Ashley Carter

Ashley Carter is the Visiting Associate Professor of Clinical Law. She teaches in the Access to Justice – Family Law Division and the Criminal Appeals and Post-Conviction Services Clinic. Professor Carter’s research focuses on the intersections between family law and criminal law, particularly in the areas of domestic violence, child abuse, rehabilitation, and alternatives to incarceration.

Prior to joining the law school, Professor Carter served as an Assistant Attorney General at the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia, where she handled litigation of child abuse and neglect cases, permanent guardianship proceedings, and adoption matters. She also served as a legal advisor to the Child and Family Services Agency, providing guidance to social work teams in the abuse and neglect context.

Prior to Professor Carter's work with the OAG, she served as a Managing Attorney at the DC Volunteer Lawyers Project (DCVLP). In this role, Professor Carter launched DCVLP’s Appellate and Policy program, focusing on appellate advocacy for survivors of domestic violence before the DC Court of Appeals. She regularly testified before the DC Council on matters related to domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking, including housing access for low-income survivors and protections for immigrant survivors. Professor Carter also managed DCVLP’s Domestic Violence program, providing supervision and training to staff attorneys and pro bono attorneys and managing a caseload of domestic violence protection order cases. She joined DCVLP in 2019 as an Equal Justice Works Fellow, sponsored by Greenberg Traurig LLP and Steptoe & Johnson LLP. As part of her fellowship, Professor Carter developed and launched DCVLP’s Domestic Violence Protection Order Clinic, a walk-in brief advice clinic for survivors of domestic violence co-located at DC Superior Court. The project served over 300 clients in its first two years and still serves clients today. She also served as a guardian ad litem for children who experienced or were at risk of child abuse and neglect. Professor Carter’s advocacy has been featured by Law360 and MSNBC.

She began her legal career as a Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable Maribeth Raffinan at DC Superior Court, where she supported Judge Raffinan’s role as Presiding Judge of the Domestic Violence Division.