District Of Columbia 2023-2024 Regular Session

District Of Columbia Council Bill PR25-1036 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	ENROLLED ORIGINAL
	1	+	MURIEL BOWSER
	2	+	MAYOR
	3	+	Octo
	4	+	ber 22, 2024
	5	+	The Honorable Phil Mendelson
	6	+	Chairman
	7	+	Council of the D istrict of Colu
	8	+	mbia
	9	+	John A. Wilson
	10	+	Building
	11	+	1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 504
	12	+	Washington, DC 20004
	13	+	Dear Chairman Mende lson:
	14	+	In accordance with section 2 of the Confirmation Act of 1978, effective March 3, 1979 (D.C. Law 2-
	15	+	142; D.C. Official Code § 1-523.01), and pursuant to section 204 of the Clemency Board Establishment
	16	+	Act
	17	+	of 2018, effective December 13, 2018 (D.C. Law 22-197, D.C. Official Code § 24-481.04), I am
	18	+	pleased to nominate the following individual:
	19	+	Ms. Phylisa Carter
	20	+	Tubman Road, SE
	21	+	Washington,
	22	+	DC 20020
	23	+	(Ward 8)
	24	+	for reappointment as the District reside nt community membe r of the Clemency Board of the District
	25	+	of Columbia, for
	26	+	a term to end February 10, 2029.
	27	+	Enclosed, you will find biographical information detailing the experience of the above-mentioned
	28	+	nominee, together with a proposed resolution to assist the Council during the confirmation process.
	29	+	I would appreciate the Council’s earliest consideration of this nomination for confirmation. Please
	30	+	do not hesitate to contact me, or Steven Walker, Director, Mayor’s Office of Talent and
	31	+	Appointments, should the Council require additional information.
	32	+	Sincerely,
	33	+	Muriel Bowser
	34	+	Mayor ~ ~~=-n
	35	+	3 at the request of the Mayor
	36	+	4
	37	+	5
	38	+	6 A PROPOSED RESOLUTION
	39	+	7
	40	+	8
	41	+	9
	42	+	10 IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
	43	+	11
	44	+	12
	45	+	13
	46	+	14
	47	+	15 To confirm the reappointment of Phylisa Carter to the Clemency Board.
	48	+	16
	49	+	17 RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, that this
	50	+	18 resolution may be cited as the "Clemency Board Phylisa Carter Confirmation Resolution of
	51	+	19 2024".
	52	+	20 Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia confirms the reappointment of:
	53	+	21
	54	+	22 Phylisa Carter
	55	+	23 Tubman Road, SE
	56	+	24 Washington, DC 20020
	57	+	25 (Ward 8)
	58	+	26
	59	+	27
	60	+	as the District resident community member of the Clemency Board, established by section 203 of
	61	+	28 the Clemency Board Establishment Act of 2018, effective December 13, 2018 (D.C. Law 22-
	62	+	29 197, D.
	63	+	C. Official Code§ 24-481.03), for a term to end February 10, 2029.
	64	+	30 Sec. 3. The Council of the District of Columbia shall transmit a copy of this resolution,
	65	+	31 upon its adoption, to the nominee and to the Office of the Mayor.
	66	+	32 Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately. PHYLISA CARTER
	67	+
	68	+	Page 1 of 4
	69	+	SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS
	70	+	•Lawyering Experience- Over 15 years of extensive experience interviewing and counseling clients,
	71	+	conducting legal research , and writing experience; submitting pleadings to the District Superior Court
	72	+	and administrative agencies; analyzing federal and local laws and regulations regarding housing and
	73	+	public benefits as an advocate on behalf of low-income clients.
	74	+	•Strategic Problem Solver- Organized 87 individual tenants with rent strike which resulted in a unique
	75	+	settlement agreement between a tenant association representing a 672- unit apartment building, the
	76	+	building owners, and the DC Office of Attorney General that provided residents with $5 million dollars
	77	+	in systemic repairs and several hundred thousand dollars in rent abatements.
	78	+	•Advocacy- Served as a faculty member at the Shiver Center on Poverty Law’s Community Lawyering
	79	+	training which provides legal services attorneys with legal and non-legal advocacy tools to enhance low-
	80	+	income communities’ ability to obtain social justice. Also, as a community lawyer led a working group
	81	+	of legal service providers that met monthly to identify community challenges, developed solutions, and
	82	+	coordinated our neighborhood outreach strategy.
	83	+	EXPERIENCE
	84	+	Social Security Administration, Washington, DC September 2023- Present
	85	+	Attorney Advisor
	86	+	At the Social Security Administration, DC Hearing Office, Attorney Advisors are required to a nalyze,
	87	+	research and develop cases, formulate comprehensive decisions, and act on requests for hearings held under
	88	+	Titles II, XI, XVI and XVIII of the Social Security Act, as amended. An Attorney Advisor renders advice
	89	+	and assistance t o several Administrative Law Judges (ALJs) render ing advice and assistance during post -
	90	+	hearing development and other post-hearing actions. Responsibilities include:
	91	+	•Drafting decisions for ALJs in sensitive and/or legally complex cases involving significant
	92	+	policy issues and questions regarding the application of Federal Circuit Court opinions or
	93	+	Acquiescence Rulings in particular cases;
	94	+	•Performing research and identifying unusual issues typically related to matters of State law;
	95	+	thoroughly reviews class action cases and cases remanded by the Courts and the Appeals
	96	+	Council;
	97	+	•Drafting interrogatories to medical and vocational experts;
	98	+	•Reviewing and evaluating highly complex disability cases which require reevaluation to comply
	99	+	with Agency interpretation of U.S. Supreme Court Decisions;
	100	+	•Responsible for formulating legally defensible decisions which address all medical and legal
	101	+	aspects of even the most difficult cases; and
	102	+	•Provides information to the claimant and/or their representative concerning applicable laws,
	103	+	procedures and requirements. PHYLISA CARTER
	104	+	202.577.6651 ♦ phylisac@gmail.com
	105	+	Page 2 of 4
2	106
3	107
	108	+	EXPERIENCE (continued)
	109	+	U.S. Small Business Administration, Washington, DC December 2022- May 2023
4	110
5		-	1
6	111
7		-	~~A RESOLUTION~~
	112	+	Attorney Advisor
8	113
9		-	25-760
	114	+	Responsible for managing portfolio to assist borrowers approved for SBA disaster assistance loan s.
	115	+	• Conducted research and provided interpretation of the disaster loan program's laws, regulations,
	116	+	policies, and standard operating procedures to provide guidance and support to borrowers.
	117	+	• Ensured loan applications complied with legal requirements, eligibility, and validity of
	118	+	collateral property.
	119	+	• Addressed borrowers’ inquiries and concerns regarding legal issues and loan closing
	120	+	requirements and provide d explanations for loan terms and conditions and collateral
	121	+	requirements.
10	122
11		-	~~IN THE COUNCIL OF THE~~ DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
	123	+	District of Columbia Public Schools, Washington, DC Aug ust 2022 - Sep tember 2022
12	124
13		-	December 17, 2024
14		-	To confirm the re appointment of Ms. Phylisa Carter to the Clemency Board.
15		-	RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
16		-	resolution may be cited as the “Clemency Board Phylisa Carter Confirmation Resolution of
17		-	2024”.
18		-	Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia confirms the re appointment of:
	125	+	Case Investigator
19	126
20		-	Ms. Phylisa Carter
21		-	Tubman Road, SE
22		-	Washington, DC 20020
23		-	(Ward 8 )
	127	+	Responsible for investigating civil rights grievances related to students matters involving Title IX of
	128	+	the Education Amendments Act, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, Title II of the Americans with
	129	+	Disabilities Act, and District of C olumbia Human Rights Act .
24	130
25		-	as the District resident community member of the Clemency Board , established by section 203 of
26		-	the Clemency Board Establishment Act of 2018, effective December 13, 2018 (D.C. Law 22- 197, D.C. Official Code § 24- 481.03), for a term to end February 10, 2029.
27		-	Sec. 3. The Council shall transmit a copy of this resolution, upon its adoption, to the
28		-	nominee and to the Office of the Mayor.
29		-	Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately.
	131	+	• Researched, identified, and reviewed applicable policy and regulations.
	132	+	• Interviewed relevant parties related to grievance matters filed with DCPS.
	133	+	• Provided fact-finding analysis, relevancy, and credibility assessment.
	134	+	• Wrote investigative reports using sound analysis.
	135	+	• Collaborated with team members .
	136	+
	137	+	DC Corrections Information Council, Washington, DC November 2015 – October 2018
	138	+	Appointed by the Mayor and District of Columbia city council under the mandate to inspect, monitor
	139	+	and report on confinement conditions at the Bureau of Prisons, Department of Corrections, and private
	140	+	facilities where D.C. residents are incarcerated
	141	+	.
	142	+	Board Member
	143	+	• Interviewed corrections’ staff and inmates about prison conditions at several prisons.
	144	+	Contributed my observations and notes to CIC's reports that were submitted to government
	145	+	officials that influenced local public policy decisions.
	146	+	• Facilitated a community "think tank” meeting with stakeholders to outline ways to re- imagine a
	147	+	D.C. prison and the programming resources available to inmates in that facility.
	148	+
	149	+
	150	+	PHYLISA CARTER
	151	+	202.577.6651 ♦ phy lisac@gmail.com
	152	+	Page 3 of 4
	153	+	EXPERIENCE (continued)
	154	+	Bread for the City, Washington, DC July 2007 - June 2014
	155	+	Senior Staff At
	156	+	torney
	157	+	•Managed the Community Lawyering Project which provided legal advice, representation ,
	158	+	advocacy, education and information to individuals and community organizations regarding housi
	159	+	ng
	160	+	and public benefits issues
	161	+	.
	162	+	•Testified before the District of Columbia Judiciary Committee on the collateral consequences of
	163	+	a
	164	+	criminal record when applying for rental housing.
	165	+	•Presenter at ABA Criminal Justice Section: Housing Policies and Strategies for Improvement
	166	+	regarding people with criminal histories and housing polic
	167	+	y.
	168	+	•Demonstrated strong coalition building skills with legal service providers, workers’ rights
	169	+	organizers, and reentry advocates on social justice issues, such as “ban the box ” legislation.
	170	+	•Extensive knowledge of the District’s Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act , Rental Housing Act of
	171	+	1985, and federal statutes and regulations that control federal housing programs, such as
	172	+	HOPE VI, LITHC, and Housing Choice Voucher Program.
	173	+	•Wrote successful motion using the Americans with Disabilities Act protections which preserved
	174	+	client’s legal claims from a summary judgment motion that would have led to eviction.
	175	+	D.C. Employment Justice Center, Washington, D.C. November 2002 - March 2005
	176	+	Volunteer Attorney
	177	+	•Provided legal advice and counseling to low-income workers concerning employment issues.
	178	+	Assisted workers with Family Medical Leave Act claims, expunging convictions from their
	179	+	records, sealing arrest records, setting aside convictions that acted as barriers to employment a
	180	+	nd
	181	+	wrote demand letters to employers for wage and hour violations
	182	+	.
	183	+	America’s Families United/Advancement Project, Washington, DC September 2004 - November 2004
	184	+	Attorney, Voter P
	185	+	rotection Project
	186	+	•Worked with voter registration groups and community coalitions to increase voter participation
	187	+	in communities of color and to eliminate voter suppression tactics
	188	+	.
	189	+	•M onitored voter registration processes in Florida and Wisconsin. Conducted telephonic
	190	+	interviews with potential class action plaintiffs and drafted plaintiff declarations for the
	191	+	litigation team.
	192	+	•Provided legal advice on Election Day 2004 at a Command Center in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
	193	+	.
	194	+	Our Lady of the Westside Catholic School, Chicago, IL August 1995 - May 1998
	195	+	Inner-City Teaching Corp (an AmeriCorps grantee)
	196	+	Fourth Grade Instructor
	197	+	•Developed 4
	198	+	th
	199	+	grade curriculum and organized extracurricular activities for over 60 children during my tenure. PHYLISA CARTER
	200	+
	201	+	Page 4 of 4
	202	+
	203	+
	204	+	EDUCATION
	205	+	Northeastern University School of Law, Boston, MA
	206	+	Juris Doctor, May 2001
	207	+	Legal Clinic : Advoca
	208	+	te with Domestic Violence Advocacy Clinic.
	209	+	• Staffed a restraining order office at the Dorchester District Court.
	210	+	• Interviewed and counseled domestic abuse survivors, advocated on behalf of survivors at TRO hearings,
	211	+	conducted safety planning, provided referrals, and assisted survivors with criminal proceedings.
	212	+	O’Donnell, Schwartz & Anderson, Washington, D.C. Spring 2001
	213	+	Law Clerk: Researched and drafted memoranda for attorneys regarding labor law questions. Analyzed
	214	+	federal statutes, updated the Graphic Communications International Union’s labor law manual, and
	215	+	assisted with editing a chapter of a treatise regarding the Family Medical Leave Act.
	216	+	The Honorable Ann C. Williams, Chicago, IL Winter 1999
	217	+	Retir
	218	+	ed, U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7
	219	+	th Circuit
	220	+	(Formerly of the U.S District Court for the Northern Dist. of IL)
	221	+	Judicial Intern: Researched and drafted bench memoranda concerning habeas corpus and jurisdictional
	222	+	issues. Observed hearings, trials, and settlement conferences.
	223	+	Legal Assistance Foundation of Chicago, Chica
	224	+	go, IL Summer 1999
	225	+
	226	+	Legal Intern: Per
	227	+	formed legal research and factual investigations concerning various housing, consumer and benefits
	228	+	matters. Drafted and filed motions interviewed clients.
	229	+
	230	+	Trin
	231	+	ity College, Hartford, CT
	232	+	Bachelor of Arts, International Relations, May 1995
	233	+	Study Abroad: School
	234	+	for International Training, Nigeria - Concentrated studies in Nigerian politics, economics, and
	235	+	culture. (Spring 1994)
	236	+
	237	+
	238	+	BAR ADMISSIONS
	239	+	State of Illinois, 2002
	240	+	District of Columbia, 2006
	241	+	Executive Office of the Mayor – Mayor’s Office of Talent and Appointments
	242	+	John A. Wilson Building \| 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 600 \| Washington, DC 20004
	243	+	Phylisa Carter
	244	+	Ms. Phylisa Carter is an attorney with seventeen years of experience.
	245	+	She currently serves as an Attorney Advisor with the Social Security
	246	+	Administration. Her areas of practice have included housing law,
	247	+	community organizing, and criminal justice issues. Her areas of practice
	248	+	align with her intention to address community challenges.
	249	+	Ms. Carter also served on the board of the D.C. Corrections Information
	250	+	Council (CIC) for three years. As a CIC board member, she traveled to federal prisons and jails to interview correctional staff and inmates about prison conditions. These evaluations were used to write
	251	+	invaluable reports provided to government officials, advocates and the
	252	+	public. Additionally, the data from these reports informed criminal justice public policy discussions at the local level. After the CIC, Ms. Carter served an Attorney Advisor for the United
	253	+	States Small Business Administration and Case Investigator for District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS).
	254	+	Ms. Carter has also worked as a Senior Staff Attorney at Bread for the City’s Legal Clinic in Washington, DC with the Community Lawyering Project. During her seven years at Bread for the
	255	+	City, Ms. Carter worked closely with lawyers, organizers and community stakeholders to address
	256	+	individual and systemic issues that affect neighbors east of the Anacostia River. She assisted
	257	+	communities with creating strategies to increase their power, promoting equity in the distribution
	258	+	of resources, and building leadership.
	259	+	A Ward 5 resident, Ms. Carter earned her Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from Trinity
	260	+	College and her Juris Doctor from Northeastern University School of Law.
	261	+	Commented [P(1]: Please update to include Ms. Carter's
	262	+	positions since her last appointment (I believe there are
	263	+	three)
	264	+	Commented [P(2]: Please also note that, in Ms. Carter's
	265	+	resume, the "continued" language is not at the start of the
	266	+	appropriate page -- I'd say that can just be cut, but I'd
	267	+	leave it up to her how to structure her resume. That said,
	268	+	that language does need to be shifted around throughout,
	269	+	if nothing else. GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
	270	+	Executive Office of Mayor Muriel Bowser
	271	+	Office of the General Counsel to the Mayor
	272	+	______________________________________________________________________________
	273	+	The John A. Wilson Building • 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW • Suite 300 • Washington, D.C. 20004 • Office (202) 724- 7681
	274	+	To: Kimberly A. Bassett, Steve Walker
	275	+	From: Betsy Cavendish
	276	+	Date: October 22, 2024
	277	+	Subject: Legal sufficiency review of a resolution reappointing Phylisa Carter as a member
	278	+	of the Clemency Board
	279	+	This is to Certify that this office has reviewed the above-referenced Order and found
	280	+	it to be legally unobjectionable. If you have any questions in this regard, please do not hesitate
	281	+	to call Michael Porcello, Deputy General Counsel, Executive Office of the Mayor, at 202-727-
	282	+	0872, or me at 202-724-7681.
	283	+	______________________________
	284	+	Elizabeth Cavendish