Our Paralegals
Alyce
Alyce Clark assists in many of the large and complex personal injury cases for McGowan & Cecil. She has been with the firm since 2014 and holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Baltimore.
Alyce’s unyielding dedication and assertiveness has been a great asset to the firm. It has enabled her to assist our attorneys in obtaining successful and favorable results. In the past year she has aided in the settlement of over one million dollars in recovery for our clients. Her free time is mostly spent assisting her husband in cooking up elaborate meals for guests or lounging around with her pug, Mrs. Pickles.
Betty
Betty joined McGowan & Cecil in 2004. She serves as the Office Manager and works closely with the Managing Partner on day-to-day operations of the Firm. She was previously a Paralegal at McGowan & Cecil, tasked with complex litigation cases. Prior to joining McGowan & Cecil, Betty worked at a major law firm in Washington, D.C. Betty has many years of legal experience in a wide range of areas. She is very knowledgeable and a great asset to the Firm.
Dylan
Dylan was born and raised in Laurel, Maryland, and has been working with McGowan & Cecil since 2011. What started as a high school summer job answering phones evolved into a full-time opportunity in 2017, after he graduated with a Bachelor of Science from the University of Advancing Technology in Tempe, Arizona. Since working with the firm, Dylan has worn many hats, including (but not limited to): front desk staffer, personal assistant, and paralegal. He now uses his well-rounded background to contribute to everyday operations as an assistant office manager.
Emily
Since starting in 2011, Emily Znamirowski has obtained 9 years of personal injury law experience, making her one of the most trusted and loyal senior paralegals at McGowan and Cecil.
Emily assists in all things pertaining to research, acts as liaison between attorneys and clients, drafts pleadings, and prepares for trials and court proceedings. Emily’s dedication to the firm has shown through her management of over 500 cases and handling millions of dollars in settlements.
From assisting the founding partners in complex litigation to training incoming paralegals and interns, Emily can be counted on to do it all.
Education:
- Stevenson University, B.S., Paralegal Studies
Indira
From simple disputes to complex litigation cases, Indira assists in all phases of a case from its inception.
Indira Persaud joined McGowan and Cecil in 2016 and has assisted our clients and team by providing regular contact and updates, managing the discovery process, maintaining the case calendar and deadlines, and drafting pleadings and letters. She also maintains all document production and the client case file, and is integral in preparing for depositions, mediations, arbitrations, hearings, and trials.
Indira’s keen eye for detail, ingenuity and caring heart has made her an asset to the firm and possibly your next case!
Education:
- University of Maryland University College, B.S., Legal Studies
Jennifer
Jennifer McCartney graduated from Anne Arundel Community College Summa Cum Laude in 2020 with an Associate’s Degree in Paralegal Studies – Litigation. During her time at Anne Arundel Community College she was a member of the Honor Hawks, LEX, Phi Theta Kappa, and Chi Alpha Epsilon. Jennifer started with McGowan and Cecil in 2019 as an intern and was hired on as Paralegal by the Fall of 2019. Since joining McGowan and Cecil, she has assisted in recovering over half a million dollars in damages for her clients.
Education:
- Anne Arundel Community College, AAS., Paralegal Litigation.
Julia
Julia Espinoza started her career at McGowan & Cecil as a front desk receptionist and advanced to becoming a valued paralegal at the firm. As one of the firm’s bilingual paralegals, Julia has been vital to the representation teams of both English and Spanish-speaking clients. Since starting in 2017, Julia has assisted in over 230 cases. Julia’s thoughtful and caring nature pushes her to always strive for client satisfaction.
Education:
- Towson University, B.A., Spanish Literature
Michelle
Michelle Burgess joined McGowan & Cecil as a paralegal in 2018. As a rising paralegal, she obtained her ABA approved Paralegal Certification from Anne Arundel Community College and has since become an integral part of the firm. Nearly a decade of prior teaching and childcare experience has crafted Michelle’s genuinely affable nature. She strives to assist clients through the process with compassion and is always available to lend an ear.
Education:
- Anne Arundel Community College, Paralegal Certification
- Walden University, M.A. Public Administration
- Bowie State University, B.A. Communications
Nathan
Nathan Desjarlais has been working for McGowan & Cecil since May 2018. Prior to joining McGowan & Cecil, he graduated from Anne Arundel Community College’s Paralegal program. Through this program, Nathan completed internships with the Office of the Public Defender, the Maryland Ethics Commission and the Maryland General Assembly. He is happy to bring his prior experience from each to McGowan & Cecil, helping clients achieve the best outcome possible.
Rebecca
Rebecca recently joined McGowan & Cecil as administrative assistant. She graduated with a Masters in Linguistics from Tulane University in 2012, and a Paralegal Certificate from Anne Arundel Community College in 2020. Rebecca is a member of LEX Paralegal Honor Society, MAP, and NFPA. She speaks Spanish and a little American Sign Language. Before joining McGowan & Cecil, Rebecca worked as a travel agent. This experience allowed her to travel to interesting places such as Alaska and Cuba. Currently, Rebecca enjoys assisting with cases, cooking, and playing with her dog, Cheese.
Ross
Ross joined McGowan & Cecil in September, 2019. After working as a manager in the grocery industry since college, he decided to pursue his passion of working in the legal profession. He obtained his paralegal certificate from Anne Arundel Community College in May of 2018 and took on a full-time role as a paralegal for a small criminal defense firm. Over the last three years, Ross has developed a diverse understanding of both criminal and civil procedure and has continued to expand his knowledge of the various disciplines of the law. Since joining our team, Ross has utilized his customer service background and previous paralegal experience to provide our office and our clients with humor, compassion and dedication.
Yohanni
Yohanni was born in New York but has lived in Maryland for most of her life. She is currently a student- completing her Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice and Paralegal Studies. She graduated from high school in the Dominican Republic and is fluent in Spanish. She contributes this skill as one of the firm’s versatile bilingual paralegals.
