Black History Month 2016
Throughout February, GW Law celebrates the accomplishments, contributions, and achievements of alumni as we observe Black History Month. Read about our distinguished alumni Lloyd U. Nolan Jr., JD '98, and Michael Wilson Reed, JD '85, below.
“I have had an amazing legal career and now a job that I love to go to everyday. I am not sure any of this would have been possible if it was not for GW Law, which helped prepare me for this amazing career. I am especially grateful to BLSA, which supported me during my tenure at GW. I owe GW Law and BLSA a debt of gratitude.”
Hon. Lloyd U. Nolan, Jr., JD '98
District of Columbia Superior Court
Lloyd U. Nolan, Jr., JD '98
Lloyd U. Nolan, Jr., JD ’98, was appointed Magistrate Judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia by Chief Judge Lee F. Satterfield on August 9, 2010.
Judge Nolan was born and raised in Pittsfield, Massachusetts and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from American International College in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1988. He worked in sales and marketing for both Nabisco and Kraft General Foods before moving to Washington, D.C., in 1995 to attend GW Law.
While in law school, Judge Nolan was a member of the Faculty Tenure and Promotions Committee and participated in the D.C. Law Students in Court program. His law school honors and recognition include the 1998 Patricia Roberts Harris Award, the Black Law Students Association’s “Student of the Year” award, and the Shapiro Public Service Internship Award.
After law school, Judge Nolan served as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable Russell F. Canan of the D.C. Superior Court. Judge Nolan then joined the Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia, where he spent 11 years doing trial work at all levels, from juvenile matters to adult Felony I cases.
Judge Nolan also worked in the appellate division, served as a member of the hiring committee, forensic practice group, and was the chair of the Deborah T. Creek Criminal Practice Institute, which provided training to local criminal practitioners.
Michael Wilson Reed, JD '85
Michael Wilson Reed, JD ’85, serves as a judge on the Court of Special Appeals of Maryland, 6th Appellate Circuit (Baltimore City), a position he has held since October 20, 2011.
Born and raised in Washington, D. C., Judge Reed graduated with honors from the College of the Holy Cross. He then attended GW Law (known then as The National Law Center) and began his career on Capitol Hill, where he worked for Congressman Steny Hoyer. He has served as legislative counsel to the Senate Economic and Environmental Affairs Committee and House Committee on Drug and Alcohol Abuse since 1986. In addition to his work on Capitol Hill, Judge Wilson was a prosecutor in the Homicide Division and Sex Offense Task Force of the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office, and later served as Assistant Attorney General. He has also litigated product liability and banking cases in private practice.
A former President of the Bar Association of Baltimore City, Judge Reed is a Fellow of the Baltimore Bar Foundation, Inc., and he served as the Foundation’s President from 2011-2012. He has also been a trustee for the Bar Association Insurance Trust. Before rising to Judge of the Court of Special Appeals of Maryland, he was an Associate Judge on the Circuit Court for Baltimore City.