JANUARY 2021
Last year presented the country and this community with unprecedented challenges in the justice system, in all of our homes and in the streets. We felt it was important to do what we could for our community.
At the start of the pandemic, it became clear those incarcerated would be disproportionally effected by the pandemic. After the passing of the CARES Act, we began drafting Compassionate Release Motions both for existing CJA clients and new clients. To date, we are five for five on those requests.
In 2020, Emily joined the Board of Directors for The Tender Foundation, a non-profit providing gap assistance to mothers living on the margins in Atlanta. Tender was able to distribute over $80,000.00 of aid in our community last year.
Further, in the wake of the murders of many, including George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Atlanta’s own Rayshard Brooks, our firm along with many other local attorneys represented those arrested at the demonstrations downtown pro bono. This commitment is one we intend to keep should there ever be another need.
Looking forward, we are excited for a new year and a new opportunity to represent our clients and support our community.
MARCH 2020 UPDATE
2020 is off to a rough start. We are practicing social separation which severely limits our ability to keep in close contact with our clients. Nevertheless, we continue to work on existing cases which require intensive review. We are addressing cases ranging from healthcare Anti-Kick Back violations, tax issues, internet based fraud and pornography offenses and gang related activities. Preparation continues in advance of the resumption of grand jury investigations. Emily is quite adept at working with Casepoint and Invendica to mine terabytes of discovery.
Our 2019 year was highlighted with volunteer work as monitors for Reunify, the class action plaintiff concerned with immigration rights. We traveled to an ICE Detention Center for mothers with dependent children in Dilley, Texas and to a Border Patrol Detention Center housing separated minor children in McAllen, Texas. While the experiences were emotionally draining, the assistance was greatly appreciated by the detainees and attorneys.
We hope all are weathering the coronavirus pandemic without incident to themselves, families and community.
AUGUST 2019 UPDATE
Over the past year, the firm has been engaged in a wide range of cases and activities.
Immigration
• We worked with Reunify, the class representative of detained families seeking asylum. We traveled to the ICE facility in Dilley, Texas to interview mothers with dependent children. All families related consistent experiences of harsh conditions and verbal abuse by the Border Patrol agents who initially detained them. The ICE facility was designed to release the families within a short period of time to sponsors. The conditions appeared to be satisfactory in terms of housing, medical and child care. Contrary to representations, the women had difficulties reaching out to their sponsors and family.
• Clients charged with obtaining naturalization through fraud have received sentences of probation, time served and two months. A fourth case was closed before any criminal proceedings. We work closely with immigration attorneys before finalizing any plea.
Public Corruption
• Client initially charged with bribery had charges reduced to a misdemeanor of aiding and abetting the federal supervisor’s undisclosed conflict of interest. Both the straight bribery and stream of benefits theories could not be proven.
Case Management
• Cases present increasingly large volume of discovery. Emily is mastering both Casepoint and Invendica to review, organize and prepare discovery containing millions of documents, thousands of telephone conversations with related line sheets and hundreds of witnesses.
Anti-Trust
• The firm is representing a CEO of a company named in a civil class action suit and subject of a federal investigation.
Computer Fraud
• Clients are charged with being in child pornography chat rooms
• Client is charged with email cloning scam
Health Car Fraud
• We successfully challenged the qualifications of a proffered expert. The government will not be permitted to call a physician to testify about allegations of substandard patient care.
Professional Recognition
• Emily appeared before the United States Supreme Court for an admission ceremony sponsored by NACDL.
• Emily has been added to the Northern District of Georgia CJA panel for appointed cases.
We continue to coordinate our representation with co-counsel on single and multi-defendant cases. We are available for consultations, joint representation and referrals