James Owens, a man wrongfully convicted of the 1987 murder of a young woman, was sentenced to life in prison without parole and spent 21 years in prison. Owens was exonerated by DNA evidence and released from prison in 2008. He filed a federal lawsuit alleging that Baltimore homicide detectives failed to disclose exculpatory evidence. After we prevailed in the Fourth Circuit, the case settled for $9 million in April 2018, a month before trial. This settlement was the largest ever in Maryland for allegations of police misconduct.

What’s the biggest lesson you learned practicing law?

Get to know our clients and tell their stories. Then get to know the defendant, make the judge and jury care about the threat the defendant poses, and give the judge and jury an opportunity to right a wrong.

Recently, what’s been the most significant change in your practice area and how have you adjusted?