Ashton Lawyers

Jeffrey Kolender chairs the firm’s Estate Planning and Estate & Trust Administration practice groups. He concentrates primarily in those areas and also advises small businesses in tax business planning. Jeffrey recognizes that each client is different and enjoys the challenge of creating a plan that accomplishes the client’s unique goals. He advises clients about adequately providing for their family, including saving taxes, creating trusts for children, planning for disability, and the special planning issues involved in second marriages and same-sex marriages.
He understands that estate planning can be a complex and emotional process for clients. Jeffrey always takes the time to...

For more than 30 years Dan Hodin has advised businesses and individuals in commercial and residential real estate and loan transactions, including acquiring, financing, developing, owning, leasing, managing and selling real estate. Co-chair of the firm’s Real Estate practice, he has represented local, national and international real estate developers, builders, owners, and office and retail tenants in conjunction with prominent real estate projects including hotels, office buildings, condominiums, apartment complexes and shopping centers located throughout the United States.
Dan knows that responsiveness and organization in the fast-paced world of real estate are key to keeping clients satisfied. He instills confidence in...

Wayne Eig refers to himself as a business and tax lawyer for individuals and closely held entities, providing advice to clients involved in various business, investment, financial and succession planning activities. Sometimes, his clients are individuals or families, sometimes entities and often a combination of individuals/families and affiliated entities working together. Sometimes, these businesses have great value, sometimes they do not – but all of these clients have needs which require legal attention.
Over the course of his career, Wayne has chaired some of the firm’s major practice groups – Estate & Trust Administration, Estate Planning, Tax, and Corporate. In forty...

Hope is Co-Chair of the firm’s Employment Law practice. For more than 30 years she has represented a variety of businesses, trade associations, and non-profit organizations in all areas of employment law, including age, gender, race, and disability discrimination; sexual and other harassment; wage and hour matters; and non- competition disputes.
Hope thoroughly familiarizes herself with her clients’ businesses, their goals and needs, and then works with them to craft solutions to meet those needs. She works with companies to develop regulatory-sensitive employment policies for recruitment, selection, promotion, discipline, and termination of employees, and evaluates and advises clients with regard to...

Ron Dweck is Chair of the firm’s Corporate practice group, and a member of the Tax, Nonprofit and Science & Technology groups. Ron acts as general counsel to a number of companies, including large and small corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships and business organizations in various fields. As such, he knows a great deal about many different practice areas and applies that knowledge to better serve his corporate clients. His corporate work includes preparing and negotiating a wide variety of business contracts, as well as counseling in conjunction with executive compensation, corporate governance and risk & litigation management. He has...

Michelle Chapin, a member of the firm’s Estate Planning, Estate & Trust Administration, Tax and Corporate practice groups, advises individuals, families and small business owners regarding their estate and gift planning needs. Recognized as a Top Trusts and Estates Lawyer in Washingtonian magazine, Michelle excels at providing clients with easy to understand explanations of intricate legal and tax matters. She works closely with her clients to create comprehensive and customized estate and business succession plans to achieve their tax and non-tax wealth preservation objectives. She also helps clients implement lifetime gifting and post-mortem wealth transfer strategies and counsels fiduciaries on...

Paula Calimafde chairs the firm’s Retirement Plans, Employee Benefits and Government Relations practice groups and is also a senior member of the Estate Planning, Tax and Nonprofit groups. She has more than 35 years of experience advising companies and tax-exempt organizations on qualified and non-qualified retirement plans and employee benefits, including non-qualified deferred compensation, welfare benefit and cafeteria plans. She is a nationally recognized leader in the field of creative retirement plan designs for businesses and works closely with management and owners to prepare retirement plans, which suit the particular corporate needs.
Paula’s practice encompasses sophisticated estate planning and advising individuals...

Jack Blum is an associate in the firm’s Litigation and Employment Law practice groups. He has gained significant experience in a wide range of litigation matters, including real estate, commercial, corporate, and complex estates and trusts cases in both trials and appeals. He has represented large publicly and privately traded companies, individuals, real estate developers, medical practices, and small businesses. He has also worked with business owners on transactional work, forming business entities and drafting and reviewing contracts and other legal issues arising from ongoing and contemplated business transactions. In the area of employment law, Jack has worked with employers...

Rick Claxton, a member of the firm’s Litigation, Appellate and ADR practice groups, has over 30 years of courtroom experience representing clients ranging from individuals to Fortune 50 corporations. A veteran of dozens of jury and bench trials, Rick focuses his practice on complex business cases, such as corporate and partnership disputes, construction litigation, business torts, and employment litigation. However, Rick has always maintained a diverse practice, including cases ranging from copyright and trademark litigation to representation of individuals with major personal injury claims.
In addition to his trial work, Rick has substantial appellate court experience, having briefed and argued cases...

Mark Rothman is a founding member of the firm and currently serving as senior counsel to the Corporate, Estate Planning, Tax and Estate & Trust Administration practice groups. He practices primarily tax and business law and estate planning, and represents large real estate holding companies and large retail operating companies. He has extensive experience structuring proposed business ventures, such as limited liability companies, limited liability partnerships and Subchapter-S corporations, and also represents clients in conjunction with the sale and acquisition of a business. In addition to his business-related practice, Mark handles sophisticated and complex estate and succession planning matters, particularly...

Benjamin Matthew Kurtz has been practicing in Maryland since 2016. During that time, he has successfully represented individuals and entities in a variety of cases, focusing most of his time on personal injury and criminal defense.

Personal Injury

Benjamin Kurtz successfully represents individuals who have been seriously injured. With compassion and confidence, he deftly navigates his clients through the legal maze to an outcome designed to mitigate their pain and suffering and maximize recoveries for clients in need. The fact that many of Benjamin's clients are referred to him by his former clients and other attorneys is a resounding testament...

Nakia Gray is a multi-faceted businesswoman and lawyer. She leverages her expertise in intellectual property law and brand strategy to give Black women business owners the legal strategies they need to package, protect and profit from their intellectual property. Having launched her law firm in 2014, Nakia has provided brand strategy and legal solutions to thousands of small business owners, and believes that with the right legal strategy a business can expand, grow and create a lasting legacy. For four years in a row Nakia has been named a Top Attorney by Washington, D.C.’s SuperLawyers magazine and has been featured on the...

My name is Michael R. Plummer, attorney at law. I want to personally welcome you to Plummer Legal, LLC™. Many of our clients are pursuing their American Dream. Whether your dream is financial independence or providing your children with a better life, we can help. Our law firm has the knowledge and experience to make those goals a reality. Find out today why our clients consistently recommend our services to family and friends.

For your free consultation, call (240) 206-8287.

-Michael R. Plummer, Esq.

Roy Niedermayer is a member of the firm’s Litigation, Appellate Practice and Government Contracts practice areas. He excels in risk management - he identifies and assesses risk in each of his cases and then discusses alternative strategies in light of probabilities of outcomes to determine what the best cost-benefit course of action is. He may create decision tree analyses, determining what factors affect risk, how to reduce risk, and assigns probability of success. When first meeting with a client, Roy finds out what the client is hoping to achieve and what their goals are - in doing this he understands...

Alan Mark is a Co-Chair of the firm’s Real Estate and Chair of the Financial Services practice groups. He is also a senior member of the Corporate group. For more than 40 years, Alan has concentrated on corporate, commercial and real estate finance matters. He has served as outside counsel to numerous local, regional and national financial institutions, publicly traded biotechnology companies and hotel owners and operators. He has also served as outside counsel to information and telecommunication technology clients, government entities and individuals in connection with technology transfers, business acquisitions, project development and equity and debt financings. Since 1996,...

David Shapiro is the Chair of Paley Rothman's Health Law practice group, and a member of the firm's Corporate, Science & Technology, Employment Law and Government Contracts practice groups. David has an extensive background representing business entities, healthcare providers, surgical centers, professional service vendors and entrepreneurs in a broad range of general business, commercial, regulatory and complex transactional matters, including early-stage business planning, business management and operations, equity and asset transfers, inter- and intra-business contract relationships, mergers and acquisitions and collaborative and adversarial business owner and proxy dispute resolutions.
David’s business practice focuses on full life-cycle representation for emerging and established...

Associate Attorney with a demonstrated commitment to client-centered representation. Skilled in Litigation, Legal Research and Writing, Administration, and Leadership. Kenrick represents clients before the Maryland Workers’ Compensation Commission and litigates workers' compensation cases in the state and appellate courts of Maryland. Prior to joining BSG, Kenrick served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Matthew A. Maciarello at the Circuit Court for Wicomico County on Maryland’s eastern shore. As a law clerk, Kenrick assisted the judge in chambers and during courtroom proceedings, conducted legal research, and prepared bench memoranda on various criminal and civil issues that came before the...

Mark W. Oakley is an established litigation attorney concentrating on civil litigation, personal injury, construction law, and criminal and traffic defense. He also advises business clients, negotiates and drafts contracts, and handles a variety of litigation matters at all levels of the state and federal court systems. Mr. Oakley is trained and certified in the collaborative practice of law. Mr. Oakley is a graduate of the University of Maryland School of Law (J.D. 1987), and the University of Maryland, College Park (B.A. 1984). He is a member of the Maryland State Bar Association, the District of...

As a member of the firm’s Tax, Retirement Plans, Employee Benefits, Estate Planning, Estate & Trust Administration, and Corporate practice groups, Arnold Sherman focuses his practice on the areas of tax and business planning, and estate planning and probate administration matters. He has extensive experience in negotiating, structuring and documenting business contracts, tax-deferred exchanges and wealth preservation structures.
Arnie’s knowledge and familiarity with how businesses work make him especially adept at understanding and responding to the needs of his business clients. He is diligent in keeping himself apprised of current tax laws and continually works to provide his clients with the...

The Diamond Law Group was founded by Attorney Seth Diamond. Seth focuses his practice on bankruptcy, personal injury, and other civil litigation matters. He is certified to practice law in the states of Maryland, Florida, and Washington, D.C. Seth was won numerous honors and awards for his legal work, conducted many speaking engagements on legal issues, been quoted in the Baltimore City Paper and other notable periodicals, and is regularly called upon to resolve complex matters in his areas of focus. He is a member of the Bankruptcy Bar Association of Maryland, where he currently serves as Chair of the...

Meredith Hill Law is a women run law firm that serves as legal concierge and general counsel for small businesses, as well as, assists individual clients with their estate plans. From the start of her legal career, Meredith knew that she wanted to start her own law firm. She wanted to create a business and brand of her own that would be a positive impact to others in her community. When she first began her firm, Meredith fell in love with running her businesses and it sparked a desire for her to help other business owners with their legal needs.

As...

The law firm of Pare & Assoc., LLC (formerly Law Offices of Alice Pare) is a 10+ attorney law firm with locations in Germantown and Silver Spring. We practice several disciplines, including all aspects of family law, Trusts and Estates, Probate, Criminal Law, Bankruptcy, and consumer protection. We strive for excellence and to counsel our clients to react to their circumstnaces with reason. We do our best to keep our fees low and affordable, and encourage our clients to work toward settlement. When settlement is not possible, then we aggressively pursue our clients goals through litigation. We strive to partner...

Jeffrey M. Orenstein is a skilled commercial litigator with a particular emphasis on bankruptcy litigation. He has been appointed to serve as Bankruptcy Trustee and Examiner in complex Chapter 11 cases. For more than 25 years, he has represented bankruptcy estates, bankruptcy trustees in multiple jurisdictions, creditors and debtors in a wide variety of high profile bankruptcy cases and in business and consumer litigation. Mr. Orenstein has assisted the Federal government in obtaining bankruptcy fraud convictions in numerous cases. The Martindale-Hubbell legal directory gave Mr. Orenstein an AV rating, the highest given for legal ability and professional ethics.

At Havens & Associates, LLC, our clients come first. Every client is treated with personalized attention and is guaranteed effective representation. Our expertise and integrity have earned us a reputation as one of the premier legal firms in Maryland and the District of Columbia. Havens & Associates, LLC is dedicated to achieving the best outcome for every client. Havens & Associates, LLC represent clients in all state and federal courts located in the State of Maryland and the District of Columbia.

Matthew Glinsmann leads the employment-based residency – PERM Labor Certification team at Glinsmann Immigration. His practice includes representation of large and small corporations, families, and extraordinary ability individuals. Leading technology and service companies select Matthew as a trusted immigration partner because of his immigration experience and reputation. His deep understanding of business practices allows him to design immigration solutions that result in the highest return on investment and allow CEO’s, General Counsel and HR Directors to remain focused on their core mission. His uniquely personal approach makes Matthew a clear choice for individuals seeking help with family...

After receiving a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Maryland, I decided to pursue a career as an attorney, earning my law degree from the University of Buffalo Law School in New York.

In 1992, I became a member of the Maryland Bar, and in 1993, the District of Columbia Bar. Not long after that, I opened my first office at 8630 Fenton Street in Silver Spring, Maryland.

I currently serve as a sole practitioner focusing on the following areas of law: Bankruptcy, Social Security Disability, Auto Accidents, and Workers' Compensation. I have offices in Silver Spring, Columbia, Baltimore, and...

I am a lifelong resident of Montgomery County and practice Criminal Defense law in the Federal and State Courts of Maryland and the District of Columbia. I am a very proud graduate of the University of Maryland and University of Baltimore Law School. I have been honored in 2009 to serve as Chair of the Maryland State Bar Association Criminal Law Section Council and to previously have served as President of the Maryland Criminal Defense Attorney Association. I am also serving my second 4 year term as the Criminal Defense representative on the Maryland State Commission on...

Trish Weaver is Chair of the Appellate Practice group and a member of the Litigation, Alternative Dispute Resolution and Corporate practices. Over the past 20 years, she has handled numerous appeals, authored briefs and argued before the Maryland Court of Appeals, the Maryland Court of Special Appeals and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. She is admitted to, and awaits the chance to argue before, the U.S. Supreme Court. Prior to joining Paley Rothman, Trish clerked for the Honorable Howard S. Chasanow on the Maryland Court of Appeals.
Trish enjoys building ongoing relationships with her clients as their...

Ryan Spiegel chairs the firm’s Government Contracts practice and is a member of its Litigation, Corporate, and Science & Technology practice groups. His work spans a wide range of industries, includes general business and risk management counseling, and is characterized by outstanding client service, effective case strategy, and creative legal arguments. While he can be a tenacious litigator when necessary and maintains an excellent grasp of procedure, Ryan strives to understand his clients’ interests and goals and seek the best solution for them. He believes that resolving problems and disputes is more important than arguing for its own sake.
In recent...

Jessica Summers is an Associate in the firm’s Employee Benefits, Employment Law, Retirement Plans, Litigation and Government Relations practice groups. Jessica works with companies and organizations on a wide range of matters, including establishing and implementing effective employment policies, drafting employment agreements, maintaining employee benefit plans, addressing corporate planning issues and monitoring and advising clients on legislative and regulatory developments of import to them.
As an all-purpose business attorney with experience across several practice areas, Jessica has a comprehensive understanding of the legal and business needs of her clients and uses a common sense approach to finding solutions. In looking out...

For 35 years, Robert has specialized in insurance recovery on behalf of policyholders. As Chair of the Insurance Recovery group and a member of the firm’s Litigation practice, Robert litigates complex disputes against insurance companies on behalf of corporations seeking coverage for all manner of claims involving every form of risk and exposure such as those arising out of products, securities, directors & officers, energy, automotive, financial institutions, medical devices and health, among others.
Robert has successfully argued precedent-setting appeals in the second, third, and fourth U.S. Courts of Appeals, as well as the California Court of Appeal, San Francisco...

Advocate and adviser for government employees, business professionals, and businesses in a wide range of employment and civil litigation matters.

Civil Litigation:
- Represent individuals and businesses in various civil-litigation matters, including business litigation, contract disputes, partnership disputes, and insurance coverage.
- Represent licensed professionals in investigations, disciplinary proceedings, and appeals of adverse agency decisions regarding licensure.
- Experienced trial lawyer in state and federal court.
- Experienced appellate attorney in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, D.C. Court of Appeals, Maryland Court of Appeals, and Maryland Court of Special Appeals.
- Law clerk...

I am an experienced Maryland and District of Columbia Attorney. My practice areas include Bankruptcy, Foreclosure, Immigration, Personal Injury, Car Accidents, and Debtor/Creditor Law. I take great pride in providing personalized and effective representation. I am dedicated to meeting the legal needs and goals of my clients.

In 1995, I received my B.S. in Marine & Environmental Science from Hampton University. I earned my J.D. from Howard University School of Law in 1998. I am admitted to practice in Maryland, District of Columbia, the U.S. District Court District of Maryland, and the U.S. District Court District of Columbia.

April Cockerham is an experienced immigration lawyer practicing in Washington, DC. Ms. Cockerham has handled a wide variety of immigration issues including family immigration, investor visas, visas for victims of crimes, deportation defense, as well as student visas to name a few. Ms. Cockerham earned her J.D. from the University of Arizona School of Law, and earned her B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania. Ms. Cockerham was named a 2014 Top 100 Trial Lawyer by the National Trial Lawyers, and was also named a Top 40 Under 40 lawyer.