After graduating law school, I was selected as a Covington and Burling Westwood Fellow with Neighborhood Legal Services. Immediately after my fellowship ended I pursued my passion as a criminal defense lawyer. I have been a criminal defense lawyer since January 1997. I understands how to effectively defend serious charges. I serve clients throughout the District of Columbia , Federal court of District of Columbia and the State of Maryland. I have tried over 32 jury trials and thousands of bench trials. I have been on the Criminal Justice Act Panel since 1997. I have both the legal knowledge to understand the complexities of any type of criminal case and trial experience to aggressively defend the rights of the accused. I love advocating for the under dog which is why I am probably love being a criminal defense lawyer.
Education
David Clark school of Law, Washington, DC J.D.
Law Review: 1993 – 1994
West Virginia State University, Institute , West Virginia
B.A. – 1992
Honors: Pi Sigma Alpha honor society
Major: Political Science
Fraternity: Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc
Attorney at Law at Rollins and Chan Law Firm 2007–present
Attorney at Law Office Mark Rollins 1996–2007
Covington and Burling Westwood Fellow at Neighborhoood Legal Services 1995–1996
Law Student Intern at United States Attorneys for DC 1994–1995
NHTSA/IACP Standardized Field Sobriety Testing DUI/DWI Defense Certificate of Training 2013
D.C. Criminal Law Steering Committee, Elected Member District of Columbia Bar 2016–present
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Member of Criminal Panel of Attorneys in DC Superior Court DC Superior Court Panel Member 2014-2017 2014–present
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Member National College of DUI Defense 2014–present
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Member American Bar Association 2012–present
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Member Criminal Defense Lawyers Group Members 2012–present
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Member National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers 2012–present
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Member Superior Court Drug Intervention Team 2012–present
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Member West Virginia State College/University Graduates Group 2012–present
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Member U.S. Panel for District of Columbia for Criminal Justice Act 2000–present
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Member District of Columbia Bar 1997–present
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Member District of Columbia Superior Court Trial Lawyers Association 1997–present
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Member Maryland State Bar Association 1996–present
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Member Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity 1988–present
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Member Pi Sigma Alpha Political Science Honor society
I love helping people. I have learned that being a great criminal defense lawyer does not always mean winning in the courtroom but rather put together resolutions outside of the court room that better the individual. I represent people from all walks of life facing a wide range of serious criminal charges. I am a native of Hong Kong. I spent my formative years in England and Germany. Thereafter, I attended Oregon State University, earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree. I received my Juris Doctor from the District of Columbia School of Law. I am admitted to practice law in Maryland and D.C. I began my legal career as an immigration attorney in 1996 and handled a variety of cases, including H-1B visas, Labor Certification, Political Asylum, Adjustment of Status, K visas, removal of conditional status, petition for relatives and naturalization petitions. In 1998, I joined partnership with Mark M. Rollins, Esq. to form the Law Firm of Rollins and Chan. I am fluent in Chinese. See also Profile in Justia.
Bar Admissions
State of Maryland, 1996
United States District Court for Maryland
United States District Court District of Columbia
District of Columbia, 1997
David Clark school of Law, Washington, DC J.D.
Oregon State University
B.A. – 1992
Major: Liberal Studies
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers 18th Annual DWI Means Defend With Ingenuity Certificate of Completion 2014
LaPier & Associates, Glen Burnie, Maryland NHTSA/IACP SFST Student Course Certificate of Completion 2013
DC PDS Criminal Practice Institute Anticipating New Benchmarks for the Treatment of Evidence in DC Certificate of Completion 2013
Courts Services and Offender Supervision Agency for DC Domestic Violence Case Management Training N/A 2013
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers 17th Annual DUI Seminar Certificate of Completion 2013
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Attorney Wagner prides herself on a unique approach to the practice of law. She places her clients at the center of her legal practice and pursues her clients’ objectives in the most efficient and transparent manner. She will help you understand your legal options, relieve any apprehension you may have, and handle your legal work. Most importantly, she will fight for you!
learn about our history
We have been criminal lawyers for over 2 decades. Our practice was primary in the District of Columbia; however in the last 10 years we have been doing more and more cases in Montgomery and Prince George’s County. We strive to do quality work and primary objective is to make sure clients are satisfied with our work.
Right from the start, we took hold of technology. We embraced it. We tried to demystify the process by sharing the information that lawyers traditionally used to make things complicated. Its not as complicated as most may try to display. Knowledge is power. The secrets we shared gave them knowledge and confidence about the options and costs of the criminal process.
Then along came the internet. I CANNOT SAY ENOUGH WE LOVE TECHNOLOGY and will implement latest and greatest changes to make our practice more efficient. In 1999 we built our first website and started giving away the secrets to anyone who wanted it. We posted free motions and any documents that would help other lawyers do their job. Its about serving our community not about getting rich with kept secrets. We also acquire and talk to other lawyers and we remain in a network of criminal lawyers. If we don’t know something – we ask the question to another attorney who may know the answer.
We knew the secret to our success was to continue sharing information with our clients and other lawyers. We got busy.
Being busy motivated us to keep giving away information and educating the public. Education became the cornerstone of our philosophy.
Being busy gave us the insight to understand the anxiety caused by hourly billing. That’s why, more than a decade ago, we implemented fee certainty with fixed fees. We got rid of mysterious and unanticipated attorney fees in almost all of cases. You’ll always know exactly what every decision and move costs.
Being busy also allowed us to implement the most advanced technology in the profession. We use it to streamline our internal processes and make our client’s data accessible and understandable. You’ll have 24/7 access to your information and can immediately track the progression of your case without anyone getting in your way.
Being busy helped us try to figure out the most efficient way to serve clients while still remaining true to our roots of remaining community based. Our technological advantages allow our team to work remotely. That enabled us to practice from anywhere. The traditional law office where you sit in a stuffy office is over. Lawyers need to be flexible and be willing to meet anywhere. People going through criminal process tell us to keep doing what we’re doing, the way we’re doing it. Our clients love it when we take the information, the technology and the most amazing team you’ll ever meet and use it all to advance their cause. You will too.
We offer our material to clients anywhere in the District of Columbia or Maryland. Our primary focus is in the DC Superior Court, Montgomery County, Prince Georges County and Southern Maryland. however, we represent clients throughout Maryland.
Returned Phone calls – Dedicated portals for clients
With Over 22 years of Experience and tried over a thousand cases in DC Superior Court.
We have been in the business a long time – and if you have a bad reputation you wont last long.
Jim Rohn
Our office is plain. No fancy marble floors. Remember, if your lawyer has fancy marble floors and marble statutes – You are paying for that!
Like the man from the 1956 Dragnet said, “Just the facts.” That’s what we want.
Yes, but we do sleep sometimes. We do texting, emailing, private portal and of course telephone.
This is why you are hiring a lawyer. Some of the anxiety should be going away. Put your case in our hands.
There is no one solution fits all. After we sit down with you – we will figure out what is the best solution for you.
So while we do not keep stats. I can tell you we rarely will take a case to trial unless we feel as though we can win. Remember there is no such thing as a losing case.
Absolutely!!! Thats what we do.
Our our initial conference you will know how the case will proceed. I usually take out a piece of paper and graph with diagrams how the case will proceed.