Barbara Jorgenson, now of counsel in Joseph, Greenwald & Laake’s Family Law Group, was the firm’s first female equity shareholder. Barbara has a keen ability to help her clients achieve appropriate resolutions to thorny and often emotional legal issues without litigation. Barbara has more than 25 years of experience in family law and is trained both as a mediator and in collaborative law. She brings not only sophisticated legal analysis to her work, but also ample common sense and empathy.

Barbara was appellant’s counsel in the landmark case Pleasant v. Pleasant, 97 Md. App. 711, 632 A.2d 202 (1993), which established that Maryland courts can award a survivor benefit annuity to a spouse when dividing a pension. She has significant experience with closely held corporations and professional practices, both in their valuation in the divorce context and in shareholder disputes.

Barbara has a long-standing commitment to pro bono service. She is the founding mentor of the Pro Bono Family Law Clinic, which has served scores of low-income clients in Prince George’s County since its creation in 2000. In 2008, Barbara and JGL received the annual award for pro bono service from Community Legal Services of Prince George’s County. In 2009, Barbara created and managed the Thousand Hours Project, which donated 1,000 hours of pro bono legal services to homeowners struggling in the foreclosure crisis that was sweeping over Maryland. Barbara and JGL received the Beacon of Justice Award from the National Legal Aid and Defenders Association in 2009 for this project. In 2009, Barbara received the Herbert S. Garten Award for pro bono service by the Maryland State Bar Association. She is a former member of the board of directors of the Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland.

Outside of work, Barbara serves as a trustee of the Marjorie Cook Foundation, is on the board of directors of the Kent County Historical Society, and enjoys spending time with her husband and their three cats and new dog on Maryland’s beautiful Eastern Shore.

Direct Dial: 240-399-7831

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