Brown, Goldstein & Levy partner Jacqui Cadman was honored with a selection to the 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America Guide. Jacqui was specifically named for her distinguished work in the Criminal Defense & Investigations and Civil Rights categories.
Since joining BGL, Jacqui has contributed greatly to both the Criminal Defense section and Civil Rights practice. In July, after a trial in DC Superior Court, Jacqui secured a victory for her client and successfully defended him in a Civil Protection Order (CPO) case. Through skilled and methodical cross-examination, she persuaded the Court that the petitioner seeking the CPO had not only falsely accused her client of criminal offenses but had also altered the evidence being used to purport these untrue allegations.
Throughout the year, Jacqui has also been sought after to teach and train fellow lawyers and law students in topics pertaining to criminal defense specialty. At the 2024 Public Defender Association of Pennsylvania (PDAP) annual Bring Your Own Case Trial Skills Conference, she not only trained lawyers from all over the state but also delivered a powerful plenary presentation on storytelling through opening statements and closing arguments. At the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law’s Criminal Defense Clinic’s mock suppression hearings, she served as a judge and helped aspiring criminal defense attorneys hone their craft. She was also selected to and helped train the incoming criminal defense lawyers in the prestigious E. Barrett Prettyman Fellowship Program, at Georgetown Law, in the area of sentencing and mitigation work.
The Lawdragon selection process is highly competitive. In addition to reviewing submissions, Lawdragon independently researches and vets each nominated attorney on its own. This year’s guide also marks the first year that attorneys globally were included, creating a more diverse and inclusive guide. Thirteen BGL attorneys were selected to Lawdragon’s 500 Leading Litigators in America guide for 2025. Read about the selected attorneys here.
Read Lawdragon’s full 2025 Leading Litigators in America Guide here.
About Jacqui Cadman
Jacqueline Cadman is widely regarded as one of the best criminal trial lawyers in the District of Columbia. As a seasoned trial lawyer she has almost nineteen years of experience. Throughout her career she has tried hundreds of cases, ranging from traffic and misdemeanor offenses to the most serious charges, including homicide and sexual assault. She has mastered complex issues of forensics, psychology, and conducted intricate constitutional litigation. She has extensive experience litigating complex pre-trial issues such as privilege, Brady sanctions, and double jeopardy, as well as identifying, consulting with, and preparing experts to testify. She is widely known for her expertise in conducting deep investigations and for trying and winning the most time-intensive and difficult cases. She is a regular trainer nationwide on countless topics involving criminal law and trial advocacy. Read more about Jacqui here.
About Lawdragon
Lawdragon is a legal media company that provides free online news and editorial features, including its well-known guides to the nation’s leading lawyers. Read Lawdragon’s full 2025 Leading Litigators in America Guide here. Learn about the other BGL attorneys who were recognized here.
About Brown, Goldstein & Levy
Founded in 1982, Brown, Goldstein & Levy is a law firm based in Baltimore, Maryland, with an office in Washington, D.C. The firm is nationally recognized in a wide variety of practice areas, including complex civil and commercial litigation, civil rights, health care, family law, and criminal defense. Above all else, Brown, Goldstein & Levy is a client-centered law firm that brings decades of experience and passionate, effective advocacy to your fight for justice.
