District Of Columbia 2025-2026 Regular Session

District Of Columbia Council Bill PR26-0024 Latest Draft

Bill / Introduced Version Filed 01/08/2025

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2 	hairman Phil Mendelson 
3 	at the request 
of the Mayor 
4 
5 
6 	A PROPOSED RESOLUTION 
7 
8 
9 
10 	IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 To confirm the appointment of Jenny Epstein to the Child Fatality Review Committee: 
16 
17 RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL 	OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, that this 
18 resolution may be cited as the "Child Fatality Review Committee Jenny Epstein Confirmation 
19 Resolution of2025". 
20 Sec. 
2. The Council of the District of Columbia confirms the appointment 	of: 
21 
22 	Jenny Epstein 
23 	W Street, NW 
24 	Washington, DC 20007 
25 	(Ward 3) 
26 
27 
as a community representative member 	of the Child Fatality Review Committee, established by 
28 section 4603 of the Child Fatality Review Committee Establishment Act 	of 2001, effective 
29 October 
3, 2001, (D.C. Law 14-28; D.C. Official Code§ 4-1371.03), filling a vacant seat 
30 formerly held by Marie Cohen, for a term 
to end July 16, 2025. 
31 Sec. 3. The Council of the District of Columbia shall transmit a copy 	of this resolution, 
32 upon its adoption, to the nominee and to the Office 	of the Mayor. 
33 Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately.  J
ENNY ELIZABETH EPSTEIN
EDUCATION
Suffolk University Law School, Boston, Mass.  Juris Doctor, cum laude, May, 1994.  GPA: 85.17, Class Rank: 35/312. 
Dean's List every semester.  Moot Court Executive Board Member.  1993 American Jurisprudence Award for Trial Practice. 
Negotiations Competition semi-finalist.  Mock Trial competitor.
Research Assistant: Assisted Professor in supplementing a published criminal law manual (Massachusetts Criminal Defense). 
Suffolk Voluntary Defenders: Represented indigent clients in Boston Municipal Court from arraignment through 
case resolution.
University of Vermont, Burlington, Vt.  B.A. in Psychology, cum laude, May, 1988.  GPA: 3.43.  Dean's List six semesters.
EXPERIENCE
Counsel for Child Abuse and Neglect, Washington, D.C.  Attorney, May, 1996– May, 2003, January, 2005 -Present. 
Represent parents and children in child abuse and neglect cases from initial hearing through trial, disposition and 
appeal. 
Represent caretakers and adoptive parents in custody and adoption process.
ACLU, National Prison Project, Washington, D.C.  Attorney, September 1995 – May, 1996.
Conducted legal research and writing in support of staff counsel for prison civil rights class action litigation.  Corresponded 
with plaintiffs regarding case status.  Monitored defendants' compliance with court orders.
Law Office of Randolph Gioia, Esq., Boston, Mass.  Associate, September, 1994 - September, 1995.  
Prepared motions and memoranda for civil and criminal law matters.  Oversaw civil document discovery process and 
assembly 
of evidence in criminal matters.  Met with clients and witnesses regarding factual issues and case status.
Massachusetts Department of Social Service, Central Legal Office, Boston, Mass.  Law Clerk, January - May, 1994.  
Reviewed case files, conducted legal research, and drafted legal memoranda in preparation for presentment and 
appellate 
review.
Committee for Public Counsel Services (State Public Defender), Boston, Mass.  Student Attorney, June - September, 1993.
 
Personally handled juvenile delinquency cases from arraignment through disposition.  Conducted initial client interview, 
legal research, case investigation, court presentation, and follow-up.
Federal Public Defender Service, Washington, D.C.  Law Clerk, June - August, 1992.  
Researched legal issues and drafted preliminary pleadings for matters pending in Federal District Court, D.C. 
Circuit. 
Participated in trial proceedings as "second chair."  
Allen, Sparks & DeBerardinis, Washington, D.C.  Investigator / Legal Assistant, May, 1990 - July, 1991.  
Investigated criminal and civil matters.  Researched, interviewed and subpoenaed witnesses in neighborhoods, prisons and 
at municipal agencies.  Prepared deposition and pre-trial materials and trial exhibits, and assisted counsel at trials.
Sidley & Austin, Washington, D.C.  Legal Assistant Administrator, November, 1988 - April, 1990.  
Recruited, interviewed, and coordinated 28 legal assistants.  Conducted orientation and performance reviews.  Assisted 
in 
determination of assignments and salaries.  Legal Assistant, June - November, 1988.  Organized discovery files for anti-
trust 
litigation.  Researched and cite-checked briefs.  Participated in trial, with responsibility for exhibits, pleadings and 
depositions.
VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES
Volunteer Lawyers Project, Boston Bar Association, Boston, Mass.   Pro Bono   Attorney , December, 1994 - September, 1995. 
Represented tenant in an eviction action; attended seminars regarding landlord/tenant law and SSI and other benefits.
Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless, Washington, D.C.  Caseworker, December, 1988 - July, 1991.  
Conducted initial interviews of homeless persons desiring legal assistance.  Resolved substantive administrative 
problems through factual and legal investigation and action.  
Executive Office of the Mayor – Mayor’s Office of Talent and Appointments 
John A. Wilson Building | 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, Suite 600 | Washington, DC 20004 
 
   
 
 
Jenny Epstein 
 
Ms. Jenny Epstein has lived in the District for close to 30 years. She 
currently serves as an attorney with the Counsel for Child Abuse and 
Neglect, a branch of the Family Court of the District of Columbia Superior 
Court. She began her professional career as a paralegal at a large law firm 
in Washington, D.C., where she was promoted to paralegal administrator. 
Ms. Epstein has always been driven by a desire to serve the public interest. 
After her tenure as a paralegal administrator, and before attending law 
school, she chose to work for a small law firm in D.C. as an investigator, 
handling both criminal and civil matters. In her role as an investigator, she 
met with witnesses and clients across all eight w	ards, gaining an in-	depth 
understanding of the city. At that time, the District 	utilized facilities in 
Lorton, Virginia, to house convicted inmates, and she often met clients and witnesses at Lorton 
Prison.  
During her time in the District 	in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Ms. Epstein volunteered with the 
Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless. Following law school, she worked for a criminal 
defense attorney in Boston before returning to the 	District to serve as a lawyer with the ACLU 
Prison Project. In 1996, she continued her career as a court-appointed lawyer through the Counsel 
for Child Abuse and Neglect at the D.C. Superior Court, representing parents, children, and other 
caregivers. Ms. Epstein believes this experience provides her with a well -rounded perspective on 
the issues and challenges faced by families in child abuse and neglect cases, ultimately making her 
a more effective lawyer.  
Ms. Epstein has maintained this work since 1996, except for a brief period from 2003 to 2005 
when she lived in London with her family. As a mother of two adult sons who were raised in D.C., 
are successful college graduates, and attended a D.C. public charter school, Ms. Epstein is now 
eager to give back to the community by serving in a volunteer capacity. 
A Ward 3 resident, Ms. Epstein earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of 
Vermont and her Juris Doctor from Suffolk university Law School.  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:   Kimberly A. Bassett, Steve Walker 
From:   Betsy Cavendish 
Date:   October 21, 2024 
Subject:  Legal sufficiency review of a resolution appointing Jenny Epstein as a member of 
the Child Fatality Review Committee 
This is to Certify that this office has reviewed the above-referenced Order and found 
it 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 202-727-
0872, or me at 202-724-7681. 
 
 
 
 
______________________________ 
Elizabeth Cavendish