Litigation Associate

MAKITA R. WEAVER, ESQ.

**** ******* **. ** **********, DC 20012 202-***-**** ******.******@**-**********.***

PROFILE SUMMARY

Highly motivated, analytical, and detail-oriented attorney licensed in Maryland (#200*********) and the District of Columbia (#503430) with a passion and dedication for client and trial advocacy. Persuasive litigator with 15 years of combined experience advocating for the interests of Veterans, disabled Americans, non-citizens facing removal, and individuals and families needing help with domestic issues.

oProven ability to draft all forms of legal documents, including pleadings, affidavits, discovery, motions, and briefs.

oProven success in negotiating advantageous settlements and securing favorable verdicts and outcomes.

oAdept at reviewing and analyzing voluminous case files; identifying and capitalizing on case strengths and mitigating case challenges; working well under pressure; independently managing large caseloads; and building productive relationships with clients, coworkers, court personnel, and opposing counsel.

CORE COMPETENCIES

Researching and writing appellate briefs for the Appellate Court of Appeals and the DC Court of Appeals, the Board of Immigration Appeals (“BIA”), and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

Removal defense and family law litigation.

Extensive, diverse knowledge of federal administrative law and practice.

Problem-solving and conflict resolution in high-pressure, time sensitive environments.

Outstanding interpersonal skills with positive outlook and attitude and great respect for the humanity and dignity of everyone.

Commitment to ethics and integrity.

LITIGATION EXPERIENCE

IMMIGRATION ATTORNEY

Perform individualized legal assessments to determine eligibility for removal relief to include asylum, cancellation of removal, withholding of removal, SIJS, U Visas, T Visas, VAWA, family-based petitions, waivers, prosecutorial discretion, and appeals. Successfully represented asylum seekers based on political activism, land ownership, religious persecution, membership in the LGBTQ community and ethnic and racial minority groups, torture victims, and victims of domestic and gang violence.

Represent clients in:

oRemoval proceedings before the EOIR to include requesting release on bond; challenging removal in Merits and Individual hearings; identifying and securing corroborating evidence for supplemental filings; prepping clients and witnesses for court appearances; and drafting and filing written pleadings, motions, affidavits, and legal briefs.

oAdministrative appeals before the BIA and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

oInterviews before the asylum office and family-based petitions, adjustment of status, waivers, and naturalization cases before USCIS.

Manage and monitor all facets of client case development independently while performing administrative and day-to-day management of my practice to include creating and maintaining a client management database, spearheading client relations and marketing activities, and recruiting summer interns.

FAMILY LAW ATTORNEY

Represented clients in all areas of family law including divorce, paternity, custody, child support, alimony, debt and asset distribution, and protective and peace order matters.

Represented clients by:

oDrafting and reviewing all pleadings;

oPerforming legal research;

oConducting discovery; and

oParticipating in oral arguments, scheduling and settlement conferences, mediation, hearings, and trials.

Managed support staff while independently maintaining a caseload of 35 clients.

ADMINISTRATIVE LAW ATTORNEY

Rendered legal advice and assistance to:

oSSA Administrative Law Judges (ALJs) who adjudicated appeals on the denial, cessation, and overpayment of SSA disability benefits and remands from the Appeals Council and federal courts; and

oVA ALJs who adjudicated appeals for service connection, earlier effective dates, increased disability ratings, and total disability ratings.

Reviewed voluminous case files to identify and resolve factual, legal, and procedural issues; briefed the presiding ALJ on the allegations, evidence, and legal arguments; and recommended a disposition under strict hearing deadlines.

Performed complex research and in-depth analysis of the United States Code and Code of Federal Regulations; SSA and VA regulations, rulings, and policy statements; precedential federal circuit court decisions; and relevant state laws.

Researched medical diagnoses and procedures, human anatomy and physiology, and pharmacology to accurately interpret the medical evidence of record.

Managed pre- and post-hearing development to procure and proffer evidence necessary for the full and fair disposition of cases.

Consistently drafted decisions that set forth the procedural history, legal issues, claimant/Veteran’s arguments, applicable law, the medical and opinion evidence considered, and the ALJ’s ultimate findings of fact and conclusions of law within each agency’s four- hour (favorable) and eight-hour (unfavorable) productivity benchmarks.

LAW CLERK

Researched and analyzed complex legal issues with no clear precedent for Connecticut Superior Court Judges within the civil, criminal, family, and juvenile divisions.

Drafted and edited official court opinions and rulings, jury instructions, and bench memorandum that defined the issues set forth in complaints, charging documents, pleadings, and briefs; and set forth the applicable law and the rationale for each finding of fact and conclusion of law.

Attended oral arguments, hearings, trials, and settlement conferences to identify and resolve issues determinative to the Judges’ rulings.

CONTRACT ATTORNEY EXPERIENCE

Worked on a project to address New York City’s backlog of parent complaints regarding the appropriateness of the special education services provided to their children with disabilities. Researched state and federal case law to evaluate the appropriateness of the parents’ demands, drafted memoranda seeking fiscal settlement authority, negotiated mutually beneficial settlements with opposing counsel, drafted stipulations of settlement, and appeared at pre-hearing conferences.

Using Relativity, performed relevance reviews of medical records submitted in 10 different complex product liability and personal injury cases (i.e., Roundup, Juul pods, hernia mesh).

Prepared Plaintiff Fact Sheets that provided a clear, sequential summary of the relevant evidence.

WORK HISTORY

MW Litigation - Solo Practitioner May 2024 – present

Tina Sharma Law, LLC - Contract Family Law/Immigration Attorney Nov. 2023 – May 2024

James Crawford Law & Associates, LLC - Family Law/Immigration Associate March 2023 – Nov. 2023

MW Litigation - Solo Practitioner Nov. 2022 – March 2023

Robert Half - Special Education Unit Representative March 2022 – Nov. 2022

Leyruta - Immigration Associate May 2021 – Feb. 2022

Epiq Mass Tort Solutions - Medical Records Review Analyst Feb. 2019 – May 2021

Pierre Law, PLLC - Immigration Associate Apr. 2018 – Jan. 2019

Social Security Administration - Attorney-Advisor July 2010 – Apr. 2018

Department of Veterans Affairs - Attorney-Advisor Aug. 2008 – June 2010

Connecticut Judicial Branch - Law Clerk May 2007 – May 2008

EDUCATION

Juris Doctorate Loyola University New Orleans School of Law – New Orleans, LA May 2005

Graduated in the top 17% with a 3.33 GPA and Moot Court Honors

Bachelor of Arts University Of South Carolina – Columbia, SC Dec. 1995

Graduated with a degree in English, a 3.6 GPA, and membership in the Golden Key National Honor Society

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