Gunpowder Lawyers

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...

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...

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...

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...

Paul Marcotte, Jr. Chairs the firm’s Tax practice group and is a member of its Estate Planning, Estate & Trust Administration and Nonprofit groups. He concentrates his practice on federal, state and international tax matters (both planning and controversy), estate and wealth preservation planning, probate and trust administration, nonprofit organizations, and business counseling and succession planning. Paul helps his clients by putting complicated tax issues into simple English. He makes sure that the individuals, businesses and international clients he services have help navigating our complex tax systems and avoid potential minefields such as increased levels taxation and/or penalties.
Paul’s international...

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,...

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...

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...

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...

Michael G. Wolff is a seasoned veteran with more than 30 years of experience practicing bankruptcy law. He is a respected bankruptcy attorney responsible for handling complex cases. He has served as a Bankruptcy Trustee for over 20 years in Maryland. He also enjoys a superior reputation among his clients and peers. His bankruptcy practice has been featured in several national publications. He is rated AV – the highest awarded for legal ability and ethics – by Martindale-Hubbell legal directory.

*Whenever possible, please contact me first via email: flee@steinsperling.com. Thank you.* Flora Lee always strives toward what she believes to be the right or best path, not the path of least resistance. Her drive to be better and do more, combined with her keen analytical ability, allows her to visualize and work to implement her clients’ goals. Flora was drawn to the legal profession by its unique combination of intellectual challenges, real-life stakes, and interpersonal collaboration. She works to understand her clients’ concerns even beyond the immediate case at hand, and to bring solutions that fit within their bigger picture. Prior to joining...

Maria has worked for over 15 years in helping businesses manage the challenge that immigration compliance presents to human resources management and helping individuals navigate the complex and lengthy immigration process. Maria considers her proactive approach to client matters to be her distinctive trademark. Maria handles - Work permits and visas for executives, professionals, and their family members i.e. H1B, L1, J1, Labor Certification - U.S. employment-based, business, trainee, and investor nonimmigrant visas and immigrant employment-based residency cases - Complex U.S. Citizenship

Over 2 decades of criminal, traffic, and civil litigation experience. Retired Marine Corps lieutenant colonel. Former prosecutor in both Ohio and Maryland. Experienced small business owner.

30 years experience as lawyer--10 years as a federal prosecutor employed by Tax Division of the United States Department of Justice and 20 years as solo practitioner in Oxon Hill, Maryland concentrating in family law, criminal law, tort law (including personal injury/auto accidents), civil rights, business counseling & litigation, and appeals. Reasonable fees and very high rate of satisfaction among former clients.

Chris is a partner at the firm, Dugan, McKissick & Longmore, LLC, whose practice areas include complex civil litigation, estate planning, zoning/land use and related real estate matters, and government contracts. His litigation practice focuses primarily on business and partnership disputes, construction-related contract disputes and other real estate related matters. He also represents clients in personal injury matters and leads the firm’s collections practice. Chris received his law degree, magna cum laude, from the Georgetown University Law Center in 1997 where he was Editor-in-Chief of the American Criminal Law Review and a Writing Law Fellow. Chris joined Dugan, McKissick and...

Richard J. Steinmetz, Jr. is a partner at The Law Offices of Baldwin, Briscoe & Steinmetz, P.C. He joined the firm after seven years of working with Andrews, Bongar, Gormley & Clagett, P.A. in Waldorf, Maryland. Mr. Steinmetz primarily focuses on civil and criminal litigation with an emphasis in personal injury, business and real estate property disputes. Mr. Steinmetz grew up in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania. He attended East Stroudsburg University where he earned a Bachelor’s of Arts in Political Science in 1998. After graduating from East Stroudsburg University, Mr. Steinmetz moved to Washington D.C. He attended the Catholic University...

I am an attorney practicing in Berlin, MD and on Chincoteague Island, VA. I am a licensed attorney (Maryland, Virginia, DC), certified fraud examiner (nationwide), and registered private investigator (Virginia). Before starting my own law practice, I was a National Park Ranger, a law clerk to a federal judge, a U.S. government prosecutor, and a criminal investigator. I completed my career as the Assistant Inspector General for the Securities and Exchange Commission. I hold a doctorate from the University of Florida, and a law degree from Syracuse University College of Law. Today, most of...

Debbie Cohn’s keys to professional success are as diverse as her eclectic client base that consists of professionals, business owners, retirees, and non-U.S. citizens. Yet perhaps her most critical—and comforting—characteristic is an ability to explain complex concepts in a way her clients can understand. Debbie’s approach to estate planning is equal parts pragmatic and creative, which helps put her clients at ease with the knowledge that their families will be cared for and protected, and their asset protection and wealth management goals will be met. And her wealth of experience and vast knowledge of the law allow her to blend...

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...

Mark Goldstein, one of the founders of the firm, is a member of its Corporate, Financial Services, Estate Planning and Estate & Trust Administration practice groups. He concentrates on corporate, business, estate and tax planning and advises large and small corporations, general and limited partnerships, associations and proprietorships on sophisticated business planning issues. He represents a large number of estate planning clients and is well respected for his ability to communicate and implement complicated plans in a practical manner. Mark has significant experience in structuring and negotiating business and financing transactions, reorganizations and private placement syndications. He has served as...

Kevin is a Principal in the firm and considers himself as a true business attorney. From start-up through transition, Kevin serves as outside counsel for a myriad of local businesses of varying size and industry. He is a member of the firm’s Corporate, Nonprofits, Science & Technology, and Real Estate practice groups, and regularly provides counsel in each of these areas, including general operation and governance of for-profit and nonprofit entities, business dispute resolutions, IP and technology licensing and transactions, private placements, the negotiation of employment relationships and separations, executive compensation, structuring and implementing corporate mergers and acquisitions, the negotiation...

Jim Hammerschmidt is Co-President of the firm, Co-Chair of the Employment Law group, and a member of its Litigation and Appellate Practice groups. His practice includes a range of commercial, corporate, and employment counseling and litigation, but his primary task is listening. The first thing Jim does when meeting with a client is ask, “What is your goal?” In doing this, Jim is able to determine the client’s expectations and whether we will be able to meet them. Only then can he really set about meeting his clients’ business needs.
Jim has extensive experience representing and counseling clients on employment law...

For more than 40 years, Art House has been working with businesses of all types as a corporate lawyer and litigator. He chairs the firm’s Science & Technology and Alternative Dispute Resolution practice groups, and is a member of the Corporate practice group. Art brings responsiveness and an ability to offer practical solutions to his clients, understanding that his clients’ business needs drive the deals, not the lawyer.
Art’s background in enterprise development, licensing for technology-based companies and assisting both established and start-up businesses in developing legal, business alliance and acquisition strategies gives him unique insight into the real-world problems facing...

Cristen Rose’s practice encompasses a wide variety of commercial & business litigation, with significant experience in mass torts, class actions, product liability defense, environmental litigation, contractual disputes and regulatory compliance. As a member of the firm’s Regulatory Law & Litigation practice group, she devotes a significant portion of her practice to the regulation of pesticides and other chemical products under the Federal Insecticide Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). Cristen also has extensive experience representing companies that are subjects of investigations by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the...

Linda Schwartz is a senior member of the Professional Ethics & Discipline, Estate Planning, Estate & Trust Administration, Corporate, and Real Estate practice groups. She has considerable experience in complex real estate and commercial transactions, business planning, executive succession planning, and estate planning and administration for both U.S. and non-U.S. citizens. For more than 30 years, she has served as counsel to prominent national, regional and local developers and business owners. In 2006, she was elected to the American College of Real Estate Lawyers.
Throughout her legal career, Linda has been active in public service. She is a former Assistant Attorney...

Mr. Richa's clients include recording artists, songwriters, music producers, music production companies, music publishers, record labels, television and film producers, television and video production companies, entertainment management companies, apparel companies, filmmakers, professional photographers, promotion companies, restaurants, mortgage companies, real estate companies, graphic design companies, automobile service centers, importers/exporters, interior decorating companies, insurance companies, consulting companies, medical industry companies, technology companies, software companies, image consulting companies, property nanagement companies, retail stores, business management companies, actors, directors, screenwriters, marketing companies, public relations firms, personal and business managers, commercial and music video production companies, DJ's, recording studios, dancers and choreographers along with various...

Michael Fried has spent over 25 years practicing law, and more specifically tax related law. As the principal founder of Fried Law Firm and now 1 of 2 partners at Fried & Rosefelt, LLC, Michael S. Fried actively helps clients by handling bankruptcies, business purchases, federal and state tax problems, partnership and shareholder relationships.

Immigration Lawyer, Lynn Garfinkel, Esq., has been helping clients prevent and solve problems for eight years. She recently launched Garfinkel Immigration Law, LLC to better serve client needs.Lynn Garfinkel represents clients seeking green cards, temporary and permanent visas, family and work petitions, deportation defense, naturalization, and religious, political, and gender based asylum, and benefits under the Violence Against Women Act. Ms. Garfinkel has experience with a variety of employment based petitions, including intracompany transferees, specialty occupations, professionals, researchers, and more.Finally, Ms. Garfinkel successfully represents clients at consulates around the world. Ms. Garfinkel is currently Chair of the Asylum...

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...

Joe is our newest team member, joining the firm after practicing in La Plata for over 10 years at Barbour & Hangarter. We have known and respected Joe for a long time, and it is great to have him join us as “Of Counsel.” He is also admitted to practice in Virginia and the Federal Courts, which gives our firm more reach than before. Joe will concentrate his practice in Personal Injury litigation, Family Law, and Elder Law. Joe has a passion for personal injury litigation, and that is a full time job these days. He is a guy...

Top rated attorney George E. Meng concentrates his practice in the field of litigating estate, trust and real property cases. These include will contests, improper handling of estate or trust funds, disputes relating to distributions from estates and trusts, boundary disputes and title issues at both the trial and appellate level. Routine probate, wills, trusts and estate planning are also an integral part of his experience. In addition, Mr. Meng's practice experience includes personal injury litigation and civil litigation in a variety of fields. Mr. Meng has an established reputation among his clients and throughout the legal...

Scott Hartinger practices primarily in the areas of personal injury, workers’ compensation, business litigation, traffic/criminal and family law, but has experience in all of the firm’s practice areas. Scott is also a trained mediator. Scott is a 1993 graduate of Mount Saint Mary’s College in Emmitsburg, Maryland and received his J.D. in 1996 from Widener University School of Law in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Following law school, Scott served as a Law Clerk for the Honorable James L. Ryan in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, Maryland. Scott practices in both Maryland and the District of Columbia, where he is admitted to practice...

Former Assistant State's Attorney for Wicomico County. Criminal prosecutor for ten years on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Former judicial law clerk in Wicomico County. 18 years of trial experience in criminal law. Member of the Maryland Criminal Defense Attorney's Association.

Tyler concentrates her practice in personal injury, workers compensation, bankruptcy and criminal law. She joined our firm after serving as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable DaNeeka Varner Cotton of the Circuit Court in Prince Georges County. While serving under Judge Cotton, Tyler was exposed to the intricacies of the civil and criminal processes handling a wide range of complex legal issues. While clerking, Tyler conducted extensive legal research and is knowledgeable on both civil and criminal concepts and procedures. This “behind the scenes” education is invaluable to her clients who face the prospect of appearing in...

JAMES J. GORNEY, a former insurance adjuster, is a graduate of George Mason University School of Law in Arlington, Virginia. He has been practicing law for over 25 years. His practice is primarily civil litigation with an emphasis in real estate, personal injury, commercial litigation, title insurance litigation, wills and estates. Mr. Gorney is a member of the Maryland State Bar Association and currently serves as treasurer of the Charles County Bar Association. He is on the Board of Directors of the Charles County Chamber of Commerce and the Kiwanis Club of Laplata, is a member of the Attorney Grievance...

Sam is an associate with Dugan, McKissick & Longmore, LLC whose practice focuses on real estate transactions and related litigation. He also assists clients in the creation and management of homeowners associations and condominiums, foreclosures, tax sales, and drafting contracts, loan documents, and leases. Sam earned his law degree from the Penn State Dickinson School of Law and a bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University. Upon graduation from law school he served as law clerk to the Honorable Robert C. Nalley of the Circuit Court for Charles County, after which he joined the firm. Sam speaks Spanish and enjoys travelling...

Bill is a founding partner of Dugan, McKissick and Longmore, LLC, and has been practicing business, corporate, real estate, zoning and other transactional law since 1989 . He earned his law degree with honors from the University Of Maryland School Of Law and attended Franklin and Marshall College. He grew up in Baltimore City and moved to St. Mary’s County after spending summers clerking at a local law firm while in law school. He has been involved with numerous local boards and task forces concerning issues affecting the business community and community at large and has been active with the...