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 | Sue was born and raised in Frederick, Maryland. She graduated in 1988 from Johns Hopkins University with a B.A. in Social and Behavioral Science. For the next three years, Sue worked as a paralegal in Baltimore, Manhattan and Raleigh. It was during that time that she developed her strong passion for criminal law. As a result, she enrolled in the University of Baltimore School of Law. She graduated with her juris doctor degree in 1994, with honors and an American Jurisprudence award. After passing the Maryland State Bar Exam, she was admitted to practice law in Maryland in December 1994. In January 1995 she joined the Frederick County Office of the Public Defender as a Staff Attorney. She was promoted to District Court Supervisor and was ultimately appointed Acting Public Defender for Frederick and Washington Counties. During her tenure with the Office of the Public Defender she handled thousands of cases from trespass to first degree murder. In December 2006, Sue and her former courtroom adversary, Kate English, formed Puhala & English, P.A. to provide aggressive defense to those charged with criminal and traffic offenses in Frederick County and the surrounding communities. Sue is the 2010 President of the Frederick County Criminal Defense Bar, and a member of the Frederick County Bar Association, the Maryland Criminal Defense Attorney’s Association and the Maryland State Bar Association.
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 Kate English | Kate is a long-time resident of Frederick County. She graduated summa cum laude from James Madison University. She received her juris doctor degree from William and Mary’s Marshall-Wythe School of Law in 1994. From 1994-1995 she was a judicial law clerk for The Honorable G. Edward Dwyer, Jr., The Honorable John H. Tisdale, The Honorable MaryAnn Stepler, and the Honorable Herbert Rollins. She spent a year doing civil litigation, but had a strong desire to move into criminal law. She served as an Assistant State’s Attorney in Carroll and Frederick Counties. In the Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office, she served as the Chief of District, Juvenile and Child Support divisions. She spent much of her time as a felony prosecutor assigned to the Narcotics Unit. She worked closely with the local drug enforcement agencies on long-term investigations including wire tap cases, and provided advice on search and seizure issues. On numerous occasions throughout her career as a prosecutor, she was recognized by “Frederick Magazine” as one the top attorneys in the practice of criminal and juvenile law. In December of 2006, she joined Susan Puhala, the then Acting Public Defender for Frederick and Washington Counties, to form Puhala and English P.A. with a mission to provide aggressive defense to clients charged with criminal, traffic, and juvenile matters. Kate is a member of the Frederick County Criminal Defense Bar, the Frederick County Bar Association, and the Maryland Criminal Defense Attorney’s Association. In 2010, “Frederick Magazine” ranked her as the top criminal defense attorney in Frederick County. |
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