Innovative, strategic thinker who excels at assessing situations, diagnosing problems, and implementing creative solutions to address complex challenges. Highly-motivated and results-oriented professional with an exceptionally strong track record of providing legal and policy advice to facilitate national changes to administrative programs and business operations. Areas of expertise include legal analysis, legislative strategy, policy development, risk analysis, and change management.
Hi, I’m
MICHELLE GARDNER
Attorney
Chesapeake Beach,MD
Summary
Overview
12
years of professional experience
Work History
Administrative Office Of The U.S. Courts, Washington, DC
Attorney Advisor, Court Services Office
2020.05 - Current (4 years & 4 months)
Job overview
- Reviewed and evaluated draft legislation and advise executives, managers, and judges on potential impact on Judiciary’s budget and court operations, and recommend changes consistent with laws, policies, and legislative strategies.
- Developed and implemented internal controls and issued written and oral guidance to manage legal risk for $142 million annual fee account with over 200 stakeholders with obligation authority.
- Interpreted court rulings and statutes to provide legal advice to courts and agency regarding First Amendment, E-Government Act, Federal Records Act, privacy, and collection and proper obligation of user fees.
- Negotiated agreements and contracts on behalf of agency.
- Served as primary staff for working group, including researching legal and policy issues, preparing written materials, editing materials, orally presenting issues, and facilitating discussion to gain consensus and feedback on issues impacting program, budget and operations, including pending legislation and potential policy changes.
- Conducted quantitative and qualitative analysis of user profile data and fee revenue.
- Advised on potential impacts to fee revenue and operations pursuant to fee schedule changes.
- Provided legal and policy advice to courts and public regarding application of fee exemptions for certain classes of individuals and application of E-Government Act requirements to personal privacy concerns.
- Developed legal strategies to protect agency interests and resolve disputes.
- Minimized risk exposure through careful advice on business operations and strategic plans.
- Counseled agency on potential outcomes of legal matters.
- Developed strategies to resolve cases in agency’s best interest.
- Drafted, reviewed and negotiated contracts and other legal documents to support agency needs.
- Analyzed legal documents and identified pertinent issues.
- Researched and wrote contracts, agreements and proposals.
- Interpreted laws, rulings and regulations for court administrators, agency executives, and judges.
- Worked with legislators to assist in drafting federal legislation and enforcement procedures by offering insights as program attorney for federal agency.
- Reviewed and analyzed pertinent laws and legal precedents.
Administrative Office Of The U.S. Courts, Washington, DC
Attorney Advisor, Facilities and Security Office
2015.08 - 2020.05 (4 years & 9 months)
Job overview
- Provided expert legal and policy advice to Judicial Conference Committees on Space and Facilities and Judicial Security, consisting of federal judges.
- Researched and interpreted laws, rulings, and regulations to advise judges, court administrators, and agency executives on administrative laws and federal business processes regarding federal courthouse construction projects and judicial security matters.
- Negotiated and enforced interagency agreements.
- Developed national policies to enhance fiscal stewardship of $1.1 billion account, including incentivizing courts to contain costs by reducing footprint, developing business rules to prioritize funding for court construction projects, and identifying criteria for evaluating new space requirements.
- Advised program staff on environmental and accessibility issues impacting new courthouse construction projects.
- Conducted quantitative and qualitative analysis of national space reduction initiative to evaluate effectiveness of policies, which led Judiciary to exceed its space reduction goal, and conveyed results to Congress.
- Reviewed proposed Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) productions for appropriate redactions.
- Advised judges on home intrusion detection system program, health requirements for courthouse security personnel, and background checks on GSA contract workers.
- Provided legal counsel to judges, courts, administrators, and agency on diverse business and financial matters.
- Interpreted laws, rulings and regulations impacting agency rights and responsibilities regarding federal courthouse construction and tenant improvements.
- Worked with legislators in drafting legislation to ensure over $1 billion in federal courthouse construction funding.
- Identified and recommended changes to existing processes to improve accuracy, efficiency, and quality service.
- Interviewed and selected jurors to verify competency and lack of biases, presenting challenges for cause to dismiss unfit candidates
Administrative Office Of The U.S. Courts, Washington, DC
Paralegal Specialist, Court Services Office
2014.07 - 2015.08 (1 year & 1 month)
Job overview
- Drafted legal memoranda, conducted legal and policy research, and developed policy proposals and made recommendations to judges both orally and in writing, resulting in several national court policies.
- Advised Committee on various legal and policy issues pertaining to court practices, changes to Federal Rules, and case law impacts.
- Developed policy guidance on federal court administration and case management issues impacting 205 courts, such as identifying factors judges should consider when determining whether to grant or deny motions to destroy court-ordered wiretaps, improving pro se litigants’ access to courts, and protecting court documents from illicit use.
- Analyzed national court program policies and operational procedures and made recommendations to improve efficiencies and streamline operations.
- Gathered court data, analyzed significant factors contributing to case management problems, drafted reports to convey operational deficiencies, and recommended solutions within statutory boundaries.
- Evaluated impact of prospective policies and legislation on judiciary, investigated Congressional inquiries, and drafted letters conveying judiciary’s position to Congress.
- Drafted talking points, speeches, and Congressional testimony for judges, court executives and administrators, and agency executives.
- Drafted official correspondence to interested parties, such as American Bar Association, committee chairs, federal agencies, and federal courts.
- Maintained law and administrative library, as well as department files and records.
- Edited and proofread documents to verify accuracy and improve readability.
- Generated reports detailing findings and recommendations.
- Completed research, compiled data, and assisted in timely reporting.
- Supervised and mentored interns.
Administrative Office Of The U.S. Courts, Washington, DC
Co-Op Student, District Court Administration Div.
2012.05 - 2014.06 (2 years & 1 month)
Job overview
- Helped meet changing demands by recommending improvements to business systems and procedures impacting federal court case management.
- Optimized customer experience by delivering superior services and effectively troubleshooting issues for court staff.
- Gathered, organized and input information into database to track efficiencies and effectiveness of operational changes.
- Conducted regular reviews of operations and identified areas for improvement.
- Created and managed project plans, timelines and budgets.
- Interacted with customers by phone, email, or in-person to provide information.
- Developed and updated tracking spreadsheets for process monitoring and reporting.
- Assisted in planning and running special events such as orientations and conferences.
Innocence Project, University Of Baltimore, Baltimore, MD
Student Attorney
2013.08 - 2014.05 (9 months)
Job overview
- Researched post-conviction issues pertaining to newly discovered evidence, ineffective assistance of counsel, and State’s wrongful withholding of Brady materials.
- Reviewed voluminous discovery materials, court transcripts, and trial case files to determine client eligibility for post-conviction relief.
- Interviewed witnesses and conducted factual investigations.
- Drafted post-conviction petitions on variety of issues, including asking court to order DNA testing on biological samples and requesting new trial on basis of newly discovered evidence.
- Drafted legal memoranda analyzing viability of post-conviction claims in achieving relief sought.
- Regularly discussed case progress with supervising attorney.
Reginald W. Bours, III, P.C., Rockville, MD
Law Clerk
2011.05 - 2012.05 (1 year)
Job overview
- Assisted attorney in preparing for hearings and trials on traffic and criminal defense matters, including DUI/DWI, rape, assault, fraud, possession of controlled substance, homicide by motor vehicle, and juvenile delinquency cases.
- Performed legal research and writing on numerous issues, including admissibility of evidence, jurisdictional authority of police officers, post-conviction relief, and Fourth Amendment violations.
- Drafted legal pleadings and created trial notebooks.
- Participated in client conferences and witness interviews.
- Assisted attorney in pre-trial, trial, sentencing, and post-conviction proceedings in district, circuit, and appellate courts, as well as for hearings before administrative law judges in state and federal agencies.
- Retrieved documents from court files and submitted documents for filing in clerk’s office.
Waters, Kraus & Paul, Baltimore, MD
Law Clerk
2012.02 - 2012.04 (2 months)
Job overview
- Conducted legal research and writing on qui tam cases, including investigating Medicare fraud in medical equipment advertising.
- Evaluated and summarized state medical insurance plans to determine whether pharmacy was fraudulently billing insurance companies.
- Reviewed and outlined witness depositions to prepare senior attorneys in toxic tort litigation.
Epilepsy Foundation, Bowie, MD
Summer Legal Intern
2011.06 - 2011.08 (2 months)
Job overview
- Conducted research on all 50 states’ driving laws that affect people with epilepsy in order to update website information and poster that is circulated to neurologists throughout United States.
- Analyzed proposed Michigan Senate bills involving driving laws for people with epilepsy and drafted legal memorandum describing Foundation’s position.
Education
University of Baltimore Baltimore, MD
Juris Doctor from Law
06.2014
University Overview
Summa Cum Laude, GPA: 3.794, Rank: 14/309 (Top 5%)
- Member of Heusler Honor Society
University of Maryland - College Park College Park, MD
Bachelor Of Science from Biology
06.2008
University Overview
Skills
- Complex Problem Solving
- Negotiation
- Policy Development
- Legal Research and Writing
- Strategy Development & Coordination
- Internal Controls
- Consensus Building
- Risk Management
- Document Preparation
- Sound Judgment and Decision-Making
- Legal Compliance
- Microsoft Office
Timeline
Attorney Advisor, Court Services Office
Administrative Office Of The U.S. Courts
2020.05 - Current (4 years & 4 months)
Attorney Advisor, Facilities and Security Office
Administrative Office Of The U.S. Courts
2015.08 - 2020.05 (4 years & 9 months)
Paralegal Specialist, Court Services Office
Administrative Office Of The U.S. Courts
2014.07 - 2015.08 (1 year & 1 month)
Student Attorney
Innocence Project, University Of Baltimore
2013.08 - 2014.05 (9 months)
Co-Op Student, District Court Administration Div.
Administrative Office Of The U.S. Courts
2012.05 - 2014.06 (2 years & 1 month)
Law Clerk
Waters, Kraus & Paul
2012.02 - 2012.04 (2 months)
Summer Legal Intern
Epilepsy Foundation
2011.06 - 2011.08 (2 months)
Law Clerk
Reginald W. Bours, III, P.C.
2011.05 - 2012.05 (1 year)
University of Baltimore
Juris Doctor from Law
University of Maryland - College Park
Bachelor Of Science from Biology
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