Lauri E. Cleary

Lauri E. Cleary is an attorney with Lerch, Early & Brewer’s Litigation, Creditors' Rights & Workouts and Employment & Labor groups. She represents individual and corporate clients, including religious and other nonprofit organizations and educational institutions, automobile dealers, financial institutions, title insurers and other insurance underwriters.

Lauri handles complex commercial, employment, tort, insurance and white-collar criminal defense matters. For more than 25 years, she has represented auto dealers in operational and franchise matters. She also helps title insurance underwriters and their insured claimants resolve complex settlement escrow and land title issues. In connection with Lerch Early’s insurance defense practice, Lauri works closely with claims counsel defending a wide variety of tort and commercial litigation claims.

Lauri’s clients call her “a great litigator who isn’t afraid to fight—she can be charming or forceful depending on what the situation calls for” according to interviews by Chambers USA (2010). Lauri also is a highly skilled litigation counselor who shares risk management and litigation avoidance strategies with Lerch Early clients. Determined and energetic, Lauri takes the time to thoroughly understand each client’s denomination, business or industry and to establish an open line of communication, mutual respect and cooperation toward a common goal.

She is admitted to practice in Maryland, the District of Columbia and Virginia, and has successfully managed all aspects of litigating trial and appellate cases before state and federal courts and administrative agencies in all three jurisdictions.

Lauri’s representation of religious organizations has given her the opportunity to take on many cases involving First Amendment religious freedoms, an experience that complements her passionate commitment to the pro bono representation of indigent persons. She received the John Carroll Society’s Pro Bono Service Award in recognition of her representation of the indigent. She chaired the Montgomery County Bar Foundation's Pro Bono Committee for several years, and is a member of the Advisory Council of the Archdiocesan Legal Network of the Archdiocese of Washington. Lauri also serves a host of the local cable access show "Law School for the Public."

Lauri is the recipient of many accolades from her peers in the legal profession. She was named a "Leader in Her Field" by Chambers USA in the field of Litigation: General Commercial, received The Daily Record's 2009 Leadership in Law Award and is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. In addition, Lauri was named a Bar Leader by the Bar Association of Montgomery County. She shares her vast knowledge of employment issues with risk management and human resource professionals throughout the Washington, D.C., region on topics such as sexual harassment, hiring and termination practices, and questions of liability for the acts of employees and volunteers.

Lauri earned her Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctor from the University of Maryland. She joined Lerch Early in 1986 after serving as judicial law clerk to the Honorable Howard S. Chasanow (Retired), Court of Appeals of Maryland, then a member of the Circuit Court for Prince George's County, Md.

A lifelong resident of Montgomery County, Lauri serves as a lector at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church in Potomac. She enjoys horseback riding and golf.

• Named Chambers USA  "Leader in the Field" of Litigation: General Commercial (2010-present)
• Received Daily Record's Leadership in Law Award (2009)
• Received Montgomery County Bar Foundation Community Service Award for co-chairing Law School for the Public (2009)
• Named "Bar Leader" by Montgomery County Bar Foundation (2007) 
• Received John Carroll Society Pro Bono Service Award (2007)

• Maryland State Bar Association
• District of Columbia Bar Association
• Virginia State Bar Association
• Bar Association of Montgomery County, Maryland (Executive Committee 2010-2012; Chair, Law School for the Public; past Chair, Pro Bono Committee)
• Archdiocesan Legal Network of the Archdiocese of Washington (Advisory Council, Executive Committee)