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The Roles of COHR Administrative Law Judges and Staff
Current Administrative Law Judges and Staff
Brandes S.G. Ash (she/her)
Acting Chief Administrative Law Judge
Chief Judge Brandes S.G. Ash is a proud graduate of Howard University School of Law. She received her Master of Public Administration degree from George Mason University and B.A. degree in English from Virginia Commonwealth University.
A noted public servant, Chief Judge Ash has held several leadership positions in local and national professional organizations, including without limitation: Chief of Communications for the National Bar Association; President of the Greater Washington Area Chapter of the National Bar Association’s Women Lawyers Division (GWAC); Chair of GWAC Foundation, Inc.; President of the Washington Bar Association Educational Foundation; Chair of the American Bar Association (ABA) Family Law Section Child Support Committee; Co-Chair of the ABA Family Law Section Diversity Committee; D.C. Bar Family Law Community member (elected term 2014-2017); and Board member of Foundations for Home and Community. Chief Judge Ash was an inaugural class member of the D.C. Bar John Payton Leadership Academy in 2014.
Throughout her career, Chief Judge Ash has received numerous professional accolades. Recently, she was awarded President Joseph R. Biden, Jr.’s Volunteer Service Award, having volunteered more than 250 hours of service in a given bar year. In 2018, 2019, and 2020, Chief Judge Ash was named a Rising Star in family law by Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers. In 2017, the National Bar Association’s Young Lawyers Division established an award in Chief Judge Ash’s honor, and, since then, recognizes an NBA-affiliate chapter President, each year, for his/her/their commitment to leadership and service. Chief Judge Ash is a recipient of both the National Bar Association’s 40 Under 40 Nation’s Best Advocate Award and GWAC Rising Star Award.
Henry E. Floyd Jr. (he/him)
Associate Administrative Judge
Associate Judge Henry E. Floyd, Jr. received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Southern Mississippi and his Juris Doctor from Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School.
A former litigator, general counsel, policy counsel, and civil and human rights attorney, Associate Judge Floyd has advocated for injured workers and victims of medical malpractice incidents, guided board of directors through difficult decisions, and fought for access to justice for disenfranchised communities. Associate Judge Floyd has held several leadership positions in nationally recognized professional organizations, including President of the Washington Council of Lawyers; President of the Washington Bar Association, Inc.; President of the Washington Bar Association Educational Foundation, Inc.; Vice President of the National Bar Association; Member of the D.C. Superior Court Advisory Merit Selection Panel; and Vice Chair of the D.C. Commission on Human Rights. Associate Judge Floyd is an Adjunct Professor of Law at the Georgetown University Law Center.
As a result of his advocacy and community work, Associate Judge Floyd has received numerous professional awards. He was awarded the 2024 President Joseph R. Biden, Jr.’s Gold Volunteer Service Award, having volunteered more than 500 hours of service to the Washington Bar Association, Inc. during one bar year. He was awarded the National Bar Association Young Lawyers Division’s Junius W. Williams Young Lawyer of the Year Award in 2019; the National Bar Association’s Top 40 Under 40: Nation’s Best Advocates Award in 2018; the Washington Bar Association’s Lawyer of the Year Award in 2018; the National Black Lawyers’ Top 40 Under 40 Award in 2018 and 2019; the Daily Record’s Leadership in Law: Generation J.D. Award and its VIP List: Successful by 40 Award. In 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024, Associate Judge Floyd received the National Bar Association’s prestigious Presidential Award.