Overview
Washington Lawyer magazine published an article discussing associate Andrew Magloughlin's pro bono defense on behalf of members of Chaplin Woods Homeowners Association in Washington, DC’s Ward 7. At trial, the Steptoe team proved that the homeowners board levied improper fines on Chaplin Woods residents, sometimes thousands of dollars on individual homeowners, and often for parking in the spaces they owned. They further proved that the board hid the association's books and records from inspection by community members. The jury found that the board breached its fiduciary duties to the community through these acts, making their continued control over Chaplin Woods illegitimate. Steptoe successfully defended the verdict in the DC Court of Appeals earlier this year. The Court ended almost a decade of litigation with a unanimous, per curiam opinion.
In the article, our client Veretta Mells said: "The attorneys at Steptoe were a godsend. I do not believe I have run across attorneys with their type of helpfulness, being there answering all of your questions."
Magloughlin stressed the importance of taking on these types of pro bono matters because it adds credibility to the legal system. He said: "I have this idea that things are supposed to work right, but in a case like this, unless a [hired] lawyer, a government office, or a pro bono lawyer comes and makes the argument that it's time for this abuse to stop, it might never stop."
Read the article at Washington Lawyer.
