Lisa Munyon

Prior to enrolling in law school, Matthews R. Bark volunteered and interned for Chief Judge Honorable Joyce Baylor-Thompson. Together, Judge Baylor-Thompson and Mr. Bark created the first mediation program for probate in the State of Maryland. (See this Article). Once in law school, at the University of Baltimore School of Law, Mr. Bark decided he wanted to be an advocate for those charged with crimes. Mr. Bark knew in order to be the best, he needed to acquire a variety of skills. That is why he was a teacher’s assistant in the legal writing and research department, reaching the highest position in that program in his last year of law school as the supervisor of all the teacher’s assistants. He also was a legal scholar for the class Torts. Also, while in law school Mr. Bark interned for the State Attorney’s Office in and for Baltimore City, Maryland. Mr. Bark, also interned for the highest court in the State of Maryland, the Maryland Court of Appeals. Mr. Bark also worked for the House of Representatives, Delegate Jon Cardin, in Maryland. Mr. Bark did all this while maintaining high marks, and graduating with honors, cum laude. Here are a couple of examples of cases from when Mr. Bark was working for the Maryland Court of Appeals: Case 1 and Case 2. After graduating law school, Mr. Bark decided to move to Longwood, Florida. The reason for the move: While in law school, Mr. Bark took his last winter break by visiting family and friends in Longwood, FL. He interned with a law firm, worked on a high profile case, and drove a convertible for three weeks at the end of December. Enough said. The decision was made, and he applied for a position with the Office of the State Attorney for the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit in and for Brevard and Seminole Counties. Mr. Bark was hired by the Office of the State Attorney for the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit in and for Brevard and Seminole Counties by then State Attorney Norman Wolfinger. Mr. Bark, despite living in Longwood, was asked to start his career as a prosecutor in Brevard County, which he did. After a year of working in Brevard County and living on Satellite Beach, Mr. Bark asked to be transferred to Seminole County, home, so he could be closer to his family, and he was. While prosecuting in Seminole County Mr. Bark received Mother’s Against Drunk Driver’s Award for prosecutor of the year. Prior to that, he was recognized by Chief Lionel Cote of the Satellite Beach Police Department for his work in DUI prosecution. Also while at the Office of the State Attorney in Seminole County, Mr. Bark was given many high profile challenging cases. Cases where a teacher was accused of bringing a handgun on to an elementary school campus, where a female deputy sheriff was battered by her husband, where a 60-year-old man was accused of video recording a 12-year-old girl undressing, where a Jewish boy was arrested on Rosh Hoshana because people were illegally parked. Mr. Bark was trusted with very sensitive cases. Due to demonstrating his talent and work ethic, the law firm of Jaeger &Blankner recruited Mr. Bark to work for them. He worked there for three years, practicing criminal defense in Brevard County, Orange County, Seminole County, Osceola County and Volusia County. Mr. Bark litigated, tried, and appealed hundreds of cases for this firm. Realizing that the size of the firm prevented Mr. Bark from developing the relationships he desired with his clients and hindered his ability to get his clients the “best” results he decided to open his own practice. Mr. Bark still maintains an excellent relationship and appreciates the work of his prior firm.