Caroline focuses her practice in the areas of premises liability, and premises security for corporate clients, including one of the nation’s largest retailers. Caroline handles cases in New Jersey State and Federal Courts. Caroline manages her own caseload and is involved in all aspects of her cases including pleadings, discovery, motion practice, arbitrations, mediations, and trials..

Prior to joining McDonnell & Associates, Caroline served as an assistant prosecutor in Union County, New Jersey, working in the pre-indictment and juvenile unit. She appeared in Court regularly where she handled pre-trial motions and plea hearings on behalf of the State. Prior to working at the Prosecutor’s Office, Caroline completed a judicial clerkship with the Honorable Therese A. Cunningham in the New Jersey Superior Court where she prepared memoranda of law and facilitated settlement agreements. .

While attending law school, Caroline interned for the Department of Homeland Security, and drafted motion papers for the Assistant Chief Counsels. She also interned for MidPenn Legal Services and the YWCA Legal Center, where she worked on custody, divorce, and Protection from Abuse matters on behalf of low income individuals in the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania area. Finally, Caroline interned for the New Jersey Attorney General’s office where she drafted motion papers regarding parental rights and guardianship. She also gained experience in guardianship as a certified legal intern for Dickinson Law’s Children Advocacy Clinic, where she appeared in Court and filed pleadings on behalf of multiple foster children.

Caroline earned her Juris Doctor from Pennsylvania State University Dickinson School of Law in 2019, where she participated in the Women’s Law Caucus, Black Law Student Association, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, and the Domestic Violence Services of Cumberland and Perry County. Caroline earned her bachelor’s degree from Georgia State University, graduating cum laude in 2016.

Caroline obtained a guilty plea for a 3rd degree aggravated assault involving a juvenile-defendant who stabbed a classmate with a box cutter on school property. In his formal statement, the juvenile argued that the victim sustained the injury from falling when they were play fighting. Caroline obtained and utilized photographs of the injury, the victim’s medical records from the date of the incident, the victim’s formal statement, and the victim’s treating physician to secure the guilty plea.

Caroline obtained a guilty plea for a 2nd degree unlawful possession of a weapon involving a juvenile-defendant who fled from police on foot with a loaded handgun on his person and then disposed of the weapon inside a dollar tree store. Caroline used surveillance footage from inside the store that showed the juvenile placing an item inside merchandise that officers later found the weapon in to secure the guilty plea.

As an assistant prosecutor, Caroline regularly appeared in Court and argued motions for pre-trial detention. She also handled juvenile matters at all stages until their resolution. Her cases ranged from disorderly person offenses to 1st and 2nd degree offenses, including robbery, carjacking, and aggravated assault.

Lectures

“International Biases against women” Women’s Law Caucus Lecture Presentation, Penn State Dickinson Law, October 18, 2017

“Rape culture and violence against women; normalization by media, celebrities, and public figures/institutions” Women’s Law Caucus Lecture Presentation, Penn State Dickinson Law, September 6, 2017

“White feminism” Women’s Law Caucus Lecture Presentation, Penn State Dickinson Law, February 2, 2017