Jason A. Grant, a native of the Bronx, New York, is a 2002 graduate of the College of Arts & Sciences at Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York, where he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology with a minor in African American Studies. Upon graduating from Syracuse University, Jason enrolled at Howard University School of Law, where he earned his Juris Doctorate in May 2005. Jason began his legal career as an associate attorney at The Law Offices of Glenn S. Wainer from 2006 – 2008. Jason was a founding partner of The DGO Law Group, PLLC from 2010 – 2020, and became a founding partner of the GO Law Group, PLLC in October 2020. His practice areas include employment law, civil rights, personal injury, and general civil litigation.

Manuel R. Geraldo is an accomplished legal professional and principal in the law firm of Robinson & Geraldo. His areas of practice include business litigation, contract dispute, workers compensation, and real estate litigation. Manny’s prior professional positions include Director and General Counsel for the District of Columbia Private Industry Council, litigation and legislative counsel in the Office of the General Counsel for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, membership on the Newark Commission on Human Rights, and Executive Director for the Congress of Portuguese Speaking People. Manny was appointed by Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley to the Maryland Board of Airport Zoning Appeals in 2010 and as Chair of the Board in 2012. He also previously served as a Commissioner on the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, including a term as Chair of the Commission. A long-time committed community activist and volunteer, Manny currently serves as a Director on the Board of the Prince George’s County Community Foundation, a Director for the Portuguese American Leadership Council, Director and Vice President of the Pro Bono Resource Center, Board Member of the YMCA, and a member of the Maryland Court of Appeals Standing Committee on Pro Bono Service. Manny earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Seton Hall University in 1972, a Juris Doctorate from Rutgers School of Law in 1977, and a Master’s degree in International and Comparative Law from Georgetown University in 1984. Manny is admitted to the Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, District of Columbia, and Virginia Bars. A resident of Fort Washington, Maryland, he is married and has three children, and is fluent in Portuguese and Spanish.

Josh Gerben is a trademark attorney and founder of Gerben Intellectual Property. The law firm was created by Mr. Gerben to help small and large businesses alike have access to trademark lawyers who are affordable and responsive to their needs. Mr. Gerben represents a wide range of clients, ranging from small start-up businesses to large multinational corporations. Since beginning his practice, Mr. Gerben has represented clients in over 6,500 trademark matters. Prior to beginning his law practice, Mr. Gerben worked in the business world. His extensive experience in that field allows him to understand the business realities facing his clients, helping him to negotiate the most favorable deals possible for his clients. Mr. Gerben is a native of Philadelphia and has lived in Washington, D.C. for the past nine years. In the community Mr. Gerben is involved in the Arthritis Foundation and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Joseph Zito is a practicing lawyer in Washington, DC.

Sonja Aoun is a Partner in the Family Law practice, representing clients throughout Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. She is known for her calm, strategic guidance and her commitment to helping clients navigate complex and emotional family law matters with clarity and care. Sonja focuses her practice on family law, including divorce, custody and visitation, child and spousal support, relocation, property distribution, military and government-related divorces, retirement and pension division, premarital and separation agreements, stepparent adoptions, and select estate planning matters. She is admitted to practice in Virginia and the District of Columbia and speaks some Spanish. Sonja earned her law degree from Georgetown University Law Center and holds a degree in Spanish from Georgetown University. Originally from Minnesota, she has built her career serving families throughout the DMV. Outside of her practice, Sonja is actively involved in community efforts addressing food insecurity and advocacy related to dyslexia awareness.

Professor Cooke joined the UDC Law faculty in September 2021 as a legal writing instructor in the Legal Writing Program. In addition to teaching courses such as Lawyering Process and Moot Court, he works in the UDC Law Writing Hub, which offers regular workshops and provides opportunities for all UDC Law students to work with legal writing mentors one on one. He also coaches UDC Law’s Moot Court Competition Team. A graduate of UDC Law, and a member of the Maryland Bar, Professor Cooke joined the faculty after working ten years in private practice as Senior Counsel in the Criminal Group at Price Benowitz LLP, where he developed the criminal group’s appellate and post-conviction practice. He also supervised the training and development of the group’s numerous law clerks and paralegals. Prior to attending law school, he served as Professor of the Practice in the School of Education at American University in Washington, D.C., teaching critical race theory, social justice and education, and education and the law. He has also taught philosophy in the Department of Philosophy at Edison Community College in Naples, Florida, and in the School of Education at Plymouth State University in Plymouth, N.H. His scholarship, an example of which has been published in the academic journal Qualitative Inquiry, has focused on the discriminatory perspectives of federal and state legislative bodies in enacting federal and state statutes relating to marginalized groups in the United States. Professor Cooke earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations from the George Washington University. He received a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (Literary Theory) from Dartmouth College and a Masters in Theology from Saint Leo University (Florida). He also holds a M.Ed. from Plymouth State University (N.H.).

Peter Odom is considered highly experienced in criminal law and trial practice, and has frequently served as a commentator on CNN, Headline News, Fox News, and Al Jazeera America. His adventures as a prosecutor involved a high-profile murder investigation can be enjoyed in Kevin Flynn’s true crime book, Wicked Intentions: The Sheila LaBarre Murders (New Horizons Press 2009). Experience & Background Peter is a veteran of the criminal courtroom. After joining the New Hampshire Bar, he served as an assistant prosecutor in Strafford County, trying child physical abuse, child sexual abuse, and adult rape cases. He then joined the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Homicide Unit, handling murder cases in Superior Court and defending appeals at the New Hampshire Supreme Court. Peter later joined the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office Major Case Unit, trying murder cases in Atlanta. From 2008 until 2014, Mr. Odom owned and operated The Odom Law Firm, defending criminal cases in the Atlanta metropolitan area. Afterward, Professor Odom served at The Pentagon as the Director of Advocacy Training and Programs for The Judge Advocate General’s Corps, United States Army. In this role, he oversaw the Army’s courtroom training programs for JAG attorneys trying criminal cases. He worked closely with the Chief of the JAG Criminal Bureau to develop the Army’s trial practice curriculum and served as editor-in-chief of the Army’s principal trial practice training manual, The Advocacy Trainer. Peter is an adjunct Professor of Law at American University’s Washington College of Law. He currently teaches Contract Law in the International Master’s Program and has previously taught Advanced Trial Practice and Evidence. He has also served as an instructor at Georgetown University’s School of Continuing Studies in Washington, DC, and at Emory University’s Paralegal Studies Program in Atlanta. Peter earned his BA from Columbia University and his JD from Pepperdine University. He is a member of the bars in New Hampshire, Georgia, Washington DC, Virginia, Maryland, and all federal district courts in the DMV.

With a significant repertoire of personal injury experience under her belt, Hannah Amundson provides client-focused, zealous legal representation. For years, Hannah has been providing aggressive legal representation for injured plaintiffs due to the fault of others in the District of Columbia and Maryland. She is also licensed to practice law in Florida (where she is from). Hannah’s passion for excellence is demonstrated by the years of achieving results for plaintiffs. With experience in cases in the District of Columbia and Maryland involving auto accidents, motorcycle and bicycle accidents, trip/slip and falls, dog bites, assault and battery, security negligence, medical malpractice, and more, Hannah has the knowledge and experience to zealously pursue clients’ goals. Hannah graduated Summa Cum Laude and a member of the Honors Program at Florida Gulf Coast University. She also graduated Cum Laude from the University of the District of Columbia, David A. Clarke School of Law. Hannah was an associate editor of the UDC Law Review and was a Dean’s Fellow at UDC Law. While in law school, she was also a student attorney in the UDC Immigration and Human Rights Clinic and the UDC Legislation Clinic.

Arren Waldrep handles medical malpractice, premises liability, personal injury, and general complex civil litigation in Price Benowitz’s downtown DC office. She is an experienced trial attorney, with over 200 trials in courts of multiple jurisdictions. Advocating zealously for clients comes naturally to Arren, and she enjoys navigating her clients through what can be an overwhelming process. Prior to joining the firm, Arren served as staff counsel at a large insurance carrier for many years, and later worked defending large hospitals, medical groups, and individual doctors in the DC area. As a result, she brings her unique understanding of defense tactics and valuation of claims. She is originally from South Carolina, where she attended the University of South Carolina Honors College and the Charleston School of Law. Arren has practiced law in the DC metropolitan area for over a decade. As a member of the Prince George’s County Bar Association and DC Women’s Bar Association, Arren enjoys being an active member of the legal community. When she is not working, she enjoys spending time traveling and riding horses.

Kenneth J. LaDuca (“Kenny”) is a civil litigator focusing his practice on matters involving serious personal injury and wrongful death cases. Kenny is known for employing his superior communication, problem-solving, negotiation and research skills on high-level complex cases to obtain the best possible result for clients. Kenny has made it a habit of obtaining six and seven-figure results for clients in cases ranging from car accidents to jail deaths. He has successfully negotiated countless claims against the largest insurance companies in the country, common carriers (like WMATA), and private institutions. Additionally, when negotiations are not successful, he does not shy away from heading to the courtroom for clients. Kenny is a member of a number of organizations, including the Maryland Association for Justice, the D.C. Trial Lawyers Association, and the American Association for Justice. He is licensed in Maryland, the District of Columbia, and Virginia. He is also admitted to practice in the U.S. District Courts for Maryland and D.C. Originally from Syracuse, New York, Kenny graduated from American University Washington College of Law. While in law school, he was an articles editor for the American University Business Law Review. Prior to attending law school, Kenny earned his B.A. in political science from American University. When he is not working, Kenny enjoys working out, fishing, and partaking in all that D.C. has to offer. You can regularly find him at Nationals and Capitals games.