FBA Maryland Continues to Celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Month by Spotlighting United States District Judge Theodore D. Chuang
Judge Theodore D. Chuang has had a fruitful career in which he has dedicated almost all of it to public service and spent time working in all three branches. Throughout his various roles, he has been deeply committed to upholding the integrity of democratic institutions. Notably, Judge Chuang made history as the first Asian American to serve in the Fourth Circuit and on the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland.
Judge Chuang was born in 1969 to Taiwanese immigrant parents. With an aptitude for academic success, he earned a Bachelor's degree from Harvard University, graduating summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa. He was also an active writer in the Harvard Crimson and received the Endicott Peabody Saltonstall Prize as a top senior. After finishing college, he earned a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School, graduating magna cum laude. In law school, he served as an editor of the Harvard Law Review and was a Finalist in the Ames Moot Court Competition.
Judge Chuang started his legal journey in 1994 as a law clerk for Judge Dorothy Wright Nelson of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Thereafter, from 1995 to 1998, he worked as a trial attorney in the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division. From 1998 to 2004, he became an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of Massachusetts. From 2004 to 2007, he was counsel at Washington D.C.'s Wilmer, Cutler, Pickering, Hale and Dorr LLP. After a brief stint in private practice, he transitioned back into public service, serving as the deputy chief investigative counsel for the House Committee on Energy in Commerce in 2009. He also served as the deputy general counsel of the United States Department of Homeland Security from 2009 to 2014.
Throughout his career, Judge Chuang has dedicated time to support the community, including his own Asian American community. From 2002 to 2003, he was President of the Asian American Lawyers Association of Massachusetts and on the Board of Directors of the Boston Bar Association's Lawyer's Committee for Civil Rights. Since 2005, Judge Chuang has served on the Board of Directors of the Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center (APALRC), including as Chair from 2007 to 2009. APALRC provides legal representation and referral services to low-income, limited English proficient Asian Americans in the DMV area. Judge Chuang has also given his time to law students, in which he spoke at events hosted by the University of Pennsylvania Law School and Cornell Law School's respective Asian Pacific American Law Students Associations.
In 2013, President Barack Obama nominated him to serve as a judge on the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. Judge Chuang sits in Greenbelt, Maryland and continues to serve the community today. He has spent his career tirelessly advocating for people and preserving the rule of law.
FBA Maryland Chapter Celebrates Asian American and Pacific Islander Month by Recognizing Maryland Appellate Court Judge Rosalyn Tang
Rosalyn Tang has emerged as a trailblazer in Maryland's legal landscape, breaking barriers and setting new standards of excellence. Born in Washington, DC, in 1980 to Taiwanese immigrants, Tang's journey is a testament to her dedication, resilience, and commitment to justice.
Tang's academic journey began at the prestigious Holton-Arms School in Bethesda, Maryland, followed by her undergraduate studies at Duke University, where she graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology in 2002. She then pursued her legal education at the Dedman School of Law, Southern Methodist University, earning her Juris Doctor, cum laude, in 2006. Her early career was spent clerking for Judge Eric M. Johnson and Judge S. Michael Pincus at the Montgomery County Circuit Court.
Rosalyn Tang's professional trajectory is characterized by her diverse roles and impactful contributions. She began her legal career as an associate at The Cantalupo Law Group and later joined Miles & Stockbridge, P.C., where she rose to the position of principal. Her practice areas included commercial litigation, family law, and the defense of title insurance companies. Her commitment to pro bono work was recognized with the firm's Pro Bono Advocate Award in 2018.
In 2022, Tang was appointed as a Judge for the Appellate Court of Maryland, making history as the first Asian American and the youngest woman to hold this position. Her appointment by Governor Larry Hogan was a recognition of her outstanding service and dedication to Maryland's legal system.
Rosalyn Tang's contributions have been widely recognized. She was honored as a "40 Under 40" by the Washington Business Journal in 2017 and received the President's Award from the Women's Bar Association of Maryland in 2018. Her exemplary service has also been acknowledged by the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Maryland with an Exemplary Service Award.
Beyond her legal practice, Tang has been a staunch advocate for diversity and mentorship within the legal community. She played a pivotal role in revitalizing the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Maryland (APABA), serving as its president from 2017 to 2018. Tang also served as president of the Women's Bar Association of Maryland an organization committed to the full and equal participation of women in the legal profession and in a just society. Her efforts in promoting diversity were acknowledged with the Andrew L. Sonner Excellence in Diversity Award from the Montgomery County Bar Foundation in 2018.
Tang continues to inspire the next generation of legal professionals by sharing her experiences and offering guidance on overcoming cultural barriers in the legal field. Her keynote address at the University of Maryland’s APALSA event in 2023 emphasized the importance of mentorship and building professional relationships.
FBA Maryland Chapter Continues to Celebrate Women's History Month by Recognizing Sherrilyn Ifill, A Civil Rights Advocate and Icon
Sherrilyn Ifill, born on December 17, 1962, in New York City, New York, is a distinguished American lawyer, scholar, and civil rights advocate and Maryland resident. She is currently the Vernon E. Jordan, Jr., Esq. Endowed Chair in Civil Rights at Howard University School of Law. In 2024, Ifill launched the 14th Amendment Center for Law & Democracy.
Ifill was born to Lester and Myrtle Ifill and is the youngest of ten children. Her family immigrated to the United States from Barbados. Ifill graduated from Hillcrest High School and went on to earn her A.B. in English from Vassar College in 1984, followed by a J.D. from New York University School of Law in 1987.
Ifill began her legal career as a Fellow at the American Civil Liberties Union in New York from 1987 to 1988. She then joined the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (LDF) as an Assistant Counsel, where she litigated significant voting rights cases, including the landmark Houston Lawyers' Association v. Attorney General of Texas in 1991. The case extended Voting Rights Act protections to state judicial elections. In 1993, Ifill transitioned to academia, joining the University of Maryland School of Law faculty, where she taught civil procedure and constitutional law for two decades. She also co-founded one of the first legal clinics in the nation dedicated to eliminating legal barriers for recently released criminal offenders.
In 2013, Ifill returned to the LDF as its seventh President and Director-Counsel, a position she held until 2022. Under her leadership, the LDF increased its visibility and engagement in litigating critical civil rights issues, including voter suppression and racial discrimination in the criminal justice system. Ifill's tenure was marked by her influential voice during national political and civil rights crises, and she became a trusted advisor to civic and community leaders.
Ifill has also been a prolific scholar, publishing numerous academic articles and op-eds in leading newspapers. Her 2007 book, "On the Courthouse Lawn: Confronting the Legacy of Lynching in the 21st Century," is credited with laying the foundation for contemporary conversations about lynching and reconciliation. She is currently working on a new book titled "Is This America?" which addresses race and the current crisis in American democracy.
Ifill's contributions to civil rights and legal scholarship have been widely recognized. She has received numerous honorary degrees and awards, including the Thurgood Marshall Award from the American Bar Association and the Gold Medal from the New York State Bar Association. In 2021, she was named one of TIME Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World and received the Brandeis Medal in 2023.
Ifill is married to Ivo Knobloch, and they have three children. She continues to be a prominent figure in the field of civil rights and a powerful voice contributing her expertise and leadership to various organizations and initiatives during these turbulent times.
FBA Maryland Chapter Celebrates Women's History Month by Spotlighting Margaret Brent, Maryland’s Trailblazing First Female Attorney
Margaret Brent was born circa 1601 in Gloucestershire, England. Brent stands as a pioneering figure in the legal history of the English North American colonies. Her remarkable legal career is a testament to her intelligence, resilience, and determination to assert her rights in a male-dominated society.
Brent's legal career began in Maryland, where she arrived in 1638 with her siblings. She quickly established herself as a formidable legal mind, representing herself and her brothers in court and winning every case she was involved in over an eight-year period. Her legal acumen and ability to navigate the complexities of colonial law made her an indispensable figure in the early legal landscape of Maryland.
In 1647, Brent was appointed as the executrix of Governor Leonard Calvert's estate, a role that underscored her legal expertise and trustworthiness. Calvert, recognizing her capabilities, entrusted her with the responsibility of managing his estate and instructed her to "take all and pay all."[1] This appointment was not only a recognition of her legal skills but also a significant step in her career, as it placed her in a position of considerable authority and responsibility. Brent defended an estimated 124 claims against the estate.
Brent's most notable legal and political action came in 1648 when as a landowner she demanded a voice and vote in the Maryland Assembly. As the attorney-in-fact for Lord Baltimore, Brent argued for her right to participate in the assembly's proceedings. Brent stated in her request to the Maryland General Assembly, "I've come to seek a voice in this assembly. And yet because I am a woman, forsooth I must stand idly by and not even have a voice in the framing of your laws." Her request was denied, but her bold stance highlighted her commitment to asserting her legal rights and challenging the status quo.
Margaret Brent's legal career and her demand for a vote in the Maryland Assembly have cemented her legacy as a pioneering advocate for women's rights. Although she was unsuccessful in gaining the right to vote, her actions laid the groundwork for future generations of women seeking to assert their legal and political rights. Brent is often hailed as one of the earliest examples of feminist activism in colonial America, and her insistence on her legal rights as an unmarried gentlewoman of property was both exceptional and groundbreaking.
Margaret Brent's contributions to the legal history of the American colonies are profound. She is remembered not only as the first woman lawyer in the colonies but also as a trailblazer who challenged societal norms and fought for her rights in a time when women had little legal standing. Her legacy continues to inspire women in the legal profession and serves as a reminder of the importance of perseverance and courage in the face of adversity.
[1] Margaret Brent – Maryland’s First Female Lawyer, Judge Pamela J. White, University of Maryland Law Journal of Race, Religion and Gender, Vol. 7, Issue 1 (2007).
As Black History Month Draws to a Close, FBA Maryland Chapter Recognizes Donald Gaines Murray, the First Black Law Student Admitted to University of Maryland School of Law
Donald Gaines Murray was an influential African American civil rights activist, attorney, and the first African American student to be admitted to the University of Maryland School of Law. His case played a crucial role in the desegregation of higher education in the United States during the 1930s and 1940s.
Murray was born in Baltimore, Maryland, and grew up in a period of rigid racial segregation. He graduated from Frederick Douglass High School in 1929 and in 1934 earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Amherst College. After completing his undergraduate education, Murray sought to further his legal studies by applying to the University of Maryland School of Law, which was a segregated institution at the time. His application was rejected on account of his race. Murray's appeal to the Board of Regents of the University was unsuccessful.
In 1935, after being denied admission, Murray enlisted the help of the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People). Led by Thurgood Marshall and Charles Hamilton Houston, the NAACP filed a lawsuit on his behalf, claiming that Murray was being unfairly denied access to the law school because of his race. The case, Murray v. Pearson, 182 A. 590, 169 Md. 478 (1936), resulted in a landmark decision where the Maryland Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Murray, forcing the University of Maryland Law School to admit him.
Marshall argued the organization's policy of racial segregation was unconstitutional and that "since the State of Maryland had not provided a comparable law school for blacks that Murray should be allowed to attend the white university." Marshall reasoned that
What's at stake here is more than the rights of my client. It's the moral commitment stated in our country's creed.
On an order for the issue of a writ of mandamus, Raymond A. Pearson, president of the university, was required to admit Murray to the University of Maryland Law School. The ruling was appealed to Maryland's highest court, the Court of Appeals, which affirmed the lower courts' rulings on January 15, 1936.
Murray's victory further propelled the fight for educational equality, laying the foundation for subsequent challenges to segregation in education including the landmark Brown v. Board of Education decision in 1954.
Murray enrolled at the University of Maryland School of Law in 1936 and went on to graduate in 1940 with the help of Alpha Phi Alpha, a black fraternity which paid for his tuition and law books. After his graduation, Murray practiced law in Baltimore, where he continued his advocacy for civil rights and improving opportunities for African Americans in education, business, and the legal system.
Donald Gaines Murray's legacy is significant in the history of desegregation as his legal fight against racial exclusion set an important legal precedent for the civil rights movement in the United States.
FBA Maryland Chapter Continues to Celebrate Black History Month by Spotlighting Juanita Jackson Mitchell, the First Black Woman Admitted to Practice Law in Maryland
Juanita Jackson Mitchell was born in Hot Springs, Arkansas, in 1913, though she spent most of her childhood in Baltimore. A graduate of Frederick Douglass High School, Ms. Mitchell attended Morgan State College for two years and ultimately graduated cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Science in education and a Master of Arts in sociology. During those formative years, Ms. Mitchell became highly involved in civil rights work, including working with the youth division of the NAACP, leading voter registration campaigns, and organizing a march on Annapolis.
After the University of Maryland School of Law was ordered to desegregate in Murray v. Pearson, 169 Md. 478 (1936)—but not officially doing so until the 1940s—Ms. Mitchell became the first Black woman to graduate from the school in 1950. Subsequently, she became the first Black woman to practice law in Maryland.
Ms. Mitchell is heralded for her legal career devoted to ending segregation in Maryland, ranging from helping desegregate state parks to successfully arguing for Maryland to integrate its school system after Brown v. Board of Education (making Maryland the first "southern" state to integrate its schools). She primarily continued to work with the NAACP during her legal career, where she became head of the Maryland NAACP. She also received White House appointments from Presidents Kennedy and Johnson and served as Co-Chair of the Mayor of Baltimore's Task Force on Police-Community Relations.
Ms. Mitchell married her husband, civil rights activist and former NAACP Chief Lobbyist Clarence Mitchell, Jr., after whom the Circuit Court for Baltimore City named its courthouse. Perhaps Ms. Mitchell should have received equal honor. Several of their children and grandchildren have continued her legacy through their involvement in Maryland and Baltimore City politics. Ms. Mitchell passed away in Baltimore in 1992. Her far-reaching legacy continues as her original law office in Marble Hill/Upton is being renovated in her honor, fittingly to house the new offices of ROAR, a survivor advocacy organization.
FBA Maryland Chapter Continues to Celebrate Black History Month by Recognizing Everett J. Waring, the First Black Lawyer Admitted in Maryland
Everett J. Waring was born on May 22, 1859, in Springfield, Ohio. Initially a teacher after graduating from high school, Mr. Waring moved to Washington, D.C., in 1882, where he simultaneously worked for the U.S. Department of the Interior and attended Howard University, where he pursued a law degree. He graduated in 1885, initially receiving admission to the D.C. bar. Later that year, Mr. Waring became the first Black lawyer to be admitted to the bar of Baltimore's Supreme Bench, making him the first Black lawyer admitted to practice law in Maryland. The following year, he moved to Baltimore and opened his law practice.
During his time practicing law in Baltimore, Mr. Waring regularly represented clients in anti-discrimination, anti-segregation, and anti-lynching cases. In his first case, Mr. Waring argued before the Baltimore Supreme Bench that a child support statute was unconstitutional, as it provided benefits only to children born of single white women. While the court dismissed the case, Mr. Waring brought substantial public attention to the issue and, just two years later, the codification of Maryland statutes omitted the qualifier "white" from benefit eligibility. Other notable cases Mr. Waring argued include one opposing steamship segregation and one opposing segregation at the University of Maryland law school.
Everett J. Waring, Afro News, https://afro.com/marylands-first-black-lawyers/.
Perhaps Mr. Waring's most famous case was Jones v. United States, 137 U.S. 202 (1890), through which Mr. Waring became the first Black attorney to argue before the United States Supreme Court. Mr. Waring represented Henry Jones, a Black laborer on an American-occupied Caribbean island. Mr. Jones, alongside seventeen other Black laborers, was accused of murdering five white officers for the Quaker Company in a revolt against the company's brutal working conditions. Mr. Waring argued that Maryland's federal court did not have jurisdiction over alleged criminal acts on the island. While the Supreme Court held that the Maryland federal court had jurisdiction, the efforts of Mr. Waring and others brought substantial attention to the plight of Mr. Jones and his fellow laborers. Ultimately, President Benjamin Harrison commuted the sentence of Mr. Jones, describing the significance of the case in his 1891 State of the Union Address: "There appeared on the trial and otherwise came to me such evidences of the bad treatment of the men that in consideration of this and of the fact that the men had no access to any public officer or tribunal for protection or the redress of their wrongs I commuted the death sentences that had been passed by the court upon three of them."
Mr. Waring and his wife, Katie Johnson, had four children. Mr. Waring left Baltimore in 1897, and passed away in Pennsylvania in 1925.
Mr. Waring's legacy lives on through his tireless efforts to champion before the courts those who otherwise had no voice, as well as through those who carry on his legacy, including his great nephew, the Hon. Michael Waring Lee, former Chief Judge of the Orphan's Court for Baltimore City and the first Black Chief Judge in Maryland.
FBA Maryland Chapter Celebrates Black History Month by Spotlighting Retired Maryland Circuit Court Judge Sheila Tillerson Adams
Judge Sheila Tillerson Adams has been a trailblazer for African American women in Prince George's County, achieving several historic milestones. She was the first to serve as deputy county attorney and the first African American woman appointed to the District Court for Prince George's County.
Born on December 16, 1957, in Washington, D.C., Judge Adams was inspired to pursue law after hearing a Black female attorney speak at her school in seventh grade. She earned a B.S. in psychology, cum laude, from Morgan State University in 1979, followed by a J.D. from Howard University School of Law in 1982. She later specialized in taxation, obtaining an LL.M. from Georgetown University Law Center in 1987.
Judge Adams began her legal career at the Legal Aid Bureau (1982–1984), providing free legal services to low-income Maryland residents. She then joined the Prince George's County State's Attorney's Office, prosecuting misdemeanor and felony cases before becoming chief of the Sexual Assault/Child Abuse Unit. In 1988, she made history again as the first African American appointed deputy county attorney, where she oversaw legal matters related to county contracts and public projects. She also served as counsel to the Minority Business Opportunity Commission.
In 1993, Governor William Donald Schaefer appointed her as the first African American woman to serve on the District Court for Prince George's County. Three years later, in 1996, she was elevated to the Seventh Judicial Circuit Court. In 2010, she became the Chief and Administrative Judge of the Circuit Court for Prince George's County and the Seventh Judicial Circuit of Maryland, a role she held until her retirement on December 31, 2022.
Throughout her career, Judge Adams championed community engagement, particularly supporting veterans, individuals reentering society, and at-risk youth. She was also a strong advocate for addressing juvenile crime and promoting fair access to justice.
FBA Maryland Chapter Continues to Celebrate National Veterans and Military Families Month by Recognizing Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown
Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown is a distinguished leader whose career is marked by a profound commitment to public service, shaped significantly by his military background. As a veteran and legal advocate, he brings a unique perspective to his role, blending his experiences in the armed forces with a steadfast dedication to justice for all Marylanders.
Before becoming the first African American to hold the position of Attorney General in Maryland, Anthony Brown began his career in the United States Army. He graduated first in his U.S. Army flight school class at Fort Rucker in Alabama. Anthony Brown then went on to serve in active duty as a helicopter pilot with the 4th Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division in Europe.
Upon returning from active duty, Anthony Brown enrolled in Harvard Law School. After graduating from law school, he continued his career in military service as a legal advocate. Anthony Brown transferred from the Army's Aviation Branch to the Judge Advocate General's Corps to serve as a Judge Advocate General (JAG) in the Army Reserve. Anthony Brown clerked for Chief Judge Eugene Sullivan of the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces for two years. Then, while remaining active in the Army Reserve, he entered private practice before beginning his journey as a public servant in the Maryland legislature.
In 2004, while serving his second term in the House of Delegates, Anthony Brown deployed to Iraq on a 10-month tour with the 353rd Civil Affairs Command to render humanitarian relief to a war-torn country. In recognition of his distinguished service as a part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Anthony Brown earned a Bronze Star – the fourth-highest combat award of the U.S. Armed Forces – a Meritorious Service Medal, an Army Commendation Medal, and an Iraq Campaign Medal. In 2014, Anthony Brown retired from the Army at the rank of Colonel after 30 years of commissioned service.
His experiences in the military not only shaped his leadership skills but instilled a strong sense of duty and unwavering commitment to serve the public. As Attorney General, Anthony Brown has made advocating for veterans and active-duty service members a priority. Recognizing the unique challenges they face, he has launched initiatives focused on veterans’ mental health, housing, and access to legal resources. In addition to his advocacy for veterans, Anthony Brown has been a powerful voice for social justice across Maryland. He has tackled issues including racial and gender equity, consumer rights, environmental protection, gun safety, and mass incarceration.
Leading with integrity and compassion, Anthony Brown remains a steadfast champion for justice in Maryland, embodying the values of service, honor, and equity.
In Celebration of Veterans Day and Military Families Month, the FBA Maryland Chapter Recognizes and Spotlights United States District Judge Richard D. Bennett
Judge Bennett served over 20 years in the U.S. Army Reserve and Maryland National Guard and is a Major in the Retired Reserve. He received the Maryland Commendation Medal for Outstanding Service, the Maryland Distinguished Service Cross for Service Beyond the Call of Duty and the Meritorious Service Medal.
Judge Bennett's journey to the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General's Corps began when he graduated from college in the midst of the Vietnam War with the plan to join the Marine Corp Judge Advocate Division after conclusion of law school. However, there was a cancellation of all graduate school deferments. As a result, he served in the enlisted ranks of the Army Reserve while attending law school.
After attending law school, Judge Bennett became an Assistant U.S. Attorney. His case load as an Assistant U.S. Attorney required him to handle matters for military installations which ultimately prompted his return to military service. Upon completion of coursework at the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General's School in Charlottesville, Virginia, Judge Bennett became a JAG officer in the Maryland National Guard.
Judge Bennett served over 14 years as the Deputy Staff Judge Advocate of the Maryland National Guard. In that capacity, he was involved in the mobilization and deployment of Maryland National Guard Units for Operation Desert Storm during the Persian Gulf War in late 1990 and early 1991. The mobilization and deployment proved to be his most memorable military experience. Judge Bennett recalled that farmers on the Eastern Shore of Maryland mobilized at a transportation company in Salisbury. Doctors and nurses at major Baltimore hospitals returned to duty at a combat support hospital in Baltimore. Additionally, Maryland State Troopers quickly arrived at a military police company headquartered in Towson to prepare for deployment to operate a prisoner of war facility in Kuwait. Reflecting on this time of his career, Judge Bennett recounted that not once did he ever see these valiant citizen-soldiers ever complain or cite personal circumstances which made it inconvenient for them to return to military duty. Judge Bennett was awaiting his own deployment when the war came to a quick conclusion.
Judge Bennett believes that the courage and dedication of his fellow service members and their families inspired him and that his legal training enabled him to essentially become the family lawyer for many of them. Providing legal counsel for the preparation of 700 wills and powers of attorney for these men and women gave Judge Bennett a keen perspective of the sacrifice and impact of military service on many Maryland families.
In Judge Bennett's view "it was an absolute privilege to serve with these men and women" and it reinforced his dedication to a life of service including his time on the bench. Judge Bennett believes that the rich experiences he amassed serving in the military are at the core of his foundation -- not only strengthening him as a lawyer, but making him a more capable judge.
FBA Maryland Chapter Continues to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month Spotlighting Claudia R. Cubas, Assistant Chief Immigration Judge for the Department of Justice, Executive Office for Immigration Review
Claudia R. Cubas was appointed an Assistant Chief Immigration Judge (ACIJ), within the Department of Justice, Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR), in March 2024. Prior to that, from 2022-2024, Judge Cubas served as an immigration judge at the Hyattsville, Maryland Immigration Court.
Judge Cubas—whose parents are from El Salvador—originally hails from Texas, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in 2005 from the University of St. Thomas, in Houston, Texas. In 2008, Judge Cubas earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, where she served as a student attorney in the law school’s immigration clinic. Since then, her legal career has been devoted to the field of immigration law, both as a determined advocate and now as an impartial federal administrative law judge.
Her legal practice and public service work has always been in Maryland and the surrounding DMV region. From 2008 to 2009, she was an attorney in private practice. From 2009 to 2011, she was an Equal Justice Works AmeriCorps Legal Fellow at the Central American Resource Center, in the District of Columbia. From 2013-2022, she held various roles ranging from staff attorney, supervising attorney, program director, to litigation director at the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights (formerly known as the Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights (CAIR) Coalition in the District of Columbia and Maryland). In her current role as ACIJ of EOIR, Judge Cubas oversees Maryland’s two immigration courts in Hyattsville and Baltimore, where she supervises over 20 federal immigration judges who hear and decide cases in each of those courts.
Prior to her public service commitment to EOIR, Judge Cubas was deeply revered as a legal advocate in the immigrants’ rights field amongst legal service providers, pro bono law firm partners, private attorneys, judges, agency leaders, the many attorneys she mentored, and most importantly, her clients and their families.
Known fondly by her closest peers at Amica Center as “EncycloClaudia” for her unmatched acumen of legal precedent, Judge Cubas embodies mastery of the law. As impressive are her leadership skills and exceptional record in advancing justice—from securing coalitions to challenge the most difficult of legal battles, to winning the most complicated cases for pro se individuals facing cognitive disabilities and imminent deportation, to often being the first to break down highly complex legal rules into easy-to-understand step-by-step processes so other attorneys could best represent their clients.
Judge Cubas was recently recognized by the Maryland Hispanic Bar Association (MHBA), at the group’s 31st Annual Gala, where she was awarded the MHBA Leadership Award (Premio Liderazgo)—an award reserved to attorneys with distinct and extraordinary accomplishments, specifically commitment to activities that advance the profession and improve society. Judge Cubas’ nomination included the following notation from incoming MHBA President, the Honorable Llamilet Gutierrez, District Court for Prince George’s County, Maryland: “Claudia Cubas has had a brilliant career as a tireless advocate for immigrant rights. She is a fierce Latina, Maryland lawyer, and an accomplished litigator.”
Similarly, a former colleague of Judge Cubas, Adina Appleabaum of Amica Center, stated “[W]hat always moved me most about Judge Cubas is her rare blend of legal mastery with heart-led service and deep passion for and belief in the rule of law and the fight for justice. The values and conviction I've seen her make decisions and act by over the years are stronger than any other lawyer or judge I've ever met.” Today, Judge Cubas uses her legal skills and experience to ensure due process to immigrants facing removal at Maryland’s two immigration courts.
FBA Maryland Chapter Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month Spotlighting Maryland Supreme Court Justice Angela M. Eaves
On April 12, 2022, Judge Angela M. Eaves was sworn in to serve on the Supreme Court of Maryland in a ceremony officiated by former Governor Lawrence J. Hogan. On accepting the oath of office, Judge Eaves became the first Hispanic to serve on the high court of Maryland. The ceremony capped a trailblazing legal career dedicated to public service in which, along the way, Judge Eaves was routinely breaking new barriers as a “first.”
Judge Eaves was born on April 22, 1959, in the Canal Zone, Panama to a Panamanian mother and African American father. Judge Eaves’ father was a non-commissioned army officer whose military service provided Judge Eaves the opportunity to live in Germany, California, New York, New Jersey and Texas where she began her legal career after receiving her Juris Doctor from the University of Texas Law School in 1986.
Following law school, Judge Eaves worked as an assistant city attorney for Dallas, Texas before relocating to Harford County, Maryland. Judge Eaves was admitted to the Maryland Bar in 1990 and shortly thereafter was hired as a lawyer for the Legal Aid Bureau in Harford County. From 1993 until 2000, Judge Eaves was an assistant attorney general for Harford County where she was tasked with defending correctional officers and state officials in civil suits and took on child-support appeal cases for the Department of Human Resources. From 1995 to 1996, Judge Eaves served on the Harford County Charter Review Commission and from 1995 through 1997 she served as a member of the Human Relations Commission.
In 1995, Judge Eaves, in her role as assistant attorney general, was involved in a precedent making child-support appeal case, Natasha Wills v. Randy W. Jones, 340 Md. 480 (1995). The Wills case addressed child support obligations of imprisoned parents within the context of the child support guidelines governing “voluntary impoverishment.” The Supreme Court of Maryland concluded that a prisoner is only “voluntary impoverished” as a result of incarceration if the crime leading to incarceration was committed with the intention of becoming incarcerated or otherwise impoverished, but impoverishment should not result in termination of a child support obligation. Judge Eaves advocated that “no court can relieve a parent of the obligation to pay. Even if it is reduced to zero, the obligation is still there.”[1] The ruling effectively prevented incarcerated parents from asking courts to outright terminate their child support obligations.
In 1996, Judge Eaves was awarded the Office of Attorney General’s Pro Bono Award for her tireless work advocating for the legal rights of the less fortunate.
On March 27, 2000, Judge Eaves was appointed to serve as an Associate Judge on the District Court of Maryland, District 9, Harford County. This appointment made her the first African American appointed to the bench in Harford County. On December 28, 2007, Judge Eaves was elevated to the Circuit Court for Harford County. She served as an associate judge from December 28, 2007, to January 26, 2015. On January 26, 2015, Judge Eaves became the first woman administrative judge to head the Circuit Court for Harford County. Judge Eaves served in that capacity until March 23, 2022.
In addition to her service on the Supreme Court, Judge Eaves shares her knowledge and experience as a distinguished jurist through her work as an instructor for the Maryland Judicial College and the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges.
[1] Brennan, Catherine, “High Court Rules Prisoners Can Seek Child Support Cut,” The Daily Record, 16 November 1995.