02 Melissa Kenney Ngaruri 2009 Resume

Melissa Kenney Ngaruri, Esq.

18173 Stags Leap Terrace Germantown, MD 20874 [email protected] 571.242.4522 cell

Education Juris Doctor, May 2007, Catholic University, Columbus School of Law, Washington, D.C. Evening student. Co-founded company in Virginia during law school, sold contract and closed company upon completion of negotiation of M.O.U. Full-time employment at law firms during law school. Bachelor of Science, Psychology, August 2005, Portland State University. Staff writer, Portland State University "Daily Vanguard". Member, Jewish Student Union, Black Student Union. PSU Student representative, Multicultural Student Union Organization, Multnomah County, Oregon. Research Assistant for Dr. Thomas Kindermann on child development and social network effects on grade performance and for work on book, Kindermann, T. A. & Valsiner, J. (Eds.) (1995). The Development of Person-Context Relations. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

Employment Attorney, HooverLaw Offices, June 2009 to present. Admitted in Maryland June 16, 2009. Legal Assistant/Education Advocate, Patrick Hoover Law Offices, June 2006 to June 2009 Areas of concentration: Education, special education, and juvenile law; family law, criminal law, traffic, DUI/DWI; civil litigation; CINA; immigration law, small to medium business legal advocacy. From June 17, 2009 to present (in addition to work done while as legal assistant): Represented clients at pre-trial hearings, temporary and final adjudications, and trials. Filed lines of appearance, drafted complaints in civil family courts, discussed plea arrangements with State’s Attorneys. Negotiated and executed settlement agreements in four client cases. Appeared in several court cases and litigated issues involving non-payment or non-performance of legal services contracts or disputes in legal service contract terms. Written articles for MSBA Bar Bulletin, MD Women’s Bar Association. Quoted in two articles (Bizrate.com, Washington Examiner). Conducted research and analysis of relevant legal issues on education, disability, juvenile civil and criminal law. Wrote memorandums of law on above issues. Assisted on 113 juvenile and criminal cases; sat sidebar on several juvenile and criminal trials, met with clients, interviewed witnesses, and prepared hearings, evidence and legal arguments for attorney. Drafted and filed civil and criminal motions, lines, responses, and complaints. Attended IEP meetings, advocated for services under IDEA and Section 504. Drafted, negotiated and administered contracts for client legal services. Advised nonprofit religious school client on issues involving school building facilities, county building code restrictions and required ADA compliance for religious schools. Increased profit margin at firm by 38% in 2007. Developed and managed award winning internship program for firm, managed firm facilities and office work-flow systems and training when necessary. Developed and implemented firm marketing and P.R. Legal Assistant, Ballard Spahr Andrews Ingersoll, LLP, Washington, D.C. January 2004 to March 2006. Conducted research and analysis of relevant legal issues on tax law, solid waste and energy projects, including issues related to public financing contracts, municipal and corporate bond offerings, and financing structures for municipal and state government bonds. Supported project management partners, associate counsels and other staff in drafting and revising requests for proposals; Drafted and revised requests for proposals for two major bond offerings needing legal services. Business Development/P.R. Manager, Ngaruri Investment Group, Inc., Falls Church, VA. June 2003 to August 2004. Negotiated industrial solid waste development and technical services contracts with two foreign governments and one U.S. embassy. Developed financing and partnership agreements with local and federal financing institutions, including Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), United States Trade Development Agency (USTDA), United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the World Bank. Drafted, negotiated and/or implemented grant proposals, capital financing schedules, equipment supply contracts, press releases, Memorandums of Understanding, non-competing agreements, non-disclosure agreements, employment agreements, and related supply agreements. Negotiated an industrial waste contract with City of Antananarivo, Madagascar. Drafted and negotiated contract transfer agreement and contract termination agreement with international waste management company to transfer Memorandum of Understanding to same waste management company. Utilized knowledge of federal regulations, including C.F.R. regulations and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act in developing and successfully brokering international waste management contracts.

Executive Legal Assistant, TrakLegal Services, Washington, D.C. April 2002 to January 2004. Drafted software contracts, nondisclosure and toolkit agreements for potential joint ventures with other software companies. Assisted on commercial real property financing projects and contracts. Assigned to related projects for senior tax, business and real estate partners at Skaddan Arps and Ballard Spahr Andrews Ingersoll, LLP. Executive Assistant, QAS Software, Boston, MA May 2000 to March 2002. Drafted and administered commercial contracts for computer network equipment, computer software and other small office services for British start-up company in Boston. Drafted software contracts, nondisclosure and toolkit agreements for potential joint ventures and partnerships with government entities and quasi-entities, including the United States Postal Service and Social Security Administration, as well as for commercial companies including Experion and small to mid-size companies purchasing software product. Gained significant working knowledge of federal contracting laws from working with outside counsel on contracts. Drafted and administered confidentiality clauses and non-compete clauses for employees. Advised on employee contract termination and disputes involving non-compete clauses. Milieu Therapist, Wild Acre Inns, Arlington, MA. July 1999 to May 2002. Individual and group therapy for adults with mental illness in bridge program. Managed resident accounts; published public relations materials, including marketing and advertising presentation materials, performed other account activities including special events for clients, media relations, and program implementation; and overall supervision and client accounts. Peace Corps Volunteer, TEFL Program, US Peace Corps, Jekabpils, Latvia. June 1997 to May 1999. Co-founded a non-profit English language resource and training center (JARAC – Jekabpils Anglu valoda Resourcu Augstakas Centres), negotiated center lease, drafted articles of organization, developed and implemented staff structure, tapped board of directors and designed and administered financial structure. Drafted grant proposals, and worked with Soros Foundation officials to facilitate grant allocation and management. Developed language training materials and planned and organized seminars for nonprofit organizations and colleges in Eastern Europe. Coordinated participants’ travel and logistics procedures including organizing visa arrangements, group accommodations, and other logistical measures. Residential Counselor, Volunteers of America, Morrison Center Child Services, Portland, OR. January 1994 to May 1997. Therapy populations: sexually and physically abused children, ages 3 to 8, and females ages 11 to 17. Performed client psychosocial assessment, crisis intervention, care planning, and counseling of abused adolescents in the community care management program. Coordinated multidisciplinary teams including client's family, primary care physicians, psychiatrist, law enforcement or courtappointed officers and other designated health care providers. Peer Mentor Instructor, Univ. Studies Department, Portland State University, Portland, OR. March 1993 to June 1996. Designed course curricula for multi-disciplinary teaching team. Taught sixty students per academic year, both content on issues relating to Urban Studies, and skills including essay and newspaper writing styles, web page design, public speaking, and project management. Data Integrity Specialist, IT Dept; Clerk, Commercial Loans, First Interstate Bank, OR. Sept 1990 to December 1994. Created and implemented cobol-based programs used by employer (now Wells Fargo Bank) to analyze assets and liabilities for acquiring smaller banks; worked on multiple projects involving the purchase and absorption of one community bank; Prescreened analysis of commercial loan applications.

Professional Memberships Maryland State Bar Association

Bar Association of Montgomery County

Capital Area Immigrants’ Rights Coalition

Maryland State Women’s Bar Association

-- Education Law Section -- Family Law Section -- Immigration Law Section -- Juvenile Law Section -- Business Law Section

Partnership for Extraordinary Minds (Autism) Montgomery County Maryland Chapter of the Autism Society of America

J. Franklyn Bourne Bar Association National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges

Delta Theta Phi Law Fraternity