Award Presentations, Honors & Public Service

“In presenting the Public Service award, Douglas R. Sparks, lawyer and board member at the legal services project . . . told the gathering ‘Kathy took swift action . . . to remedy a number of the most urgent and dangerous conditions at the jail.’ Patterson, who chairs the council’s Committee of the Judiciary, said in an interview that she was ‘very flattered and honored, because these are important issues and the prisoners’ project is a first-rate human rights organization.”

“During a hearing on March 18, 2003, Doug Sparks recounted, in very graphic detail, the horrific stabbing death of Givon Pendleton at the D.C. Jail. That night . . . I made a promise . . . that I would fight for humane, decent conditions at the D.C. Jail . . . Thank you for helping me keep that promise. This honor and recognition touches me to the bottom of my heart.”

“Board member Douglas Sparks, who presented the award at a ceremony in June, praised Patterson for her commitment to public service.”

Sparks Presents Public Service Award to Washington Post Columnist Colby King

Deputy Editorial Page Editor for the Washington Post and Pulitzer Prize winner Colby King was presented the Public Service Award of D.C. Prisoners’ Legal Services Project by Douglas R. Sparks.

“What follows is more than 25,000 words that reflect a search for excellence in every corner of this classic and growing region . . . Few segments of the District government go without a thorough third-party vetting these days . . . D.C. Jail officials have to worry about D.C. Prisoners' Project and dogged attorney Douglas Sparks . . . ”

Super Lawyers magazine honors top attorneys who receive the highest point totals from their peers and through the independent research of Law & Politics. Super Lawyers magazine is published nationally and reaches more than 13 million readers. The publication says about it's selection process that: “The comprehensive data search on each candidate, the protocols used to evaluate nominees, the expert panel system, and the meticulous checks and balances built into the process … leave little to chance or idiosyncratic influence.”

Commentary from Douglas R. Sparks about the characters and situations he encountered while monitoring the vote in small town Pennsylvania. Sparks began: “George W. Bush recently was inaugurated, but I avoided all media coverage . . . I preferred to reflect upon November’s election day battle, when I fought alongside a group of trial lawyer volunteers in Adams County, Pennsylvania. Scenes from our defense of Gettysburg remain etched in my mind.”

“Despite the rain, the Band of Brothers (Mike Feldman, Victor Long, George Shadoan and Doug Sparks) were at the polls in Richmond by 5:30 a.m., monitoring this historic election, and ensuring that no citizens' rights were violated during the vote . . . This intrepid group exemplifies trial lawyers who want to make a difference.”

Doug Sparks, a tough-as-nails D.C. lawyer, is in Richmond as part of a huge crew of attorneys that will be monitoring precincts tomorrow . . . Sparks is pumped. “I want to be part of history. This is going to be a moment when everybody remembers where they were and what they were doing. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

Doug Sparks reports in from Richmond. This morning, Sparks says, there was a three-hour wait to vote at his precinct . . .Of the turnout so far, Sparks says: “There’s no line right now. The line was still two -and a half hours long until about 10:30. This precinct I’m in, there were probably 1400 votes.” He thinks it's 95 percent for Obama.

Doug Sparks, a D.C. lawyer stationed in Richmond to monitor voting, has just stumbled into the Holiday Inn. He’s heading to the bar. It is 5:12 p.m. Sparks has been working at one precinct since 5:30 a.m. He says the turnout was huge. “I think our precinct is in the running for highest voter turnout in the state. I wouldn’t be surprised if it exceeded 90 percent.” Sparks says.