Meet Delegate Joseline A. Pena-Melnyk

Member of House of Delegates since January 10, 2007. Member, Health and Government Operations Committee, 2007- (government operations subcommittee, 2007-14; public health & long-term care subcommittee, 2007-14; government operations & long-term care subcommmittee, 2015-; chair, public health & minority health disparities subcommittee, 2015-). Member, Regional Revitalization Work Group, 2013-; Joint Oversight Committee on the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange, 2014-; Public Safety and Policing Work Group, 2015-; Joint Committee on Behavioral Health and Opioid Use Disorders, 2015-. House Chair, Joint Committee on Access to Mental Health Services, 2011-14. Chair, Bi-County Committee, Prince George’s County Delegation, 2013-14 (vice-chair, law enforcement & state-appointed boards committee, 2007-08, member, 2015-; vice-chair, county affairs committee, 2008-10; chair, washington suburban sanitary commission committee, 2011-12). Prince George’s County Co-Chair, Bi-County Delegation, 2011-14. Member, Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland, 2007-; Women Legislators of Maryland, 2007-. Chair, Maryland Latino Legislative Caucus, 2014-.

Member, Task Force on Health Care Access and Reimbursement, 2007-08; Task Force on the Preservation of Heritage Language Skills in Maryland, 2008-09. House Co-Chair, Task Force to Study the Procurement of Health and Social Services by State Agencies, 2009-10; Task Force to Study the Procurement of Health, Education, and Social Services by State Agencies, 2010-12; Governor’s Wellmobile Program Advisory Board, 2011-. Presidential Elector, Maryland, 2012. Member, Virginia L. Jones Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Council, 2013-; Governor’s Commission to Reform Maryland’s Pretrial System, 2014; Maryland Medicaid Advisory Committee, 2015-.

Assistant U.S. Attorney, Office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, U.S. Department of Justice, 1997-99.

Member, City Council, College Park, representing District 4, 2003-06. Former member, Recreation Board, College Park.

Born in Dominican Republic, June 27, 1966. Attended John F. Kennedy High School, Bronx, New York; Buffalo State College, B.A. (criminal justice), 1987; University at Buffalo School of Law, State University of New York, J.D., 1991. Admitted to District of Columbia Bar, 1994; Pennsylvania Bar, 1994. Attorney, Defender Association of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1991-92. Co-Chair, Latino Leadership Council, Maryland Democratic Party, 2010-. Delegate, Democratic Party National Convention, 2012. Eastern Region Board of Directors, Women in Government. Member, North College Park Civic Association; West College Park Civic Association; College Park Rotary Club. Rising Legal Star, Hispanic Bar Association of the District of Columbia, 2007. Municipal Super Star, Maryland Municipal League, 2008 (certificate of appreciation, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011). Maryland’s Top 100 Women, Daily Record, 2015. Married; three children.

Contact Info

Democrat, District 21, Anne Arundel & Prince George’s Counties
House Office Building, Room 425
6 Bladen St., Annapolis, MD 21401

Phone: (410) 841-3502 / (301) 858-3502 / 1-800-492-7122, ext. 3502 (toll free)
Fax: (410) 841-3342 / (301) 858-3342
E-mail: joseline.pena.melnyk@house.state.md.us

Meet The Honorable Cereta A. Lee

The Honorable Cereta A. Lee , a long time resident of Prince George’s County, was elected as the Register of Wills on November 7, 2006, and was re-elected for a third term in June 2014. Mrs. Lee began her term by making history in Prince George’s County by becoming the first African-American to hold the position of Register of Wills.

She earned her Business Administration Degree from Strayer University, and retired after 31 years as a senior Verizon Manager. She also served as the Executive Assistant to Prince George’s County Sheriff Michael Jackson. She was awarded the Trailblazers Award in 2009 by the Democratic Central Committee. In February 2011, she received a Community Service Award by the Kiwanis Club of Mitchellville for her outstanding work in the Prince George’s County Community and in September 2012 she was awarded a Certificate of Outstanding Service by the Shriners of Mecca Temple #10, Washington, DC.

She is known throughout the community for her professionalism, and her genuine sincerity and passion to work as a public servant for the people of Prince George’s County. As Register of Wills, Mrs. Lee’s objective is to reach out to the community to make residents aware of the services offered by the Register of Wills Office.

She is a member of various civic and political organizations such as the Maryland Register of Wills Association, Glenn Dale Citizens Association, Maryland Association of Judges of the Orphans Court, The Kiwanis Club of Mitchellville and Member of the First Baptist Church of Highland Park.

Contact Info

The Office of the Register of Wills
Courthouse – Room D4001
14735 Main Street
Upper Marlboro, MD 20772

Phone: (301) 952-3250 / Toll Free (within Maryland only) (888) 464-4219

Meet Angela Alsobrooks

In 2010, by an overwhelming margin, Angela Alsobrooks was elected to serve as the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney. This is her first elected office and she is the first woman to be elected State’s Attorney in Prince George’s County. She is a life-long county resident.

As State’s Attorney, Ms. Alsobrooks leads a staff of 75 attorneys and 100 professional administrative staff who work tirelessly to prosecute people accused of committing crimes. She plays a key role in public safety and strives to carry out her responsibilities as the county’s top prosecutor in a firm, fair and consistent manner.

After completing her undergraduate degree in public policy at Duke University, and earning her law degree from the University of Maryland, Ms. Alsobrooks was hired to serve as the county’s first full-time Assistant State’s Attorney dedicated to prosecuting domestic violence perpetrators. She tried scores of cases and successfully prosecuted violent offenders. She has extensive District Court and Circuit Court trial experience.

Before she was a prosecutor, she clerked for two highly respected law firms: DLA Piper and DeCaro, Doran. She also clerked for Judge William Quarles (then on the Circuit Court of Maryland, now a Unites States District Court judge) and Judge Donna Hill Staton.

Prior to her election, Ms. Alsobrooks served the county as an education liaison and then as executive director of the Prince George’s County Revenue Authority. That agency is responsible for facilitating economic development, financing capital improvement programs in the county and collecting revenues generated from county-owned parking facilities. The Revenue Authority has 75 employees, an annual budget of $11 million and assets of $28 million.

Ms. Alsobrooks resides in Upper Marlboro with her daughter. She is a member of the First Baptist Church of Glenarden and the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. She is involved in the effort to raise breast cancer awareness in her community.

Contact Info

Angela D. Alsobrooks
State’s Attorney (Democrat)
Office of State’s Attorney
Courthouse, Room 349M
14735 Main St.
Upper Marlboro, MD 20772

Phone:   (301) 952-3500/55
Fax:        (301) 952-3775

Meet Monica Best James

Monica Best-James, Esq, Volunteer Consumer Protection Attorney and Senior Advisory at the Maryland Comptroller’s Office.  Ms. James’ current Professional Licenses are as follows: U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. Court of Appeals – 4th Circuit, Maryland Bar Association, District of Columbia Bar Association, United States District Court of Maryland.

Summary of Employment and Activities:
Currently, Chairman, Public Safety Committee of Bowie at City of Bowie, Md.; Previously, Director of Legislative Affairs at Maryland Comptroller’s Office; Previously employed at the Dept. of Labor Licensing and Regulation as Director of Legislative Services & Regulatory Affairs; Previously employed as Vice President of Government Affairs at Maryland Chamber of Commerce; Previously held the position of Associate General Counsel II at Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission; Formerly employed as Staff Attorney at Legal Aid Bureau, Md. and Staff Attorney at Neighborhood Legal Services Program, Washington, D.C.

Education: Leadership Maryland; Georgetown University Law Center/National Institute of Trial Advocacy Washington, D.C.; The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law Washington, D.C.; Wesleyan College Rocky Mount, N.C.; Camp Lejeune High School, North Carolina; Studied Okinawan Martial Arts (Black Belt) and Philippine Martial Arts. Memberships: Prince George’s County Bar Association (Co-Chair Mock Trial Program); J. Franklyn Bourne Bar Association (Past Treasurer); Maryland State Bar Association (Pro Bono Resource Center Volunteer Attorney and Military Law Section); Member, The Bar Association of the District of Columbia; Omicron Delta Kappa Honor Society.

Contact Info:

Monica Best-James, Esq
Senior Advisor
Maryland Comptroller’s Office, Courthouse
14735 Main Street, Room 083B
Upper Marlboro, MD 20772

Meet Nicole McConlogue

Nicole McConlogue, Esq., Consumer Protection Project Manager at the Pro Bono Resource of Maryland.

Meet Manuel Geraldo

Manuel R. Geraldo, Esq. was appointed to the Prince George’s County Planning Board and The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission in July, 2012.  Mr. Geraldo is an accomplished legal professional and principal in the law firm of Robinson & Geraldo, which he organized in 1979.  His areas of practice include business litigation, contract dispute, workers compensation, and real estate litigation. Mr. Geraldo’s prior professional positions include Director and General Counsel for the District of Columbia Private Industry Council, litigation and legislative Counsel in the Office of the General Counsel for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, membership on the Newark Commission on Human Rights, and Executive Director for the Congress of Portuguese Speaking People.  Mr. Geraldo was appointed by Governor Martin O’Malley to the Board of Airport Zoning Appeals in 2010 and as Chair of the Board in 2012.   He also previously served as a Commissioner on the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, including a term as Chair of the Commission.

A long-time, committed community activist and volunteer, Mr. Geraldo currently serves as a Director on the Board of the Prince George’s County Community Foundation, a Director for the Portuguese American Leadership Council, Director and Vice President of the Pro Bono Resource Center, Board member of the YMCA, and a member of the Maryland Court of Appeals Standing Committee on Pro Bono Service.

Mr. Geraldo earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Seton Hall University in 1972, a Juris Doctorate from Rutgers School of Law in 1977 and a Masters degree in International and Comparative Law from Georgetown University in 1984.

Mr. Geraldo is admitted to the Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, District of Columbia and Virginia Bars.  A resident of Fort Washington, Maryland, he is married and has three children, and is fluent in Portuguese and Spanish.

Contact Info

Meet Edgar Ndjatou

Edgar Ndjatou joined Dhali PLLC in 2013 as Of Counsel.

Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Ndjatou gained significant experience in employment and labor law representing private and federal sector employees in all phases of administrative proceedings and lawsuits involving claims under federal, state, and local employment rights laws including but not limited to employment discrimination, wrongful discharge, adverse personnel actions, and non-payment of wages.

Originally, from Cameroon and raised in New York City, Mr. Ndjatou earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and a minor in Economics, in 2006 from Brandeis University. He received his Juris Doctor in 2009 from American University, Washington College of Law. Mr. Ndjatou is a member of both the Maryland and District of Columbia Bar associations. He is also a member of the bars for the U.S. District Courts of Maryland and the District of Columbia.

Mr. Ndjatou is involved in a number of professional and volunteer engagements. He is a Board member of the Metropolitan Washington Employment Lawyers Association. He is also a member of the National Employment Lawyers Association, Maryland Employment Lawyers Association, American Bar Association, J. Franklyn Bourne Bar Association, and Washington Bar Association. In addition, Mr. Ndjatou serves as a Board Member on the D.C. Advisory Board of the Posse Foundation. In his free time, Mr. Ndjatou volunteers for the D.C. Employment Justice Center and for The Women’s Law Center of Maryland, Inc.’s Employment Law Hotline.

Contact Info

Edgar Ndjatou
Of Counsel
Dhali PLLC

Phone:   (202) 621-7275
Email:    endjatou@ndjatoulaw.com

Meet Jenny Roberts

Meet Reuben Collins

Check out the episode on Medical Malpractice and things to consider when looking for a lawyer, along with some important recent cases, such as the one on the fire fighters failure to respond to emergency.

Chat with  a lawyer interview to Karen Evans Cochran Firm

Check out this episode with Real Estate Attorney Nicole Williams on legal rules for Condo and Homeowners Associations.