Olender Foundation Awards

Olender Awards

UDC-DCSL Earl Davis
Scholarship Recipients:

Summer Quinn

Ryan High

Benjamin Kull

Shelia Thorpe

Genetta Smith

Cynthia Catlett

(pictured at left with UDC-DCSL Dean Shelley Broderick, Howard University Law School Dean Kurt Schmoke, and Earl Davis Scholarship recipients from Howard University Law School)

Olender Foundation Awards Ceremony

Dean Broderick and Dean Schmoke Each year the Olender Foundation honors outstanding law students: on stage December 7, 2005, at the 20th Annual Olender Foundation Awards, twelve students from the University of the District of Columbia David A. Clarke School of Law and the Howard University Law School received the Foundation's Earl H. Davis Prize. Conceived by Washington malpractice lawyer Jack Olender, President of the Olender Foundation, the prize is given in memory of Earl H. Davis, a trial lawyer who was, according to Olender, "a champion of the underdog and a man of great compassion." The students, who were joined on stage by UDC David A. Clarke Law School Dean Shelley Broderick and Howard Law Dean Kurt Schmoke, were selected because of their excellent academic performance and active concern for social justice. This year's recipients:

Summer Quinn performed in an outstanding manner in the Legislation Clinic working with the office of D.C. Council member Adrian Fenty and the Committee on Human Services. She made a major contribution to legislative proposals for expanding the rights of persons who are evicted and expanding prohibitions on littering.

Ryan High, working in the Community Development Law Clinic, showed substantial initiative, compassionate understanding, legal acumen, and patient resolve in assisting a low- income housing cooperative resolve real estate issues, overcoming bureaucratic obstacles, and obtaining the financing necessary for the redevelopment of affordable and decent housing for its member families.

Benjamin Kull, a Dean's Fellow, represented three tenant organizations facing landlord fraud and outrageous living conditions with extraordinary success in the Housing and Consumer Law Clinic. In other matters, he persuaded the Rental Housing Commission to award the School of Law $5,000 in attorney's fees and proposed legislation to the D. C. Council that would close an eviction loophole.

Shelia Thorpe displayed intellect, insight, professionalism and a solid work ethic well beyond the years of many seasoned lawyers during her time in the Government Accountability Project clinic where she worked on several projects including the extraterritorial reach of the Sarbanes/Oxley Act, burdens of proof required before the Merit Systems Protection Board and evidentiary considerations for a jury trial.

Genetta Smith, a Dean's Fellow, excelled in every aspect of the HIV/AIDS clinic, serving as a pillar of strength for clients in ill health and desperate need. She helped several terminally ill clients finalize custodial arrangements for their children and obtained benefits to help support a child with disabilities.

Cynthia Catlett tackled a number of cases and produced a large quantity of work during her semester in the Juvenile and Special Education Law Clinic, including working with a team to produce a draft federal district court complaint for a case of first impression and litigating at a due process administrative hearing to begin to enforce the special education rights of a student who is currently incarcerated in a federal prison.

The Olender Foundation aims to counter poverty and violence, and promote opportunity and equal justice. It supports local and national organizations serving the public, especially District residents. The Foundation receives its principal funding from Jack H. Olender & Associates, P.C, the pre-eminent Washington medical malpractice law firm.

Mr. Olender has long been a supporter of the School of Law. He serves on the DCSL Foundation Board and Chairs the Dave Clarke Scholarship Campaign, which has raised three quarters of its 2 million dollar goal.

Past UDC-DCSL Olender Awardees

2003-2004: Natalie Brocklebank, Kenniah Canady, Kris Keegan, Arian Noma, Dennis O'Connor and Karen Walker (pictured here with other awardees).	2004-2005: William G. McLain IV, Elizabeth Eckhardt, Caragh Fay, Leah Golshani, Tom Collinson, and Tiffani Johnson.
2002-2003: Sean Riley, Chesseley Robinson, Regina Bias, Shannon Ford, Aaron Price and Stanley Meyers.	2000-2001: Jacquelyn Alpert, Lynette Collins, Don Ervin, Nycole Grissett, Angela Killian and Jim Neher.
2001-2002: Tyrona Dewitt, Janell Forgy, Latarsha Jones, Dimone Long, Heather Rubenstein and Hao Wu.