Meet the Judges

Colleen A. Cavanaugh, Chief Judge

• Elected to Baltimore County’s Orphans’ Court in 2006.
  
  
• Appointed by the Governor of Maryland to serve as Chief Judge of Baltimore County’s Orphans’ Court in January 2007.
  
  
• J.D. from the University of Maryland; BA from American University.
  
  
• Attorney admitted to practice before the Maryland Bar, U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, and the U. S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
  
  
• Member: Maryland Association of the Judges of the Orphans’ Courts, National College of Probate Judges, and National Association of Women Judges.
  
  
• Member of the Maryland State and Baltimore County Bar Associations.
  
  
• Over 15 years of experience in family law, estates and trusts, and appellate practice.
  
  
• Appellate practice resulting in published opinions clarifying Maryland’s estate and family laws.
  
  
• Court-appointed advocate for children and the elderly.
  
  
• Graduate of Maryvale Preparatory School.
  
  
• Married for 14 years to Michael Warshaw, Esquire, with whom she has two sons.

Theresa A. Lawler, Associate Judge

• First elected to the Baltimore County Orphans’ Court in 1998; re-elected in 2002
  
  
• Served as Chief Judge from 1999 through 2006
  
  
• Appointed to Conference of Orphans’ Court Judges by Judge Robert M. Bell in 2004
  
  
• Member of Maryland Association of Judges of the Orphans’ Courts; Treasurer from 1999–2001
  
  
• Member of the National College of Probate Judges and National Association of Women Judges
  
  
• Over 28 years of experience in estates and trusts law; 8 years on the Orphans’ Court and 20 years as an attorney
  
  
• JD with Honors from University of Maryland School of Law; BA from Northwestern University
  
  
• Attorney admitted to the Maryland Bar and the U.S. District for the District of Maryland
  
  
• Member of American, Maryland State, Baltimore County, Baltimore City and Women’s Bar Associations
  
  
• Member of the Baltimore Estate Planning Council, Women’s Law Center, and St. Thomas More Society of Maryland, Inc.
  
  
• Former Adjunct Professor (Estate Planning) at Dundalk Community College and Villa Julie College
  
  
• Married for 35 years to her husband, George S. Lawler, and mother of two grown children
  
  
• Service on corporate boards, including Downtown Baltimore ChildCare, Inc., St. Thomas More Society of Maryland, Inc., and local PTAs
  
  
• Volunteer as Sunday School teacher at her church

William R. Evans, Associate Judge

• Elected to the Baltimore County Orphans’ Court in 2006
  
  
• Member of Maryland Association of Judges of the Orphans’ Court
  
  
• Member of the National College of Probate Judges
  
  
• Over 34 years of experience in General Practice of Law; specializing in 
  litigation
  
  
• J.D. from University of Baltimore School of Law; B.S. from John Carroll University
  
  
• Attorney admitted to the Maryland Bar and the U.S. District for the District of
  Maryland
  
  
• Member of American, Maryland State, Baltimore County Bar Associations
  
  
• Elected Baltimore County Council – 1986
  
  
• Appointed Baltimore County Board of Appeals
  
  
• Graduate of Calvert Hall College High School
  
  
• Married for 39 years to his wife, Judith Ann, and father of two grown sons, Bill
  and Todd

Revised July 17, 2007