Appellate Advocacy
Barbara McDowell Appellate Advocacy Project
Established in 2004 with seed money from the DC Bar Foundation, which continues to provide generous support, Legal Aid’s Appellate Project has become a “model of excellence” that the National Legal Aid and Defender Association has urged other legal services programs to emulate. The Project was named for its founding Director, Barbara McDowell, after her untimely death.
The Project not only litigates appeals on behalf of Legal Aid clients but also files “friend of the court” briefs on cases involving matters of importance to people living in poverty. Beyond litigation, the Project provides appellate instruction, consultation, and advice to the larger D.C. legal services community. Although most of the Project’s work involves cases before the District’s highest court – the District of Columbia Court of Appeals – the Project also gets involved in administrative appeals and cases before the District of Columbia Superior Court and the federal courts.
Learn more about Barbara McDowell, the renowned appellate litigator and U.S. Supreme Court advocate who served as the project’s first director and after whom our appellate advocacy project is named.
After Barbara’s untimely death, Legal Aid created the Barbara McDowell Endowment Fund for Appellate Litigation with funds donated both from Barbara’s estate and from the generous donations of her husband, Jerry Hartman. The Fund was created “to honor the immeasurable contributions that Barbara made to Legal Aid and the legal needs of persons living in poverty in the District of Columbia.” Jerry has continued to donate generously in Barbara’s honor to the Fund to sustain the ongoing, important work of The Barbara McDowell Appellate Advocacy Project. Jerry also founded The Barbara McDowell and Gerald S. Hartman Foundation, which supports organizations that undertake systemic litigation on behalf of disadvantaged persons and groups throughout the United States.
The latest Appellate Posts from Legal Aid’s blog, www.MakingJusticeReal.org
Selected Appellate Project Briefs and Opinions, By Year
2020 Legal Aid Appellate Advocacy
Opinion
2019 Legal Aid Appellate Advocacy
Petioner’s Initial Brief
Ravi K. Sobti v. District of Columbia Department of For-Hire Vehicles
Amicus Brief
Theodosia Villatoro-Sorto v. Raul Villatoro-Sorto
Opinion
2018 Legal Aid Appellate Advocacy
Brief
Petioner’s Reply Brief
Oral Arguments
Donna Black v. DC Department of Human Services
Decision
Berhanu Gebremeskel v. DC Taxicab Commission
Petitioner Brief
Brown and McDonald et al v. District of Columbia
Amicus Brief
M.D. v. R.W.
Opinion
Margaret Williams v. James C. Kennedy
Amicus Brief
2017 Legal Aid Appellate Advocacy
Amicus Brief
Cecelia G. Togba v. Community Multi Services, Inc.
Petition for Hearing
Oscar Salazar, et al. v. District of Columbia, et al.
Brief
2016 Legal Aid Appellate Advocacy
Amicus Brief
Bostic v. DC Housing Authority
Petitioner Brief
Brown-Carson v. DC Department of Employment Services
Petitioner’s Brief
Petitioner’s Reply Brief
Rehearing Brief
Christine Burkhardt, et al. v. District of Columbia Rental Housing Commission
Amicus Brief
Tamika Carper v. District of Columbia Housing Authority
Brief of Petitioner
Reply Brief
Lelonie Curry-Mills v. District of Columbia Dept. of Youth and Rehabilitation Services and District of Columbia Office of Employee Appeals
Opening Brief
Reply Brief
Opinion
Epstein v. DC Department of Employment Services
Pertitioner’s Brief
In Re: R.J., Jr.; In Re: J.Q.
Amicus Brief
In Re Melbourne v. Taylor
Amicus Brief
Opinion
Pope-Massey v. Massey
Apellee Brief
Southern Hills LP v. Anderson
Amicus Brief
Opinion
In re Ta.L., et al., __ A.3d __ (D.C. August 22, 2013)
Amicus Brief
en banc opinions
Tinsley v. Blacknall
Appellee Brief
Opinion and Judgment
2015 Legal Aid Appellate Advocacy
Opinion
Campbell-Ewald Company v. Gomez
Amicus Brief
Opinion
DeSelms v. Hahn
Opinion
Mathis v. DC Housing Authority
Opinion
NB v. District of Columbia
Opinion
Nwokwu v. Allied Barton Security Service
Opening Brief
Opinion
Parcel One Phase One Associates LLP v. Museum Square Tenants Association, Inc.
Appellee Brief
Appellee Motion
Judgement
Ross v. District of Columbia Department of Employment Services
Amicus Brief
Opinion
Smith v. Greenway Apartments, LP
Appellant Brief
Reply Brief
Opinion
Smith v. Ventura and Enamorado
Brief of Appellees
Opinion
Tagoe v. DC Dept of Employment Services and Howard Universtiy Hospital
Opinion
Tanner and Wynn v. Caldwell
Motion to Stay
Order Granting Motion to Stay
Appellants’ Brief
Opinion and Judgement
2014 Legal Aid Appellate Advocacy
2013 Legal Aid Appellate Advocacy
Opinion
Brief
718 Associates Trustee, 718 NW Trust v. Bryant Banks, et al., 65 A.3d 59 (D.C. 2013)
Opinion (en banc)
Amicus Brief
Lynch v. Masters Security, 13-AA-517
Brief (2013)
Reply Brief (2013)
Opinion (2013)
Brief (2015)
Reply Brief (2015)
Mitchell v. District of Columbia Rental Housing Commission, No. 12-AA-1896
Amicus
Pajic v. Foote Properties, 72 A.3d 140 (D.C. 2013)
Opinion
Appellant Brief
Appellee Brief
Reply Brief
Verner v. Verner, 12-FM-0817 (D.C. September 27, 2013)
Opinion and Judgment
Appellee Brief
DC Department of Health Care Finance v. Yvonne Settles, 10-AA-1475, 10-AA-1492, 11-AA-633 (April 2, 2013)
Opinion
Respondent Brief
E.C. v. RCM of Washington, Inc., 12-AA-1441
Order
Amici Curiae Brief
Petitioner Brief
Opinion
District of Columbia Amicus Brief
2012 Legal Aid Appellate Advocacy
BAC Home Loans Servicing, LP v. Buggs, 39 A.3d 678 (D.C. 2012)
Opinion
Consumer Action Network v. Danielle V. Lewis, 11-AA-351 (D.C. April 26, 2012)
Memorandum Opinion and Judgment
Consumer Action Network v. T., 49 A.3d 1208 (D.C. 2012)
Opinion
Respondent Brief
Kim Kelly v. Crawford Edgewood Managers, No. 11-CV-210 (D.C. November 14, 2012)
Dismissal
Appellant Brief
Mitchell v. Gales, 671 A.3d 678 (D.C. 2012)
Opinion
Appellate Brief
Appellate Reply
2011 Legal Aid Appellate Advocacy
Amicus Brief
Opinion
Graham v. Lanier Associates.19 A.3d 361 (D.C. 2011)
Amicus Brief
Opinion
Richman Towers Tenant’s Association, Inc., et al. Appellants v. Richman Towers LLC, et al., Appellees,17 A.3d 590 (D.C. 2011)
Opinion
Savage-Bey v. La Petite Academy, 50 A.3d 1055 (D.C. 2012)
Petitioner’s Brief
Opinion
Taj Gilmore v. Atlantic Services Group, 17 A.3d 558 (D.C. 2011)
Opinion
2010 Legal Aid Appellate Advocacy
Brief of the Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia and National Consumer Advocacy Organizations as Amici Curiae in Support of Respondents
Opinion
District Towing v. Johnson
Amicus Brief
Order
Keeton v. Wells Fargo Corp
Amicus Brief
Order
Loney and Tenants of 710 Jefferson Street NW v. DC Rental Housing Commission, 11 A.3d 753 (D.C. 2010)
Appellant Brief
Appellant Reply
Opinion
Decision
Savage-Bey v. La Petite Academy, 50 A.3d 1055 (D.C. 2012)
Petitioner’s Brief
Order
Opinion
Treadwell v. Teffera
Amicus Brief
Order
Mason v. Red Coats/Admiral Security
Petitioner’s Brief
Order
McDowney v. RCM of Washington, Inc.
Petitioner’s Brief
Order
Mitchell v. All Staff Tech/DHS
Motion for Summary Reversal
Reply in Support of Motion for Summary Reversal
Order
2009 Legal Aid Appellate Advocacy
Petioner’s Motion for Summary Reversal
Order (D.C. Dec. 2, 2009)
Edgewood Management Corp. v. Bell
Appellee Brief
Case dismissed by joint stipulation (D.C. Oct. 27, 2009)
Gomez v. Independence Mgmt. Reported at 967 A.2d 1276 (D.C. 2009)
Amicus
Loewinger v. Stokes (DCCA) Not yet reported (July 30, 2009)
Opinion
Brief
Peart v. D.C. Housing Authority Reported at 972 A.2d 810 (D.C. 2009)
Appellant Brief
Appellant Reply
Schliefsteiner v. D.C. DHS
Order (D.C. Feb. 18, 2009) Amicus
2008 Legal Aid Appellate Advocacy
Petitioner Brief
Borger Mgt. v. Nelson-Lee Reported at 959 A.2d 694 (D.C. 2008)
Amicus
Burton v. NTT Consulting, LLC, Not yet reported (D.C. Oct. 9, 2008)
Petitioner Brief
Reply Brief
Chimes D.C. v. Jones
Respondent Brief
Case dismissed by joint stipulation (D.C. June 28, 2008)
Feemster, et al., v. BSA Limited Partnership, Reported at 548 F.3d 1063 (D.C. Cir. 2008)
Appellant Brief
Reply Brief
Gomez v. Consolidated Engineering Services, (Reported at 943 A.2d 1167 (D.C. 2008)
Petitioner Brief
P.F. v. N.C., Not yet reported (D.C. Aug. 7, 2008) (2008 D.C. App. LEXIS 368)
Appellant Brief
Appellant Reply
Squires v. Plummer
MOJ (D.C. July 3, 2008)(Amicus)
Williams v. Paul, Reported at 945 A.2d 607 (D.C. 2008)
Appellate Brief
Appellate Reply
2007 Legal Aid Appellate Advocacy
Order (D.C. Aug. 28, 2007)
1613 Harvard v. D.C. (Amicus)
Order (D.C. March 22, 2007)
K.H. v. R.H., Reported at 935 A.2d 328 (D.C. 2007)
Appellee Brief
King v. Berindoague Reported at 959 A.2d 694 (D.C. 2007)
Appellant Brief
Appellant Reply
2006 Legal Aid Appellate Advocacy
Appellant Brief
Appellant Reply
Appellant Supp.
Coto v. Citibank FSB, Reported at 912 A.2d 562 (D.C. 2006)
Petitioner Brief
Giles v. Crawford Edgewood, Reported at 911 A.2d 1223 (D.C. 2006)
Amicus
Griffith v. Ft. Lincoln Realty (Amicus)
Memorandum Opinion and Judgment
Hilliard v. Addeco (Rehearing)
Order (D.C. Nov. 28, 2006)
Landry v. Cooper-Allen
Appellee Brief
MOJ (D.C. Nov. 6, 2006)
Roy v. McClurkin
Appellee Brief
MOJ (D.C. Dec. 29, 2006)
Scarborough v. Winn Residential, Reported at 890 A.2d 249 (D.C. 2006)
Amicus
Amicus Supp.
Twin Towers v. Capitol Park, Reported at 894 A.2d 1113 (D.C. 2006)
Amicus-Rehearing
W.D. v. C.S.M., Reported at 906 A.2d 317 (D.C. 2006)
Amicus-Rehearing
Wilson v. Modern Mgmt.
Appellant Brief
Appellant Reply
Orders (D.C. Sept. 27, 2006 and Oct. 20, 2006)
2005 Legal Aid Appellate Advocacy
Appellant Brief
Appellant Reply
Opinion
Fields v. Conway, MOJ (D.C. Dec. 8, 2005)
Appellant Brief
Appellant Reply
Nuyen v. Luna, Reported at 884 A.2d 650 (D.C. 2005)
Appellee Brief
Prall v. Alrivy, MOJ (May 31, 2005)
Amicus
Ramey v. D.C. DHS, Order (D.C. Dec. 30, 2005)
Petitioner Brief
Reneau Real Estate v. Doe, MOJ (D.C. May 26, 2005)
Appellee Brief
Robinson v. Robinson, Reported at 886 A.2d 78 (D.C. 2005)
Appellant Brief
Appellant Reply
