Finding Solutions to the Barriers

The following resources pertain to the afternoon session of the virtual conference, Untangling the Obstacles for Equal Justice in Family Law. 

Presenters include Joanna Shapiro, Purple Notebook; Hon. Deborah Eyler (Ret.), The Limited Scope Evaluations; Christopher Lane, Ph.D., Access to Justice and the Brief Focused Assessment: The Non-Judicial Perspective; Richard Abbott, Finding & Getting the Money; and Luanne McKenna, Finding Solutions and a Call to Action. 

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Presentation Materials

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Presenters

Joanna Shapiro, Esquire has been committed to providing resources and guidance to pro se litigants for nearly two decades through her work at the Family Law Self Help Center in Frederick County. She developed the Client Notebook - also known as the Purple Notebook. In addition to her private practice, she has also served as an attorney with the Public Justice Center’s Tenant Advocacy Project, a prosecutor and general counsel for both the private and public sector.

Hon. Deborah Sweet Eyler (Ret.), Senior Judge, Maryland Court of Special Appeals

Associate Judge, Court of Special Appeals, At Large, June 17, 1997 – August 31, 2018. Senior Judge, Court of Special Appeals, September 1, 2018 – present.

Maryland Judicial Conference Committees: Member, Domestic Law Committee/Family Law Committee, 2004-2019; Chair, Custody Subcommittee, 2006–2019; Vice-Chair, Retired and Recalled/Senior Judges Committee, 2010-present; Member, Civil Law and Procedure Committee, 2000-2003. Chair, Maryland Judicial Commission on Pro Bono, 1998-2003.

Born August 11, 1952, New York City, New York. Graduated 1970, Cleveland Heights High School. 1973-74, served in United States Peace Corps, Sierra Leone, West Africa. 1975, B.A., New York University, Washington Square and University College of Arts and Sciences; 1981, J.D. (with honor), University of Maryland School of Law. Member, Order of the Coif (law school honorary society). Recipient, Cunningham Award for Exceptional Service, Class of 1981. Recipient, Myerowitz Moot Court Appellate Advocacy Award, 1980. Member, National Moot Court Team.

Partner, Whiteford, Taylor & Preston, 1990-97 (associate, 1982-89). Member, Maryland Bar; Federal Bar, District of Maryland; Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals Bar; United States Supreme Court Bar. Chair, Trial Courts Nominating Commission, Baltimore County, 1995-1997. Member, Maryland State Bar Association (Board of Governors, 1995-97); Member, Maryland State Bar Association Criminal Pattern Jury Instructions Committee, 2013 - present. Member, Baltimore County Bar Association, Maryland Women’s Bar Association, Maryland Bar Foundation, Wednesday Law Club.

Recipient: Chief Judge Mary Ellen Barbera Judicial Excellence Award, 2019; Maryland Legal Aid Bureau/Equal Justice Council Award for Outstanding Dedication and Service, 2006; Maryland Pro Bono Resource Center, Pro Bono Service Award, 2005; Maryland Bar Foundation, Professional Legal Excellence/Advancement of the Rights of the Disadvantaged Award, 2003; Maryland Pro Bono Service Award, 2000; Maryland Legal Services Corporation Special Recognition Award, 2000.

Publication: Hon. Deborah Sweet Eyler, The Early Female Jewish Members of the Maryland Bar: 1920-1929, 74 Md. L. Rev. 545 (2015).

Christopher Lane, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist, licensed in the Commonwealth of Virginia and in private practice since 1989. He received his Ph.D. in Counseling-Clinical Psychology from the Catholic University of America and completed his internship and residency at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. He has additional training in forensic psychology at the University of Virginia Institute of Law, Psychiatry, and Public Policy.

Prior to private practice, Dr. Lane functioned from 1982 to 1989 as the Court Psychologist within the 31st Judicial District Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court in Prince William County, Virginia, providing in-house consultation to both Juvenile and Circuit Court judges on issues of family functioning and performing evaluations related to child custody and other forensic issues.

Dr. Lane’s private practice specializes in family, custodial, abuse, and criminal forensic evaluations within a more general clinical practice involving intensive individual treatment of children, adolescents, and adults. He often functions as well in the areas of parent coordination, reunification therapy, parenting plan development, and consultation to legal entities, schools, and social service agencies. He has served in an expert witness capacity in Virginia, Maryland, the District of Columbia courts and U.S. District Courts as well as in the context of hearings before the U.S. Department of State.

Dr. Lane has provided professional training on a variety of forensic topics at the AFCC National Conference, to local bar associations, and in judicial training seminars. He is on the Board of Directors of the Maryland chapter of AFCC and is a Diplomate and former member of the Advisory Council of the Professional Academy of Custody Evaluators.

Richard Abbott, Esquire is the Program Director of Juvenile and Family Services for the Maryland Judiciary, Administrative Office of the Courts. He previously served as Deputy Court Administrator, Family Law Administrator and DCM Coordinator for the Circuit Court of Baltimore County from 1995-2018. Before coming to Maryland, Richard was the District Court Administrator for the 56th Judicial District, Carbon County, Pennsylvania, from 1992 to 1995. Richard’s other professional work experiences include the following: Law Clerk for Riley and DeFalice, P.C. in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Legislative Intern and Office Assistant for United States Senator H. John Heinz; and Budget Analyst for the Alexandria Community Mental Health Center in Alexandria, Virginia. Richard obtained his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, a Master of Public Administration, with a Certificate in Personnel and Labor Relations, from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Publi

Luanne P. McKenna, Esquire has been a member of the Maryland Bar since 1995. She has an extensive background in administrative, disability, and family law, including advocacy for limited income utility consumers, students with special educational needs, and victims of interpersonal violence. She is experienced representing individuals who have been subjected to coercive control, domestic violence, child abuse, sexual assault and sexual abuse. She is trained as a mediator, parenting coordinator, best interest attorney, and collaborative practitioner.

After working for state government and non-profits, Luanne opened a solo practice to focus her efforts on working with families in conflict and transition. She has been employed by Child Justice, Inc. since October 2019 as the Deputy Legal Director. In addition to her law degree, Luanne holds a master’s degree in clinical psychological science and a graduate psychology certificate in child and family forensics. She has served on the Board of Directors of the Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence (MNADV), is currently on the Board of the Maryland Chapter of the AFCC, and is a member of MSBA’s Delivery of Legal Services section council.

Please reach out to Luanne with any comments or ideas related to AFCC-MD’s Access to Justice initiatives or the Town Hall pilot project at: luannemckenna@gmail.com or Luanne.McKenna@Child-Justice.org 443-535-5355 (cell)