“A Great Honor”: How Our Paralegal, Denise Greeley, Earned a Rare Mention in a 4th Circuit Opinion
In the legal profession, a victory is always the result of a team effort. But it’s exceptionally rare for the work of a paralegal—often the unsung hero of a case—to be specifically named and credited in a published opinion from a federal appeals court. That’s why our team at Murphy, Falcon & Murphy is bursting with pride to celebrate our “genius paralegal,” Denise Greeley, who recently received this unique and prestigious honor.
The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals recognized Denise by name for her pivotal work in a class-action lawsuit on behalf of Woodberry residents exposed to lead paint flakes. Her efforts were instrumental in winning a critical motion to send the case back to Baltimore City Circuit Court, a major victory for the community. As associate Ronald Richardson, who argued the case, noted, “I’ve never seen any paralegal be mentioned by name, and in that detail, in a published opinion.”
The Challenge: A “Smoking Gun” Was Needed
The lawsuit alleges that the owners of the TV Hill transmission tower negligently spread lead paint dust across the Woodberry neighborhood. When the defendants tried to move the case from state to federal court, our firm was faced with a monumental task: we had to prove that the vast majority of the nearly 3,000 affected property owners were Maryland citizens.
Without a blueprint to follow, Denise developed her own methodology. She meticulously:
- Mapped the affected area by drawing a 4,000-foot radius around the tower.
- Assembled a massive, wall-sized map by printing and taping together individual sections to identify every single property.
- Cross-referenced all 2,785 properties with Maryland’s real property database to identify the owners and confirm their residency.
- Compiled her findings into a detailed spreadsheet that became the “smoking gun exhibit” for our motion.
“It took forever,” Denise admitted. “I knew this chart was our smoking gun… so I knew it had to be 100% correct.”
A Career Built on Excellence
Denise’s work on this case is a testament to the expertise she has cultivated throughout her career. Though she doesn’t have a formal paralegal certificate, she has proven herself to be an indispensable legal mind, earning the nickname “paralawyer” from her colleagues.
“She always thinks like a lawyer,” says our firm’s founder, William “Billy” Murphy Jr. “When we started interviewing her, we knew she was the one right away, because she thought like a lawyer.”
Her meticulous research and sharp analytical skills were not just recognized by our team but were also validated by the court. The 4th Circuit panel wrote, “We agree with the district court’s decision to credit Greeley’s citizenship analysis,” cementing the significance of her work in the official court record.
A Victory for Our Team and Our Community
For Denise, the acknowledgment was deeply meaningful. “It was a great honor to be credited,” she said. “We’re behind the scenes, and we do a lot of work that no one ever knows about.”
Denise Greeley’s incredible work exemplifies the passion and dedication that defines our entire firm. We are honored to have her on our team and proud that her brilliant efforts have been recognized at the highest levels, all in service of securing justice for the people of Baltimore.
This story is based on original reporting by Madeleine O’Neill for The Daily Record. You can read the full article here.