Meet the Orphans' Court Judges

William R. Evans, Chief Judge

• Elected to the Baltimore County Orphans’ Court in 2006
     
• Appointed by the Governor of Maryland to serve as Chief Judge of the Baltimore County Orphans' Court in February 2009
     
• Member of Maryland Association of Judges of the Orphans’ Court
     
• Member of the National College of Probate Judges
     
• Member of Trial Judges Association of Maryland 
     
• Over 34 years of experience in General Practice of Law; specializing in litigation
     
• J.D. from University of Baltimore School of Law - 1973; B.S. from John Carroll University - 1969
     
• Attorney admitted to the Maryland Bar - 1973, 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 - 1982 - 1986
     
• Graduate of Calvert Hall College High School - 1963
     
• Married over 40 years to his wife, Judith Ann, and father of two grown sons, Bill and Todd

Colleen A. Cavanaugh, Associate Judge

• Elected to Baltimore County’s Orphans’ Court in 2006.
     
• Served as Chief Judge of the Baltimore County Orphans’ Court from January 2007 - February 2009.
     
• Member of Trial Judges Association of Maryland 
     
• 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

• Elected to the Baltimore County Orphans' Court in 1998; re-elected in 2002 and 2006.
     
• Appointed by the Governor of Maryland to serve as Chief Judge from 1999 - 2006.
     
• Appointed to Conference of Orphans' Court Judges by Judge Robert M. Bell in 1994; current Vice-chair of conference. 
     
• President of Maryland Association of Judges of Orphans' Court; Treasurer from 1999 - 2001. 
     
• Member of the National College of Probate Judges, National Association of Women Judges, and the Trial Judges Association of Maryland. 
     
• Author of several articles and frequent speaker on probate related topics.  
     
• Over 30 years of experience in Estates and Trusts law; 10 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 Court for the District of Maryland.  
     
• Member of American, Maryland State, Baltimore County, Baltimore City, and Women's Bar Associations. 
     
• Past Member of the Baltimore Estate Planning Council and Financial Planners of Maryland. 
         
• Member of the Women's Law Center and St. Thomas More Society of Maryland.  
     
• Former Adjunct Professor (Estate Administration) at Dundalk Community College and Villa Julie College.  
     
• Married for 38 years to George S. Lawler, and mother of two adult children. 
     
• Service on corporate boards, including Downtown Baltimore ChildCare, Inc. and local PTAs.  
     
• Voted one of "Maryland's Top 100 Women" in 2008.