrets of Strong Couples.”

Watch it here