MURIEL BOWSER
MAYOR
May
2, 2024
The Honorable Phil Mendelson
Chairman
Council of the D istrict of Columbia
John A. Wilson
Building
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 504
Washington, DC 20004
Dear Ch
airman M endelson:
In accordance
with section 2 of the Confirmation Act of 1978, effective March 3, 1979 (D.C. Law 2-
142;
D.C. Official Code § 1-523.01), and pursuant to section 204 of the Clemency Board Establishment
Act
of 2018, effective December 13, 2018 (D.C. Law 22-197, D.C. Official Code § 24-481.04), I am
pleased to nominate the following individual:
Mr. Mark Rollins
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Place, NE
Washington, DC 20019
(Ward 7)
f
or appointment as a member, who is a member of the District of Columbia Bar in good standing with
experience in criminal law, of the Clemency Board, filling a vacant seat formerly held by Andrew Fois,
for the remainder of an unexpired term to end February 10, 2027.
Enclosed, you will find biographical information detailing the experience of the above-m entioned
nominee, together with a proposed resolution to assist the Council during the confirmation process.
I would appreciate the Council’s earliest consideration of this nomination for confirmation. Please
do not hesitate to contact me, or Steven Walker, Director, Mayor’s Office of Talent and
Appointments, should the Council require additional information.
Sincerely,
Muriel B owser
Mayor 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
~
at the request of the Mayor
A PROPOSED RESOLUTION
10 IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
11
12
13
14
15 To confirm the appointment of Mark Rollins to the Clemency Board.
16
17 RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, that this
18 resolution may be cited as the "Clemency Board Mark Rollins Confirmation Resolution of
19 2024".
20 Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia confirms the appointment of:
21
22 Mr. Mark Rollins
23 Franklin Delano Roosevelt Place, NE
24 Washington,
DC 20019
25 (Ward 7)
26
27
as a member, who is a member of the District of Columbia Bar in good standing with experience
28 in criminal law, of the Clemency Board, established by section 203 of the Clemency Board
29 Establishment Act of 2018, effective December 13, 2018 (D.C. Law 22-197, D.C. Official Code
30 § 24-481.03), filling a vacant seat formerly held by Andrew Fois, for the remainder of an
31 unexpired term to end February 10, 2027.
32 Sec. 3. The Council of the District of Columbia shall transmit a copy of this resolution,
33 upon its adoption, to the nominee and to the Office of the Mayor.
34 Sec.
4. This resolution shall take effect immediately. MarkRollins
AttorneyAtLaw
SUMMARY
Criminallawyerwithover1,000criminalbenchtrialsand75criminaljurytrialsinDC
SuperiorCourtsince1997.Winningcriminalcasesthroughcreativesolutions.Bringingafierce
defenseforpeopleaccusedofcommittingcrimesintheDistrictofColumbia.Hasdevelopedstrong
relationshipswithprosecutingattorneysandcourtstafftosecurefavorabledispositionstocases.
Research-sawyandhasanexcellentpublicspeakingability
‘WORKEXPERIENCE
1997PartneratRollinsandChanLawFirm
PresentROLLINSANDCHANLAWFIRM
{ApracticededicatedtocriminaldefenseinWashington,DC.Criminaldefense
practiceincludestigationinjuryandbenchtrials,conductingpretrialhearings,
‘sentencingproceedings,parolerevocationhearings,writingandarguingmotions:
suchasmotionstosuppressphysicalevidenceanddefendant'sstatements,motions
todismiss,motionsforgovernmentsanctions,doublejeopardymotions,motionsto
compeldiscovery,andmotionsinimine.Workcloselywithinvestigatorsand
expertsasneededtodeveloptrialstrategiesanddefenses.Intheabsenceoftrials,
alsonegotiateforfavorablediversionandpleaagreementsonbehalfofclients.
providerepresentationinposttrialmatterssuchasprobationreviewhearingsand
probationshowcausehearings.|havealsoprovidedrepresentationtoindividuals
subpoenaedbeforethegrandjury.TriedcasesinfrontofalmosteveryudeinDC
‘SuperiorCourt,Alsomanagedanddevelopedpracticestandards,websites,forms
{andinformationforothercriminalattorneys,Writtenover300articles/blogsin
Cfiminallawatwow.rollinsandchan.com,
1995-1996CovingtonandBurlingWestwoodFellowforNeighborhoodLegalServices
Covington&BurlingLLPWestwoodFellowship
Providedcivillegalservicestoindigentclientsintheareaofhousinglaw,familylaw,
andsocialsecuritylaw.Usingavarietyofadvocacytools,includingbutnotlimitedto:
‘egotiation,representationinadministrativehearingsandlitigation,community
education,mediaadvocacyandworkingincollaborationwithcommunity-based
partners.
SPEAKINGENGAGEMENTS INCRIMINALLAW
‘©2018Practice360AdayforLawyersandLawfirms(TheCriminalLawyerandTechnology)
©2017DistrictofColumbiaBarLunch&LearnPresentations(CriminalDefenseintheDistrictof
Columbia.
©2016DCPracticeManagementAdvisoryService(ADayintheLifeofaCriminalDefenseLawyer:
TheInsideScooponRunningaCriminalLawPracticeinD.Q)
‘©2015Practice360°|ADayforLawyersandLawFirms(StartingacriminalpracticeinDCLawyerin
theDistrictofColumbia
EDUCATION
1992-1995JurisDoctorate
DavidClarkeSchoolofLaw(formlyDistrictofColumbiaSchoolOfLaw)
LawReview,DistrictofColumbiaSchoolofLaw(Fall1993-1994)VicePresidentof.
BlackLawStudentsAssociation,OCSLChapter(Fall1993/94)StudentMemberofThe
‘AmericanBarAssociation(Fall1992);StudentTutor1993-1995;SummerInternat
UnitedStatesAttorney'sOffice
1988-1992BachelorofArts,PoliticalScience
WestVirginiaStateUniversity
iSigmaAlphaHonorSociety(Spring1991);PresidentofAiphaZetachapterof
‘AlphaPhiAlphaFraternity,WVSCChapter(1991);PresidentofPan-HellenicCouncil,
WVSCChapter(1992);Writer,TheYellowJacketNews(Fall1989-1991);Honda/BETAll
‘AcademicBow!participantforWVSC1992;ChiefHearingExaminerofStudentCourt
a
|
i
=
a
DD |
MEMBERSHIPSAND
ACHIEVEMENTS
‘SteeringMember,(Treasurerand
PracticeManualCoordinator)D.C.
BarCriminalLawandindividual
RightsCommunity
AWVOrating9.7superb.
MemberOCBar
MemberMarylandBar
MemberUSDistrictCourt-DC
MemberUSDistrictCourt-MD
MemberofCriminalJusticeAct
PanelinOCSuperiorCourt
‘©BoardMember,CapitalGuardian
YouthChallengeAcademy
‘©Mentor,JudgeRigsbyLawCamp
©MemberofAlphaPhiAlpha
Fraternity,Inc Executive Office of the Mayor – Mayor’s Office of Talent and Appointments
John A. Wilson Building | 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 600 | Washington, DC 20004
Mark Rollins
Mr. Mark Rollins is a private practice criminal defense attorney and partner
at Rollins and Chan Law Firm. He is a member in good standing of the
District of Columbia Bar Association and the Maryland State Bar
Association.
Mr. Rollins’ legal career has focused on social justice, civil rights, and
human rights. A member of the Criminal Justice Act Panel, he has tried over
1,000 bench trials and 75 jury trials in DC Superior Court. He is also a
mentor for the Judge Rigsby Law Camp, a youth development program
serving more than 50 students from DC schools.
A Ward 7 resident, Mr. Rollins earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from West Virginia
State University and his Juris Doctor from the University of the District of Columbia. GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Executive Office of Mayor Muriel Bowser
Office of the General Counsel to the Mayor
______________________________________________________________________________
The John A. Wilson Building • 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW • Suite 300 • Washington, D.C. 20004 • Office (202) 724-7681
To: Tomás Talamante, Steve Walker
From: Betsy Cavendish
Date: April 15, 2024
Subject: Legal sufficiency r eview of resolutions nominating Mark Rollins and Dr. Amber
Thornton to the Clemency Board
This is to Certify that this office has reviewed the above- referenced resolutions and
found them to be legally unobjectionable. If you have any questions in this regard, please do not
hesitate to call Michael Porcello, Deputy General Counsel, Executive Office of the Mayor, at
202-724-0872, or me at 202-724-7681.
______________________________
Elizabeth Cavendish