As 2024 draws to a close, I reflect on what a great year it has been for our Bar association. We are so fortunate to have an active membership, filled with judges and attorneys who dedicate their time to the advancement of the legal pro fession and to helping others. Of course, none of what we do would be possible without our Bar staff - they are nothing short of incredible. They are the silent heroes that keep our asso ciation and foundation running smoothly. If time allows this month, please thank them, as I assure you, without them, the proverbial wheels would come off.
Last month, we gathered for a member Happy Hour, a wonderful evening of camaraderie. We also hosted a Past Presidents dinner that provided an opportunity to honor the legacy and leadership of those who have shaped our organization over the years. Among the nineteen Past Presidents that came together, was Al Brault, who led the BAMC in the 1975-1976 bar year. It was a privilege to hear and see before my eyes, the bonds that time has only strengthened. November’s Executive Committee meeting was my thirteenth in my extended presidency - the first after completing a year of leading this wonderful association. I am incredibly grateful for the support that I have received from everyone, and can undoubtably say, that there is no better reason to have an extended term than because a brilliant trailblazer achieved her dream. It’s fitting timing, as on December 3rd, we will celebrate the investiture of Judge-Designate Kate McQueen. She, like Judge Fairfax, represent not only their hard work, but that of those that shattered ceilings before them.
Looking ahead, I am thrilled that Barrister’s Bash will take place on March 15, 2025 at the Rockville Hilton - please mark your calendars! It promises to be an event you won't want to miss as we celebrate our members and enjoy an evening of music, dancing, food, drinks, and fun.
As we move toward winter, when we begin to wind down the year, celebrate togetherness, and prepare for the holidays, I encourage each of you to embrace the season not just as a time of change, but as an opportunity to reconnect – with colleagues, the BAMC, and the values that unite us as a legal community. Whether it’s attend ing a CLE, attending a holiday party, or celebrating a well-deserved bench appointment, there’s something for everyone this month. Let’s take full advantage of these opportunities to come together, support one another, and continue building the camaraderie that makes the BAMC such a special organization. As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or ideas to
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In compliance with Article VII of the Bar Association Constitution, the membership is hereby notified that a General Election for new Officers and Executive Committee will be conducted.
If you are interested in running for any of the positions, please email either contact listed below no later than the close of business on January 10, 2025.
Jonathan Webb Committee Chair jonathan.webb@kippdc.org
Bar Association Staff
Wanda Executive Director
(301) 424-3453 Wanda@barassociationmc.org
Maria Office Manager/LRS Supervisor (301) 424-7040 Maria@barassociationmc.org
Cindy Member Services Coordinator | Executive Assistant (301) 762-8376 Cindy@barassociationmc.org
The following staff listing is not for public information. It is for attorney use only.
Debbie Program Coordinator (301) 762-5831
Debbie@barfoundationmc.org
Lupe Case Manager (301) 424-2706
Guadalupe@barfoundationmc.org
Sabrina Case Manager ............................................ (301) 762-8488 Sabrina@barfoundationmc.org
FOR LAWYERS WHO NEED HELP
BAR ASSOCIATION OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD NEWSLETTER (USPS 430-930) ISSN-1079-0780
is published monthly except July/August combined at $25.00 per year by the Bar Association of Montgomery County, MD 27 West Jefferson Street, Rockville, MD 20850-4200
Diversity – Hon. Jill R. Cummins– (240) 773-4005; Benjamin S. Vaughan - (301) 251-0440
Endowment – Heather Q. Hostetter – (301) 657-0010
Facilities – John Monahan - (301) 251-1811
Fall Outing – Stephen H. (Hayes) Edwards, Jr. – (301) (841-0191; Caitlyn C. Grant – (301) 347-1272
Pro Bono – VACANT
School Mock Trial – Bradford S. Bernstein – (301) 517-4811; Casey L. Cirner – (301) 762-1600
2024 - 2025 Officers and Chairs
ASSOCIATION OFFICERS
President: Pilar Nichols
President-Elect: Aindrea M. Conroy
Treasurer: Anne-Marie Carnemark
Treasurer-Elect: Anne E. Grover
Secretary: Tracey J. Coates
Past President: Stephanie Perry
Executive Director: Wanda A. Calvin Claiborne
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Joshua R. Chazen
Mi (Jemi) Cho
Carolyn M. Demougeot
Andre M. Forte
Jessica M. Hall
Paul J. Havenstein
Mag. Lena Kim
Jessica Markham
Elizabeth J. McInturff
Tracy E. Phillips
Isabelle R. Raquin
Steven B. Vinick
New Practitioners Co-Chairs: Elizabeth L. Farley & Katelyn E. Holbrook
COMMITTEE CHAIRS
Assoc./Found. – Ann. Mtg. & Law Day – Anne E. Grover –(301) 358-1813
Bench/Bar-Circuit – Heather C. Collier – (301) 276-4350; Megan N. Rosan – (301) 656-1177
Bench/Bar-District Court – Richard D. London –(301) 588-6900; David H. Moyse – (240) 292-7200
Budget – Catherine McQueen – (240) 507-1700
Community Outreach - Emily H. Folio – (301) 657-0010; Nidhi Patel – (301) 340-2020
Fee Dispute Resolution – Stephen F. Allen – (301) 987-2002; Karen Robbins – (301) 668-3222
Judicial Selections – Lisa L. Fishberg, Chair – (301) 298-8407 Megan N. Rosan, Vice Chair – (301) 656-1177
Lawyer Assistance – William E. Hewitt, Jr. – (301) 424-8520; Alisha Jacobsen – (240) 423-6847
Leadership Development – William Carl Isler II –(202) 295-1536; Leslie E. Miller – (240) 396-4373
Legal Ethics – P. David Gavin – (301) 279-2700; Lydia E. Lawless – (410) 319-0514; Seth Zucker – (240) 777-7345
Legislation – Paul G. Griffin – (301) 254-2745
Membership Benefits – Joshua I. Bienstock – (301) 251-1600; Bianca M. Pinnock – (240) 396-4373
Mentor/Mentee (sub of New Practitioners) - Carlotta Woodward – (240) 777-7499
Nominations & Elections – Jonathan A. Webb — (301) 762-1696
Social – Jamie L. Alvarado-Taylor – (301) 838-3252; Andre M. Forte – (31) 791-6924
Social Media / Technology – VACANT
Softball – Andre M. Forte – (301) 656-1177
Strategic Planning – Diane E. Feuerherd – (301) 738-2048; Jessica M. Hall – (410) 514-7060
Youth Courthouse Project – George E. Simms, III –(240) 777-7383; Sara E. Furlow – (301) 660-6745
SECTION CHAIRS
Administrative Law – John T. Henderson, Jr. – (410) 229-4100; Javaneh Pourkarim – (301) 637-1060
ADR-Collaborative Law – Regina DeMeo – (240) 621-0559 Jane L. Rodgers – (240) 396-4373
Business Law – Jordan Savitz – (240) 507-1729 Raymond Sherbill – (301) 347-1275
Commercial Litigation – Eduardo S. Garcia – (301) 340-2020; Criminal Law – Teresa Casafranca – (240) 777-7476; Isabelle R. Raquin – (301) 880-9250
Education Law – Jaime E. Seaton – (301) 579-3132
Elder Law – Lillian Hummel – (301) 762-8872
Employment Law – Stephen H. Edwards, Jr. – (301) 656-7603
Estates & Trusts – Justin A. DeVault – (301) 230-5233
Family Law – Bianca M. Pinnock – (301) 230-5207; Makia A. Weaver – (301) 907-2811
Immigration – Benjamin C. Hu – (301) 938-1469; Laurence F. Johnson – (301) 942-0303
Intellectual Property & Technology – Michael L. Greenberg –(202) 625-7000; Raymond Van Dyke – (202) 378-3903
Juvenile Law – Janet B. Friedman – (301) 563-8914; Shawn R. Michael – (240) 777-7514
Law Firm Management – Amy B. Strent – (301) 657-0010
New Practitioners – Elizabeth L. Farley – (301) 656-1177; Katelyn E. Holbrook – (240) 743-5414
Chamber Chats – Niall D. McMillan – (240) 507-1700
Personal Injury Litigation – Michael B. De Troia (Defense) –(301) 762-7770; Tiffany D. Randolph (Plaintiff) –(301) 945-9258
Real Estate – Jamie Hamelburg – (301) 913-5200; Wendy D. Pullano – (301) 656-2707
Solo & Small Firm – Meredith Hill – (301) 244-9040 T. Ryan Wilson – (301) 509-4496
Taxation Law – Chaya Kundra – (301) 424-7585
Workers Compensation Law – Jeffrey W. Stickle –(301) 888-7635; Ronald A. Rubloff – (301) 670-6333
CIRCUIT COURT NOTES
James A. Bonifant, Administrative Judge Expanded Voir Dire MD Rule 16-310 Pilot Program
Rule 16-310 authorizes the use of a pilot program to gather data to assist the Rules Committee and the Supreme Court of Maryland to determine whether Rules 2-512 and 4-312 should be amended to permit voir dire questions for the purpose of assisting with peremptory challenges. Chief Justice Fader requested 6 of our judges to participate in the Pilot Program. The judges selected are Judges Burrell, Maloney, Cummins, Schweitzer, Lease, and McAuliffe. Chief Justice Fader named Judge Laura Ripken of the Maryland Appellate Court to chair an Advisory Board to collect data regarding the program. The timeline for the Advisory Board’s work is as follows:
Legal Practice Solutions
• By December 1, 2024, the Advisory Board will determine what data it wants the participating judges to collect during the jury selection process. What is to be collected will be part of a packet to be sent out to the participating judges.
• Between 12/1/24 and 1/1/25, the participating judges will review the packet and forward any questions they may have.
• Between 1/1/25 and 6/30/25, the judges will collect the data and forward it to the Advisory Board.
• Between 7/1/25 and 9/30/25, the Advisory Board will analyze the data and prepare a report for the Supreme Court and the Rules Committee.
• Between 10/1/25 and 12/31/25, the Supreme Court and the Rules Committee will review the data and decide whether there should be any changes to Rules 2-512 and 4-312. Expect different judges to handle this matter different-
LEGAL ETHICS HOTLINE
David Gavin ... pdgavin@yahoo.com; 301-279-2700
David Gardner ... dgardner@davidgardnerlaw.com; 301-762-8475
For a written confidential opinion, submit your request, marked confidential to one of the Co-Chairs, David Gavin, Lydia Lawless or Seth Zucker, c/o Bar Association of Montgomery County, MD, 27 West Jefferson St., Rockville, MD 20850.
ly. The Advisory Committee determined that if each judge handled the expanded voir dire in the same manner, then the data collected would not be as helpful when making comparisons and determining which approach proved most effective. Note also that the Circuit Court will continue to re-assign cases, sometimes on the morning of trial. This means that counsel and litigants should prepare in advance and be ready to have their case heard by a participating judge, even though it is not currently assigned to a participating judge. It also means that your case could be moved away from a participating judge. As part of the project, even nonparticipating judges will be required to keep certain data. Finally, the MSBA is working on draft voir dire to assist attorneys handling expanded voir dire cases.
Law Library – Hours Changing
Beginning on Wednesday, November 27th, 2024, Montgomery County Circuit Court Law Library changed its closing hours. The new hours of operation will be 8 am-4 pm, Monday through Friday. Law Library meeting rooms, available at no charge for legal purposes, will also be available to reserve between 8 am and 4 pm, Monday through Friday. Montgomery County Circuit Court Law Library is committed to providing excellent legal research assistance and resources to our community. We will continue to be available in person, via phone (240-777-9120), and via email (mocolawlibrary@mdcourts.gov). Please direct any questions or concerns to Court Administra-
Filing Financial Statements, Joint Statement Concerning Parenting Time, & Joint Statement of Marital and Non-Marital Property
Title 9 of the Maryland Rules establishes specific deadlines for the filing of Financial Statements and Joint Statements in family matters. The Court relies upon these papers when making decisions as a case proceeds. They facilitate settlement and assist the Court with scheduling and with preparing for trials and hearings. Too often deadlines are ignored. Please note the Court will be giving priority to cases with timely filed statements, as it indicates the parties are ready to proceed in an efficient manner, which aids the Court with reaching more effective decisions.
Responding To the Court’s Request for Case Status
In the near future the Circuit Court will be down to 21 judges as we await three replacements due to retirement. It remains extremely important that when requested counsel provide an accurate assessment of the status of their case prior to trial. Approximately three weeks prior to your scheduled trial, you will receive an email from Family Division Services (mcccfamilycasestatus@mdcourts.gov) or the Civil/Criminal Case Managers Annalese Bell at annalese.bell@mdcourts.gov or Nicole Pulliam at nicole.pulliam@mdcourts.gov. Thereafter, you may receive emails from the chambers of the assigned judge. Surprisingly, emails from chambers or
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tion or Julia Viets at the Law Library.
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continue to strengthen our association.
I hope your holiday is filled with warmth, joy, and wonderful moments with those you cherish most.
PLAY BALL!
Andre Forte, Commissioner
The Montgomery County Bar Association Softball Season will be here before you know it. We’re hoping to find additional firms/offices who would like to join last season’s regular season champs, Res Ipsa (various offices), tournament winners LEBrewers (Lerch Early), the courthouse team (Benchwarmers), Stein Sperling, Goldberg & Finnegan (Torts Illustrated), and Shulman Rogers. We are fortunate to have many judges participate in/attend the games as it helps make the league such a great experience and a fun way to interact with members of the bench and bar in an informal setting. The schedule will be made around February and start in late April/early May.
If you would like to enter a new team in the league or join a team, please contact me at aforte@wfortelaw.com byJanuary 31, 2025.
Career Center
If you are interested in joining the panel, please contact Maria at Maria@barassociationmc.org for more information.
Support Drug Court by helping a participant obtain stable em ent and therefore restore their life, stay committed to recovery and become a productive member of the community. For further information please contact Brooke Sisson at brooke.sisson@mdcourts.gov.
Where Talent and Opportunity Meet
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court staff continued to go unanswered. Please respond as soon as possible to any emails received to advise as to the posture of your case and provide the information requested.
Hearings And Trials on The TBA Docket
There are many trials and hearings scheduled which have yet to be assigned to a judge or magistrate. Many will be assigned the day before or on the day of the trial or hearing. If your case is on the TBA docket, please proceed in normal course and continue to prepare for your trial and/or hearing accordingly. If your hearing or trial is placed on the TBA Docket, the parties assigned to the TBA calendar should report to the Assignment Office, North Tower 1st Floor, Room 1320 to check in and shall wait for further instruction from the Court.
Special Immigrant Juvenile Status
Effective October 15, 2024, all new SIJS custody petitions must be consistent with all aspects of Md. Code Ann., Fam. Law § 9.5-209(a)(2). All custody petitions must state whether the petitioner is aware of any other proceedings—past or pending—including those outside of the United States, that involve the custody and/or visitation of the child(ren). Without this information the case will not proceed to a hearing.
Please check the Circuit Court website for up-to-
date information on the status of court operations. www.montgomerycountymd.gov/cct/
CIRCUIT COURT LAW LIBRARY
Teresa
Sites, Law Librarian I Learn about the “Letter” of the Law at the Law Library
As you are busy preparing your letters, cards, and packages for the holidays, let’s look into some legal information about the Postal Service available at the Law Library. The US Postal Service has laws and regulations recorded in the United States Code and Code of Federal Regulations. At the Law Library, we can help you research the updated United States Code in print or on our databases, Westlaw and Lexis. You can also find the updated Code of Federal Regulations in these databases.
First and foremost, you might be wondering if you have mailed your gifts and cards in time for delivery on the holidays. Is there a law governing when mail delivery occurs?
Title 39 USC §101 subsection b explains: “Delivery shall occur at least six days a week, except during weeks that include a Federal holiday, in emergency situations, such as natural disasters, or in geographic areas where the Postal Service has
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5 Strategies To Be More Productive Around The Holidays
The holiday season can add stress and increase distractions. Here are five ideas for December that can enhance your practice and make practicing law a little more rewarding and a little less stressful:
1. Set a goal to get caught up on your casework or any other work that you are behind on before the new year. If you have a team, engage them in the process. Having a goal to complete before the holidays can result in increased billing and less time wasted. Plus, you come back to an office where you’re caught up.
2. Get together with your CPA to talk through strategies for reducing your taxes. Prior to practicing law, I practiced as a CPA working in taxes and tax planning. We met with every tax client in November and December to review what they would owe in April and to recommend strategic steps that they could take to reduce their tax burden. They felt great when they saw the potential reductions. You will, too.
3. Talk to everyone on your team—those who work for you, those who work with you, and those who are outsourced or outside vendors. Thank them in person or over the phone for their hard work this year. You’ll feel good and so will they.
4. Draft a plan for your practice or your career for 2025. Attorneys who have a strategic plan or write down their goals are more likely to accomplish them and see steady improvement in their practices. Those without a plan tend to just keep up with the next deadline.
5. Get away from the office. Yes, whether you are traveling or just taking time off, a week away can help you come back to the office refreshed and ready to take on 2025. Smart attorneys plan their next trip as soon as they return. Knowing you have a vacation planned can help you tackle the difficult weeks in your schedule without burning out.
Thanks for reading my columns on how to balance yourself and your practice better. Have a great holiday and 2025!
established a policy of delivering mail fewer than six days a week as of the date of enactment of the Postal Service Reform Act of 2022.”
If you continue to examine 39 USC, you’ll find the entire title is dedicated to different aspects of the Postal Service. Areas addressed include personnel, modernization and fiscal administration, mail matter,
and transportation of mail. This title might begin to answer a couple more questions you may be asking yourself as you drop off your letters at the post office, including:
• What is the logic behind postage prices? A place to start might be subsection d of 39 USC §101 which explains: “Postal rates shall be established to
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Geoff Gilbert, Esquire
(Continued from preceding page)
apportion the costs of all postal operations to all users of the mail on a fair and equitable basis.”
• Is there guidance about privacy when using the Postal Service? 39 USC §412, subsection a, offers: “Except as specifically provided by subsection (b) or other law, no officer or employee of the Postal Service shall make available to the public by any means or for any purpose any mailing or other list of names or addresses (past or present) of postal patrons or other persons.”
After reviewing 39 USC, another place in the code you can find more information about the Postal Service is Title 18 USC, Crimes and Criminal Procedure. It includes sections of statues governing issues including mail desertion or obstruction, non-mailable products, and postage, among other issues.
At the Law Library, we can help you find a range of legal information about the Postal Service, but let’s come back to your first question: “will my gifts be delivered on time?!” We might find more guidance using another resource: The Code of Federal Regulations. In Title 39, Chapter I, you’ll find “Tables Depicting Service Standard Day Ranges” in the Appendix. These tables describe standard service day ranges, based on the service you select: First Class Mail, Periodicals, USPS Marketing Mail or Packages. Or, use our research computers to visit the US Postal Service’s website to find a listing of holiday mail deadlines. Keep in mind, we can help you email and/or print the information you find on our computers. Also, every day, your first black and white 20 prints or copies are free of charge. Happy Holidays and remember, we are here to help with your research!
Notice Regarding New Library Hours
Beginning on November 27th, the Law Library changed
SOCIAL COMMITTEE
Andre Forte, Co-Chair
Jamie Alvarado-Taylor, Co-Chair
On November 10th several Montgomery County Bar Association members joined District Court judges to participate in the Bay Bridge Walk/Run.
If you have any activities you would like the social committee to help organize, please email either of us aforte@wfortelaw.com or JAlvaradoTaylor@steinsperling.com.
their hours of operation. The Law Library (including meeting rooms) will be open from 8am-4pm, M-F. Read
Over 20 Years of Medical Malpractice Litigation Experience
the Administrative Order at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/ cct/administrative-orders.html.
Find the answer fast at the Circuit Court Law Library mocolawlibrary@mdcourts.gov 240-777-9120
Valerie Grove pursues claims on behalf of injured victims of malpractice. Her knowledge of medical negligence litigation and related health law issues is extensive.
240-553-1218 / VGROVE@JGLLAW.COM
MARYLAND | DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA | VIRGINIA JGLLAW.COM
Pictured left to right: Judge Sidney Butcher, Steve Vinick, Jessica Quincosa, Pilar Nichols, Judge Monise Brown, William Carl Isler, Andre Forte
The McCammon Group
is pleased to announce our newest Neutral
Philip M. Andrews, Esq.
General Commercial and Governmental Matters
Phil Andrews has joined The McCammon Group to serve as a mediator and arbitrator in addition to his continuing law practice at Kramon & Graham, P.A. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. Phil has extensive experience in a broad range of commercial matters including disputes among business owners, employment, construction, trade secrets, fiduciary obligations, healthcare, information technology, transportation, gaming, and cannabis, as well as in state and local government matters and procurement. Dedicated to his community, Phil is a former Chair of the Board of Directors of the Maryland Food Bank and a longstanding Member (and former Co-Chair) of Maryland Legal Aid’s Equal Justice Council, among many civic-related activities. He now brings his years of experience and dedication to The McCammon Group to serve the dispute resolution needs of lawyers and litigants in Maryland, DC, Virginia, and beyond.
Refresher on Duty of Loyalty to Former Clients
As we finish out this year and look toward 2025, many of us are thinking about how to bring in new business. In doing so, it is important to consider our duty of loyalty to former clients. This month’s article will serve as a refresher on this duty of loyalty – MRPC 1.9 – DUTIES TO FORMER CLIENTS – and the definition of “substantially related”.
MRPC 1.9 (emphasis added) provides as follows:
(a) An attorney who has formerly represented a client in a matter shall not thereafter represent another person in the same or a substantially related matter in which that person's interests are materially adverse to the interests of the former client unless the former client gives informed consent, confirmed in writing.
(b) An attorney shall not knowingly represent a person in the same or a substantially related matter in which a firm with which the attorney formerly was associated had previously represented a client:
(1) whose interests are materially adverse to that person; and
(2) about whom the attorney had acquired information protected by Rules 19-301.6 (1.6) and 19301.9 (c) (1.9) that is material to the matter; unless the former client gives informed consent, confirmed in writing.
(c) An attorney who has formerly represented a client in a matter or whose present or former firm has formerly represented a client in a matter shall not thereafter:
(1) use information relating to the representation to the disadvantage of the former client except as these Rules would
permit or require with respect to a client, or when the information has become generally known; or (2) reveal information relating to the representation except as these Rules would permit or require with respect to a client.
In considering Rule 1.9, how is “substantially related” defined?
“Substantially related” has been defined as “‘identical’ or ‘essentially the same,’ or ‘factually related.’” Pa. Nat. Mut. Cas. Ins. Co. v. Perlberg, 819 F. Supp. 2d 449, 455 (2011) (D. Md. 2011), quoting Nichols Agency, Inc. v. Enchanted Child Care, Inc., 537 F. Supp. 2d 774, 779 (D.Md.2008).
A substantial relationship does not require the two (2) matters involving the same operative facts, but the matters must have “‘a sufficient similarity of issue.’” Pa. Nat. Mut. Cas. Ins. Co. v. Perlberg, 819 F. Supp. 2d 449, 455 (2011), quoting Buckley v. Airshield Corp., 908 F. Supp. 299, 304 (D. Md.1995).
Our Supreme Court has defined “substantially related” as “‘embrac[ing] consideration of circumstances where the same issue is litigated, albeit for a different client, if there is a substantial risk that confidential communications between the attorney and his or her former client may be disclosed or utilized in a material manner prejudicial to the former client.’” Att’y Grievance Comm’n of Md. v. Siskind, 401 Md. 41, 57, 930 A.2d 328, 337 (2007), quoting Gatewood v. State, 388 Md. 526, 544, 880 A.2d 322, 332-33 (2005). See also Shih Ping Li v. Tzu Lee, 210 Md. App. 73, 62 A.3d 212, 233 (2013), quoting Nichols Agency, 537 F. Supp. 2d at 779 (“‘The relevant question, therefore, is whether the confidential information which is assumed to have been shared in the previous representation could be used to the detriment of the former client in the current
proceeding.’”). Said differently, Comment 2 to Rule 1.9 provides that “[t]he underlying question is whether the attorney was so involved in the matter that the subsequent representation can be justly regarded as a changing of sides in the matter in question.”
Examples of matters that our Supreme Court has found to be substantially related include:
- An attorney filing suit against a former client (an entity he created), “over a business transaction he helped construct by creating the relevant documents now central to the contract suit,” which demonstrated that the attorney had “…effectively changed sides.” Siskind, 401 Md. at 63, 930 A.2d at 341.
- An attorney’s representation of a criminal defendant, when he previously represented a witness for the state, violated Rule 1.9 and warranted that attorney’s disqualification. Alexis v. State, 209 Md. App. 630, 660, 61 A.3d 104, 121 (2013).
- An attorney’s including information obtained through privileged communications with a former client in his lawsuit to recover fees from that former client, which once disclosed in the attorney’s complaint assisted a third party in separate litigation against that former client, violated Rule 1.9. Att’y Grievance Comm’n of Md. v. Powers, 454 Md. 79, 95, 164 A.3d 138, 147 (2017).
In certain circumstances, it is possible to represent one (1) former client against another. For example, in Shih Ping Li, 210 Md. App. 73, 62 A.3d 212, the attorney, Yu Gu’s, representation of both parties related to changing the wife’s immigration status and then the wife only in preparation and negotiation of separation agreements, did not violate Rule 1.9
and informed consent of the husband was not required. The Court held that the “immigration petitions and the separation agreements involve wholly different practical areas of law and issues and, therefore, are not substantially related.” Id. at 109-110, 62 A.3d at 234. In Pa. Nat. Mut. Cas. Ins. Co. v. Perlberg, 819 F. Supp. 2d 449, the Court held that an attorney’s representation of an insurance company’s insureds in automobile and lead-paint tort cases did not bar her from representing clients related to issues of coverage against that insurance company.
A main purpose of the Duty of Loyalty to former clients is to ensure that the former client’s confidences are forever protected. In fact, when considering whether an attorney should be disqualified, it is well settled that “[o]nce an attorney-client relationship is found, ‘an irrebuttable presumption arises that confidential information was conveyed to the attorney in the prior matter.’” Pennsylvania Nat. Mut. Cas. Ins. Co. v. Perlberg, 819 F. Supp. 2d 449, 454 (2011), quoting Nichols Agency, Inc., supra, at 779.
Ultimately, attorneys should consider declining representation in any case (and at a minimum exercise extreme caution in accepting a case) involving the adverse interests of a former client, regardless of whether the matters are substantially related. Determining whether matters are “substantially related” requires a thorough analysis of the facts and issues, as well as whether the attorney possesses any confidential information that may be used to the detriment of the former client.
Author: Heather Sweren, Esquire
Committee Co-Chairs
P. David Gavin, Esquire
Lydia E. Lawless, Esquire
Seth Zucker, Esquire
Sean Rogers Leonardtown
Hon. Steven Platt Annapolis
Richard Sothoron Upper Marlboro
James Wilson Rockville
Hon. Monty Ahalt Annapolis
Jonathan Marks Bethesda
Daniel Dozier Bethesda Douglas Bregman Bethesda
Hon. Carol Smith Timonium
Scott Sonntag Columbia
Joseph Fitzpatrick Silver Spring
Hon. Irma Raker Bethesda
Hon. Diane Leasure Edgewater
Hon. James Eyler Baltimore
Hon. Leo Green Annapolis
Greg Wells Rockville
Jeff Trueman Baltimore
Robert Baum Rockville
Homer La Rue Columbia
The Comstock Act: The Past As Prologue?
In 1839, Charles Goodyear invented the technology to vulcanize rubber and puts it to use manufacturing rubber condoms, intrauterine devices, douching syringes, and "womb veils" (diaphragms). By the 1870s, a wide assortment of birth control devices are available in America — such as condoms, sponges, douching syringes, diaphragms and cervical caps — from catalogs, pharmacists, dry-goods stores and even rubber vendors.1 And here is where the story of The Comstock Act begins.
Comstock's Crusade
Born in rural Connecticut in 1844, Anthony Comstock served in the infantry during the Civil War, then moved to New York City and found work as a salesman. A devout Christian, he
by Richard E. Schimel
was appalled by what he saw in the city's streets. Advertisements for contraception! Open discussions of sexual health! It all struck Comstock as terribly lewd and anti-Christian. It seemed to him that the town was teeming with prostitutes and pornography.
So he made it his mission to clean up society, creating the loftily named New York Society for the Suppression of Vice and gathering evidence for police raids on places that distributed material he thought was obscene or promoted indecent living. Offended by explicit advertisements for birth control devices, which he believed to promote lust and lewdness, Comstock identified the contraceptive industry as one of his targets.2
Diverse Experience. Singular Focus.
The Victoria Woodhull Case
While Comstock argued that obscenity lay at the root of problems of sexual disorder, “free lovers” offered a radically different analysis of these problems. Free lovers argued that women were sexually enslaved by the existing institution of marriage. They asserted that neither the church nor the state had the right to regulate sexual relations.3
The clash between these two perceptions of human sexuality came to a head in 1872. Victoria Woodhull had written of an alleged affair conducted by one of the nation’s best-known preachers, Pastor Henry Ward Beecher of Brooklyn’s Plymouth Church, with a female parishioner by the name of Elizabeth Tilton. Woodhull
denounced the hypocrisy of Beecher’s affair and exposed it in an article published in an issue of Woodhull & Claftin’s Weekly. At its height, the newspaper had a national circulation of 20,000.4
On November 2, 1872, United States marshals arrested her for sending “obscene” literature through the mails. Woodhull was acquitted on a legal technicality: the 1865 statute under which she was charged did not cover newspapers. It was this kind of gap in obscenity law that Comstock sought to close with the bill that would become the Comstock Act.
Making Birth Control a Federal Crime
By the mid-nineteenth century, the common law had come
S
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to define obscenity as a crime covering writings and images “contrary to public order and natural feeling.” State courts applied this definition to profane speech, public nudity, and erotic images.
In 1872 Comstock set off for Washington with an anti-obscenity bill that he had drafted himself. Comstock and his allies that contraception and abortion, incentivized sexual impurity. Erotica stoked lust for both boys and girls, and anything marketed as a contraceptive or abortifacient would facilitate licentiousness by allowing users to conceal their sin.5
On March 3, 1873, Congress passed the new law, later known as the Comstock Act. The Comstock Act banned not just the mailing of communications and speech about illicit sex but also the mailing of items and objects deemed obscene. The statute defined contraceptives as obscene and illicit, making it a federal offense to disseminate birth control through the mail or across state lines. This statute was the first of its kind in the Western world. Consequently, for the first time, the federal government began policing marital nonprocreative sex as a threat to public order.
State Legislation
Soon after the federal law was on the books, state legislatures enacted their own versions of Comstock laws to restrict the contraceptive trade on a state level. Among the forbidden acts, in connection with articles, instruments, books, papers, etc. pertaining to contraception and abortion, were to "exhibit," "import," "buy," "sell," "lend," "keep for sale," "have in possession," (Iowa); "have in possession with intent to sell," "have possession with or "advertise," "distribute," "manufacture," "gratuitous distribution" "conveying notice, hint or reference to," under "real or fictitious name," "give information orally" "write, compose, or pub-
lish." In Connecticut, the act of using birth control was even prohibited by law. Married couples could be arrested for using birth control in the privacy of their own bedrooms, and subjected to a one-year prison sentence.6
State law enforcement agents often looked the other way when it came to anti-birth control laws, but the statutes remained on the books.
The Origin of the Term “Comstockery”
Mrs. Warren's Profes-sion is a play written by George Bernard Shaw in 1893, and first performed in London in 1902. The play is about a former prostitute, now a madam (brothel proprietor), who attempts to come to terms with her disapproving daughter. It offered social commentary to illustrate the idea that the act of prostitution was not caused by moral failure but by economic necessity.
In 1905, Anthony Comstock shut down a production of George Bernard Shaw’s Mrs. Warren’s Profession after one performance. Shaw wrote the New York Times a contemptuous letter proclaiming that "Comstockery is the world's standing joke at the expense of the United States. Europe likes to hear of such things. It confirms the deep-seated conviction of the Old World that America is a provincial place, a second-rate country-town civilization after all." Usage of the term “Comstockery” soared.7
By the early twentieth century, a group of women in the suffrage movement—who called themselves “feminists” began to speak and act in open opposition to Comstock.
Margaret Sanger
Margaret Sanger was the sixth child of a poor, working class, Irish Catholic immigrant family in Corning, New York. She worked as a nurse for New York’s poor on the lower East Side, caring for immigrant women who repeatedly faced
death or injury in childbirth and abortion, and who struggled to care for large families they could not feed. Sanger’s own mother had died of tuberculosis after conceiving eighteen times in 22 years—eleven live births and seven pregnancies ending in miscarriage.8
On October 16, 1914, Sanger, with her sister, Ethel Bryne and a friend, Fania Mindell, opened the first birth control clinic in America, in Brooklyn, New York. On the ninth day of the Brownsville Clinic’s operation, an undercover New York Police Department detective named Margaret Whitehurst visited the Brownsville Clinic, claiming to be in search of birth control information. Dressed as a washerwoman and pushing a borrowed baby in a stroller, Whitehurst immediately aroused the staff’s suspicion, but they nonetheless gave her an informational session and a sex education pamphlet, for which Whitehurst left a two-dollar donation. The next day, Whitehurst returned to the clinic with three plainclothes NYPD officers and arrested Sanger, Byrne and Mindell for exhibiting and offering to sell “instruments, articles, recipes, drugs and medicines for the prevention of conception” and “instruments of indecent and immoral use,” in violation of Section 1142 of New York’s Penal Law. All three were convicted, and Sanger served thirty days in the Queens County Penitentiary. The same Court fined Mindell fifty dollars instead of sentencing her to jail because the pamphlet she distributed, “What Every Girl Should Know,” did not contain specific information about contraceptives.9
Upon her release from jail in March, Sanger appealed the Court’s decision that opening the clinic violated Section 1142 of the New York Penal Code.
On 31 July 1917, the Appellate Division of the New York Supreme Court affirmed the judgment of the Court of Special Sessions convicting Sanger. Following that decision, Sanger
appealed the case to New York State Court of Appeals in Albany, the state’s highest court. Jonah Goldstein argued on behalf of Sanger that Section 1142 of the New York Penal Code’s limitations on the distribution of birth control were unconstitutional.
Judge Frederick Crane upheld the original decision that Sanger had violated Section 1142 of the New York Penal Code by opening the birth control clinic and distributing material on contraception. Crane ruled that the New York law was not unconstitutional, as it protected the morals of society.
But there is a silver lining here. Section 1145 had been originally passed as a public health measure to reduce the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. However, in his decision, Crane cited the definition of disease from Webster’s New International Dictionary 1909 as being any change in the state of the body or an organ that causes a disturbance in function or health. Under Crane’s interpretation, physicians could prescribe contraceptives to prevent general disturbances from health. That ruling meant that physicians could prescribe contraception if a woman had a medical reason for needing to avoid pregnancy. Crane’s decision also permitted pharmacists to distribute contraceptives when under the advisement of a physician.10
This laid the groundwork for legal birth control clinics managed by physicians. On January 2, 1923, Sanger established the Clinical Research Bureau in New York City, New York, under the supervision of Dorothy Bocker, a physician. It was later renamed the Birth Control Clinical Research Bureau. The Bureau, which dispensed contraceptives and conducted research on various methods of birth control, was one of the first legal birth control clinics in the US. After the creation of the Clinical Research Bu-
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reau, individuals in many other states began establishing birth control clinics to educate and provide resources about contraception to women.
Mary Ware Dennett
Mary Ware Dennett was born in April of 1872. In 1915, unable to find appropriate materials to answer her fourteen-yearold son’s questions about sex, Dennett decided to write her own account, an essay she entitled “The Sex Side of Life: An Explanation for Young People,” in which she offered teens a frank, anatomically correct account of sexual relations and the reproductive process, presenting the physiological and emotional aspects of sex as integral parts of love. Dennett published her essay in a medical journal in 1918, and in 1919 advocated for a bill reforming obscenity law in New York State, appealing to principles of freedom and democracy as she did so.
In 1922, the post office ruled the pamphlet obscene. Within two weeks Dennett was indicted and soon thereafter tried and convicted for violating the Comstock Act. The Brooklyn trial court’s decision provoked a storm of protest. This refrain was repeated across the nation: “It’s only twenty thin pages written by a grandmother for distribution to such organizations as the Y.M.C.A, but it has sent the United States post office authorities, the New York clergy, the United States attorney’s office and educational circles into a lather.”
Represented by Morris Ernest, Dennett appealed to the Second Circuit where Judge Augustus Hand decided her case United States v. Dennett in 1930. Judge Hand ruled that “The Sex Side of Life” was not obscene. A first critical premise of the opinion was that sexual expression is a valuable dimension of human relationships. He determined that society would benefit from greater access to knowledge about sex. It was
not sex that threatened society, Judge Hand reasoned, so much as the sexual-purity reading of the obscenity statute itself.11
Hannah Stone
The U.S. Congress further deterred the circulation of birth control in 1930 by passing the Tariff Act of 1930. Section 305 of the Tariff Act of 1930, which contained language from the Comstock Act, reaffirmed the classification of birth control as obscene and identified its importation as illegal. The law gave U.S. Customs the ability to seize imported birth control materials.
In 1933, Margaret Sanger deliberately violated the Tariff Act by arranging for 120 pessaries, a type of diaphragm, to be imported from Japan to Hannah Stone, a New York licensed physician specializing in gynecology and the medical director of the successor to Clinical Research Bureau. That violation resulted in U.S. Customs officials confiscating the pessaries before they reached Stone. Because the Customs officials confiscated the package of pessaries before it reached Stone, Stone never violated the Tariff Act. For that reason, the U.S. government filed a forfeiture case against the package of pessaries rather than the pessaries’ intended recipient.
Morris Ernst, representing Stone and the package of pessaries, presented physicians that explained the health benefits of contraceptives, citing cases of women with epilepsy or neurological diseases whose health would be compromised if they became pregnant. Stone argued that pessaries were important for patients with health issues that required them to space out the conception and birth of children. Referencing the Comstock Act and previous court cases, Ernst argued that the government had to prove that the pessaries were intended for inappropriate use and not for the maintenance of health. He argued that the US government had to show that
the pessaries were intended for immoral use to declare them obscene.
On 6 January 1936, Judge Moscowitz ruled that the Tariff Act of 1930 did not apply to the package of pessaries. In his ruling, Moscowitz cited the Dennett decision, which determined that an object’s potential for indecent use did not negate its original purpose. Moscowitz ruled that the Tariff Act could not limit a physician’s access to contraceptives used to treat patients just because non-physicians could potentially use the contraceptives unlawfully.
The United States appealed the decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. In U.S. vs. One Package of Japanese Pessaries, 86 F. 2d 737 (2nd Cir. 1936), Judge Learned Hand ruled that physicians can receive contraceptive devices and information via the mail unless prohibited by a specific local law.12
This was a major victory for Sanger and birth control advocates. The decision made it possible for doctors to distribute contraceptives across state lines. Physicians could now legally mail birth control devices and information throughout the country, paving the way for the legitimization of birth control by the medical industry and the general public. This led to the American Medical Association officially recognizing birth control as part of a doctor's medical practice.
The Comstock Act Goes into Hibernation
It quickly became apparent that Comstock’s criteria were unworkably vague. In its broad wording, the law not only made it illegal to send pornography through the mail, it also outlawed the sending of medical textbooks for their depictions of the human body, personal love letters that hinted at physical as well as romantic relationships, and even news stories. The whole thing was very silly and impracticable, and that’s why the Comstock Act
was relegated to the dustbin of history.13 The Comstock Act hasn’t been broadly enforced since the 1930s.
The Phoenix-Like Revival of The Comstock Act in the 21st Century
In Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the Court reversed Roe v. Wade objecting that “a right to abortion was not deeply rooted in the nation’s history and traditions” of criminalizing abortion, a tradition that began in the late nineteenth century and persisted until the time of Roe. Dobbs was silent about another body of law that banned access to abortion and contraception in this same era, namely The Comstock Act.
In November 2022, the Alliance Defending Freedom (“ADF”), a leading voice in the Christian legal movement, made Comstock central to its suit in Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. Food and Drug Administration. Prominent attorneys in ADF, including Erin Hawley, a former law clerk of Chief Justice John Roberts and the wife of populist Republican Josh Hawley, primarily contested the FDA’s authority to approve mifepristone under Subpart H of the Code of Federal Regulations. Significantly, Hawley and her colleagues also argued that because the plain text of Comstock’s “longstanding federal law” barred mailing abortion-related items, the FDA lacked the authority in 2021 to permit telehealth abortion.
Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk granted a motion for preliminary injunction in the Spring of 2023 that would have withdrawn the approval of mifepristone, reasoning that the statute plainly declares “nonmailable” anything “advertised or described in a manner calculated to lead another to use it or apply it for producing abortion.” The Fifth Circuit affirmed Kacsmaryk’s conclusions that the FDA lacked the authority to modify restrictions on mifepristone in 2016 and 2021. Judge
James Ho alone addressed Comstock in a separate opinion, again reading Comstock as banning the mailing of articles for abortion. Before the Supreme Court, the Alliance is reiterating that comprehensive view of the statute’s reach, opposing the argument that “Comstock applies only to ‘unlawful abortions’” on the ground that “the text contains no such limitation.”
At the Supreme Court, the Comstock Act of 1873 was referenced twice by Justice Thomas and once by Justice Alito during oral arguments. Notwithstanding the fact that the FDA is not in the business of enforcing federal criminal law, but in regulating the safety of drugs, these two ultra-conservative judges awakened the specter of a statute that had lain dormant for nine decades.
Proposed Federal Executive Action to Revive Comstockery
Some lawmakers on the right regard some forms of contraception not as birth control, but as abortifacients. Thus, Conservative activists recently revived Comtockery from obscurity as part of their playbook for a potential second Trump term: The 887-page plan nicknamed Project 2025 being promoted explicitly calls for a newly
elected second-term President Trump to use this zombie law to severely ratchet back abortion access in America without congressional action.
State Legislative Efforts
In the Dobbs opinion, Alito wrote, “The Constitution does not confer a right to abortion; Roe and Casey are overruled; and the authority to regulate abortion is returned to the people and their elected representatives.” Thus, with the stroke of a pen, so-called “zombie laws” in at least 26 states, were resurrected. These laws, which were enacted in the late 1800s and early 1900s, and never repealed, often outlawed abortion under almost all circumstances.
According to the Guttmacher Institute, Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, Texas and West Virginia all have total or near-total abortion bans that were passed several generations ago. Four of these bans were passed in the 1800s, and Texas’s ban was passed in 1925. The Arizona Supreme Court recently ruled that an 1864 territorial ban on abortions is enforceable.
Conclusion
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” George Santayana. Hopefully, this article will
ensure that we remember the oppressive history of the Comstock Act.
14 Reva B. Siegel & Mary Ziegler, Comstockery: How Government Censorship Gave Birth to the Law of Sexual and Reproductive Freedom, and May Again Threaten It, 134 Yale Law Journal (3-16-24 draft).
Stress-Free Legal Leadership: 20 Seconds to Improved Performance
Tuesday, December 17 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Zoom
Child Protective Services (CPS) Investigations and Findings
Wednesday, December 18 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Zoom Retirement Division Orders in Divorce Cases
ADMINISTRATIVE LAW SECTION
John Henderson, Co-Chair
Javaneh Pourkarim, Co-Chair
We would like to hear from you on training topics that interest you in the administrative world. We are currently considering topics ranging from government contract appeal hearings to general trainings on the Administrative Procedures Act to our usual nuts and bolts of MVA hearings. Please reach out to either of us and let us know of any training topic you would like us to cover.
Below is the administrative law section’s meeting schedule for 2024-2025.
December 4, 2024: regularly scheduled meeting
January 8, 2025: regularly scheduled meeting
February 5, 2025: training and roundtable discussion (topic TBD)
March 5, 2025: regularly scheduled meeting
April 2, 2025: regularly scheduled meeting
Law Day in May: Training and roundtable discussion (topic TBD)
All meetings are held virtually at 5:30 p.m. Judge Henderson will send out the meeting link to the section via the listserv. All attorneys in good standing are invited to attend.
We are always looking for volunteers and welcome newcomers. If you wish to get involved with the Administrative Law Section, please contact us. All licensed attorneys are welcome to join. Volunteering with the Section is a great way to network, learn, and make lifelong friends, so we hope you will consider it.
ADR-COLLABORATIVE LAW SECTION
Regina DeMeo, Co-Chair Jane Rodgers, Co-Chair
We really appreciate the infor-
mative presentation in October by financial neutrals, Jane Ochsman Rowny and Abbie Neimhoff from CBM in Bethesda, as well as the helpful tips provided in November by Sharri Freedman, who is a divorce coach in Potomac.
All our meetings will be at noon on the third Tuesday of the month. The next few lunch & learns via Zoom will be as follows:
We are looking forward to a wonderful talk on December 17th by attorney Darcy Shoop, who will share her strategies for a successful ADR session.
On January 21st we will discuss the marital home and divorce with mortgage broker, Margie Hofberg.
On February 18th we will have Kate Scharff discuss the child specialist role and some options to consider in custody cases.
On March 18th rather than have a Zoom lunch & learn, we invite everyone to join us at World of Beer in Rockville for an in-person lunch. As that date approaches, we will send a reminder and request an rsvp so we have an estimate of attendees prior to this in person meeting. In the meantime, best wishes for a wonderful holiday season!
CIRCUIT COURT BENCH BAR
Heather Collier, Co-Chair Meg Rosan, Co-Chair
MEETING DATES
Dec. 4, 2024 Apr. 2, 2025
Feb. 5, 2025 May 7, 2025
Mar. 5, 2025 June 4, 2025* *in person meetings in the North Tower 3rd Floor Judicial Conference Room
Our next meeting will be Wednesday, December 4, 2024, at 8:00 a.m., on zoom. Attendance is not limited to Committee members. All attorneys in good standing are welcome and encouraged to attend the Bench Bar Committee meetings. If you are not on the Committee, please contact co-chairs Heather Collier or Meg Rosan for the location of the specific meeting you wish to attend
Expanded Voir Dire Pilot Program
Pursuant to Maryland Rule 16310, six (6) judges in the Montgomery County Circuit Court will be participating in a Pilot Program to gather data on the jury selection process, and specifically expanded voir dire for peremptory challenges, from January 1, 2025 through June 30, 2025. Civil and criminal attorneys with jury trials scheduled before Judges Burrell, Cummins, Lease, McAuliffe, Maloney or Schweitzer, during that window, should carefully monitor information distributed by Judge Bonifant, the Clerk’s offices, and the Judges’ Chambers, for more detailed
Sheriff’s Office
The Sheriff’s Office is regularly exploring efforts to improve security in the courthouse. If you ever have a concern about a security issue in the courthouse before, during or after any Court appearance, do not hesitate to contact the Sheriff’s office.
MDEC
Any attorneys with questions about MDEC should review Title 20 of the Maryland Rules, and the Policies and Procedures Manual on the Maryland Courts website: mdcourts.gov/mdec and mdcourts.gov/mdec/efilingatty (the right-hand side of the page has multiple resources).
If you have questions or concerns to bring to the our attention, please contact us at: Heather: (301) 907-2804 or hscollier@cfvlaw.com Megan: (301) 656-1177 or mrosan@bulmandunie.com
Dec. 4, 2024 Mar. 5, 2025 Jan. 8, 2025 Apr. 2, 2025 Feb. 5, 2025 May 7, 2025 We will meet virtually on the 1st Wednesday of each month at 12:30p.m. The zoom link will be distributed through the list-
DISTRICT COURT BENCH BAR COMMITTEE
Richard London, Co-Chair
David Moyse, Co-Chair
MEETING DATES
Dec. 18, 2024 Mar. 19, 2025
Jan. 15, 2025 Apr. 16, 2025
Feb. 19, 2025 May 21, 2025
June 18, 2025
Meetings will be held at 8:00 a.m. on the 3rd Wednesday of the month via Zoom.
ELDER LAW SECTION
Lillian Hummel, Chair
MEETING DATES
Jan. 15, 2025 Mar. 19, 2025
Feb. 19, 2025 Apr. 16, 2025
Meetings will take place at Noon on the 3rd Wednesday of each month via zoom.
ESTATE & TRUST LAW SECTION
Justin DeVault, Chair
There is no meeting for the month of December. Warmest wishes to our members and their families for a joyful holiday season and a happy and healthy New Year.
MEETING DATES
Jan. 13, 2025 Mar. 10, 2025
Feb. 10, 2025 Apr. 28, 2025
All meetings will be held from Noon – 1p.m. in person at Shulman Rogers and via Zoom for remote attendees. Feel free to come ahead of time to mix/ mingle with colleagues and grab your lunch.
FAMILY LAW SECTION
Bianca Pinnock, Co-Chair Makia Weaver, Co-Chair
Happy start to the holiday season! We want to hear from you about how we can support you and your practice of family law. We will, with your permission, share comments and do our best to accommodate your requests. Please address all comments, questions, or concerns to: bpinnock@shulmanrogers.com maweaver@lerchearly.com
Family Law Section Meetings are the third Thursday of every month. Each meeting is approximately 1 hour long and will take place at 5:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. All meetings will take place via Zoom.
Section Meeting Dates
• Thursday, December 5, 2024, 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m., Family Law Section Holiday Party, in person at Shulman Rogers (12505 Park Potomac Ave., Potomac, MD 20854).
• Thursday, January 16, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. Meredith Hill, Esq. will present on Estate and Trust Issues in Family Law: the top estate planning topics to discuss with your client.
• Thursday, February 20, 2025 at 5:30 p.m. Judge Louis Leibowitz, Donna Rismiller, Esq and Greg Nugent, Esq., will address the use of contempt in family law cases, when it is appropriate, the practical limitations of its use, contempt remedies, other remedies apart
from contempt, and valid sanction and purge provisions.
• Thursday, March 20, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. Join us as we welcome the Montgomery County Circuit Court Judges to the Annual Judges’ Roundtable.
• Thursday, April 17, 2025 at 5:30 p.m. Leslie Miller, Esq. will discuss unique considerations for family law attorneys when representing federal employees.
• Thursday, May 15, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. Steven Purdy will present How to Analyze Business and Individual Income Tax Returns. The presentation will cover the key areas attorneys need to examine closer in business tax returns, both for corporations and partnerships. And further how these key areas flow through and affect individual tax returns. We’ll cover when these individual returns may or may not align with spousal support definitions, amongst other hot topics.
Fall 2024 CLE Programs –Register at https://barmont.org/ general/custom.asp?page=131
Montgomery County Child Protective Services (CPS) and DC Family and Child Services (CFSA) Investigations and Findings
Date: Tuesday, December 17, 2024, 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM Location: Zoom
Panelists: Maura Lynch, Esq., Z Family Law, LLC; Alisa Yasin, AY Family Law, L.L.C.
Retirement Benefits Orders–Practice Tips
Date: Wednesday, December 18, 2024, 12:30-1:30p.m.
Speakers: Leslie Miller, Markham Law Firm; Sarah Novak Nesbitt, Family Legal Advocacy Group, LLC
Many other programs are in the works. Please contact John Weaver or Inna Loring with any CLE ideas you have: John Weaver john@zfamilylaw.com
Inna Loring inna@zfamilylaw.com
IMMIGRATION LAW SECTION
Benjamin Hu, Co-Chair Laurence Johnson, Co-Chair
MEETING DATES
Dec. 4, 2024 Mar. 5, 2025 Jan. 8, 2025 Apr. 2, 2025 Feb. 5, 2025 May 7, 2025
Our monthly Lunch and Learn presentations have been scheduled for the first Wednesday of each month at noon via Zoom.
The ILS Lunch and Learn webinar series continues, with Farah Khan and Loreto Noguera presenting on "Obtaining Important Records in Your Client's Case" on behalf of Kids In Need of Defense (KIND). Please join us on December 4, 2024 at 12 p.m. noon. The Zoom link will be sent out through the listserv.
Our January webinar will switch to the third Wednesday of the month, to accommodate New Year's Day, We tentatively plan for former co-chair Raju Mahajan to present on H-1B filings at 12 p.m. noon on January 15, 2024. Further details to be confirmed closer to the time. Subsequent seminars are expected to return to the first Wednesday of the month. We welcome our ILS members to present on a field of immigration law close to their heart and expertise. Please contact benjamin.hu@bhulaw.com with your interest and pro-
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posed webinar topics, and we would be delighted to help spread the knowledge to all our colleagues in the county.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY & TECHNOLOGY LAW SECTION
Michael Greenberg, Co-Chair
Raymond Van Dyke, Co-Chair
Please feel free to contact either of us at ray@vandykeiplaw.com or michael@aplegal.com with any questions.
LAW FIRM MANAGEMENT SECTION
Amy Strent, Chair
MEETING DATES
Dec. 19, 2024 Mar. 20, 2025
Jan. 16, 2025 Apr. 17, 2025
Feb. 20, 2025 May 15, 2025
Aug. 21, 2025 June 19, 2025
July 17, 2025
Meetings will be held at 8:00 a.m. via Zoom.
LAWYER ASSISTANCE COMMITTEE
Bill Hewitt, Co-Chair
Alisha Jacobson, Co-Chair
MEETING DATES
Dec. 11, 2024 Mar. 12, 2025
Jan. 8, 2025 Apr. 9, 2025
Feb. 12, 2025 May 14, 2025
Meetings will be held on the 2nd Wednesday of the month at 5:30 p.m. via Zoom.
LEGAL ETHICS COMMITTEE
David Gavin, Co-Chair
Lydia Lawless, Co-Chair
Seth Zucker, Co-Chair
MEETING DATES
Dec. 19, 2024 Mar. 20, 2025
Jan. 16, 2025 Apr. 17, 2025
Feb. 20, 2025 May 15, 2025
June 19, 2025
Meetings will be held at 4:30p.m. on the 3rd Thursday of the month via Zoom.
LEGISLATION
COMMITTEE
Paul Griffin, Co-Chair
Ben Marcoux, Co-Chair
We would like to request that all BAMC Section Chairs kindly designate liaisons to the Legislative Committee to ensure that the legislative requests of the various sections are addressed.
If there is appropriate support from BAMC, the Legislative Committee will approach members of the Maryland General Assembly and request that a bill addressing that issue be introduced. Therefore, it is important that as many sections as possible have their voices heard by the Legislative Committee, via the respective section liaisons.
Please contact either of us with the name and contact information of your section's liaison: paul.griffin@child-justice.org bcm@marcouxandwall.com
Finally, there are a few openings on the committee, so anyone who would like to join should reach out to one of us.
We are excited to get this committee off the ground, so watch this space for additional information.
MENTOR/MENTEE COMMITTEE
Carlotta Woodward, Chair
Mentor-Mentee relationships often are the most influential professional associations we can have in our careers, with both mentor and mentee learn
ing and benefiting from each other by providing invaluable advice on our work-related, and sometimes even our personal challenges and opportunities. You can never have enough good colleagues helping you make a positive difference in your life. So, join the Mentor/ Mentee Program, now!
I invite all those members of the bar who have practiced for more than seven years to sign up to be a mentor. I invite all members who are looking for a mentor to sign up as well. Mentees will learn from the best and the information and guidance can last a lifetime. As soon as I have a matched set, I will send an email to the mentor and mentee to make the initial introductions.
Please complete the application(s) found on the Mentor/ Mentee Committee page of the BAMC website and email your form directly to Carlotta Woodward.
NEW PRACTITIONER SECTION
Elizabeth Farley, Co-Chair Katelyn Holbrook, Co-Chair
Please keep an eye on the New Practitioners Listserv for upcoming events, including for information about an upcoming Lexis training courtesy of the Montgomery County Circuit Court Law Library.
We are currently brainstorming ideas for New Practitioner Events for next year and we would love your ideas and con-
tributions. Please reach out to either of us if you have any ideas or suggestions: lfarley@bulmandunie.com keholbrook@lerchearly.com
REAL ESTATE LAW SECTION
Jamie Hamelburg, Co-Chair Wendy Pullano, Co-Chair
MEETING DATES
Dec. 10, 2024 Jan. 14, 2025 Mar. 11, 2025 Apr. 8, 2025 Feb. 11, 2025 May 13, 2025 Meetings will be held at 8:00 a.m. on the 2nd Tuesday of the month via Zoom.
Our speaker for the December 10th meeting will be Jim Demma of Miles & Stockbridge. Jim will give a presentation on land dedications (intended or implied; by plat or by usage) and include two case studies — one involving a subdivision plat and the other involving a strip club. The meeting will be at 8:00 a.m. via zoom.
Meetings will be held at Noon on the 2nd Wednesday of the month via Zoom, unless otherwise noted.
TAXATION LAW
WHAT COMES AFTER THE SETTLEMENT?
WON. But your job’s not over. WE CAN HELP.
How will your client stay financially safe and manage their sudden affluence having limited investment background and no direction?
For over 40 years, Jamie Lapin and her team have helped clients like yours design and implement smart strategies to help them attain—and maintain— financial freedom. Let us help protect your clients and your reputation.
SECTION
Chaya Kundra, Chair
MEETING DATES
Dec. 17, 2024
Jan. 21, 2025
Feb. 25, 2025
Mar. 25, 2025
Apr. 22, 2025
Join us every month where you can bring your tax questions, make a presentation about a topic of interest and spend lunch with a colleague.
Meetings will be held at Noon via Zoom and in person at Kundra & Associates, P.C., located at 108 South Washington St., Rockville, MD 20850.
CPAs Push for Delayed Implementation of Corporate Transparency Act
With the January 1, 2025 reporting deadline fast approaching, the American Institute of CPAs is pushing for a one-year delay given concerns as to the risks CPAs may be taking on which include whether advising clients on the reporting requirements constitutes the unauthorized practice of law. The Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) estimates that there are 32.6 million existing reporting entities, and it expects another 5 million new entities to be sub-
ject to the requirements. Nevertheless, FinCEN has received fewer than 7 million reports thus far. Maryland has opined on when a CPA crosses the line into unauthorized practice of law making the key factor complexity. According to the Maryland Attorney General, when filing assistance "requires the knowledge, skills, and training of a lawyer…that assistance may violate the prohibition on unauthorized practice of law." Please refer to the opinion for a list of activities that cross that line.
$4.2Million Tax Fraud Penalty Upheld In IRS Abuse of Discretion Case
The 2nd Circuit agreed with the Tax Court that an IRS Appeals officer did not abuse their discretion in sustaining a notice of federal tax lien issued. In Seggerman, CA2, (10/31/2024) 134 AFTR 2d 2024-5997, Taxpayer and his family received an inheritance of $24 million from the estate of their father in 2001. Son Henry in August 2013, pled guilty to a conspiracy to defraud the U.S. by hiding more than $12 million of the inheritance for various family members in Swiss bank accounts. Charged with filing false individual income tax returns for
tax years 2001-2009 and a false Form 706, United Estate Estate (and Generation-Skipping Transfer) Tax Return along with aiding and assisting in the filing of fraudulent income tax returns for tax years 2004 and 2006. He pled guilty to all three counts and while facing an 11 year maximum prison sentence, he got 6 months and agreed to pay approximately $600,000. He was ordered by the district court to pay more than $4.2 million in monthly restitution payments of at least 10% of his gross income beginning 30 days after the judgment or his release from custody, whichever occurred later. In June 2019 Seggerman about $620,000. The IRS then filed a notice of federal tax lien (NFTL) for an unpaid balance of roughly $3.5 million for the tax period ending May 31, 2001. Seggerman challenged the notice under CDPH arguing that lien premature and citing the court's payment schedule. He requested its withdrawal because it was affecting his bottom line. "Declining to credit unsupported claims is well within the Appeals Office's discretion. Accordingly, the Appeals Office did not abuse its discretion in sustaining the NFTL."
Health FSA Contribution
Limit Increased to $3,300 in 2025
The 2025 maximum contribution from employees is $100 higher than in 2024.
Military
& Family
Tax Benefits
(Tax Tip 2024-89)
Special treatment for combat pay, combat zone tax deadline extensions, armed forces dependency allotments, earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) up to $7,830 for tax year 2024 and moving expenses that are unreimbursed and due to a military order and permanent change of station.
WORKERS COMPENSATION LAW SECTION
Ron Rubloff, Co-Chair Jeff Stickle, Co-Chair
Our next section meeting will be held virtually on December 13, 2024. A Zoom link will circulate shortly before the meeting via listserv. We look forward to continuing our discussion on hot topics, current events in the Commission, and case reviews.
Wishing all members a happy holiday season and new year!
WREATHS AMERICA
PRO BONO PROGRAM
By Debbie Craven, Program Coordinator
Family and Friends are a wonderful part of the Holidays. Spending time with loved ones is a strong predictor of happiness. The holidays can also trigger or worsen depression due to the stress they create. Holiday depression can feel similar to regular depression, but it's triggered by the holiday season and related events. It can come and go quickly, or it can last for days or weeks.
For so many there is ambiguity and countless legal issues that need to be addressed, and many County residents feel more exasperated now than ever. This is where you can lend a hand, in the Spirit of the Holiday Season! You have both the skills of not only offering legal advice, but emotional support and guidance.
There are two way for county residents to receive FREE LEGAL SERVICES in civil cas-
• You must be a resident of Montgomery County or have a case filed in Montgomery County
• You must meet the Maryland income eligibility guidelines
• You must need assistance in an area of law which volunteer attorneys in the pro bono program will handle
The legal advice clinics operate in four locations across the county and provide residents the opportunity to walk-in and meet with an attorney volunteer without scheduling an appointment. Eligible clients present their legal problems to an attorney and receive free immediate legal advice and/or referral to a non-profit or government social service agency that may be helpful. If it appears that the person meets the criteria for eligibility, they are referred to call the direct line to the Pro Bono Program.
The Pro Bono Program provides FREE LEGAL TRAINING to attorney volunteers. The Rita Rosenkrantz Family Law Training is available via
Cheers to our Volunteers! Thank you for making the pledge to make a difference in the lives of others. Thank you to following wonderful attorneys for their time, dedication, and service for the month of October.
*Accepted more than one case +Supervising Attorney
if you are interested in obtaining the most recent webcast.
The Pro Bono Resource Center (PBRC) coordinates live and webcast training programs for volunteer lawyers and other advocates in a variety of substantive law areas in exchange for a pro bono commitment. For details, check out the PBRC website, www.probonomd.org.
The Pro Bono Program participates in the Judicare Project. The Judicare Family Law Project, a partnership between MLSC
and the Administrative Office of the Courts, provides payment to private lawyers to serve low-income Marylanders who could not otherwise afford representation in contested family law cases. Case types include custody, divorce and other contested family law matters. Attorneys can seek reimbursement of $120 per hour with a cap of 35 hours per case. ($4,200.00). You must have a minimum of 18 months of family law experience. If you would like additional information regarding the Judicare project, please contact me directly.
The deadline for submission of copy for the newsletter is always the 3rd Friday of the month prior to publication.
APABA-MD
Marianne Hendricks, Board of Directors
We are working with the University of Maryland and University of Baltimore law schools to match law students with attorney mentors. Please let us know if you are interested in serving as a mentor. APABA-MD membership is not required!
Please save the date for APABA-MD’s Annual Gala on May 15, 2025 at VisArts in Rockville.
J. FRANKLYN BOURNE BAR ASSOCIATION, Montgomery County Committee
Raynna Anyangwe, Co-Chair Sara Furlow, Co-Chair
The Montgomery County Committee meetings are on the 1st Saturday of the month
from 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m., unless otherwise indicated. The next Montgomery County Committee meeting will take place on Saturday, December 7, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. via Zoom. For more information, you may contact our Co-Chairs Raynna Nkwanyuo Anyangwe, Esq. or Sara E. Furlow, Esq. at mococommittee@bournebar.org.
The Montgomery County Committee meetings are open to all attorneys and law students interested in being part of the J. Franklyn Bourne Bar Association.
Upcoming Events:
J. Franklyn Bourne Bar Association’s General Body Meetings are on the 3rd Thursday of the month. The next General Body Meeting will be on Thursday, December 20, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. via Zoom. For more information, you may contact President Chandra Walker Holloway at president@bournebar.org.
J. Franklyn Bourne Bar Association Silver Bells & Cocktails Holiday Party will take place on December 6, 2024 from 7-10 p.m. at 11500 Old Georgetown Road, Sixth Floor, North Bethesda, MD 20852. Join us for a lively evening filled with delicious food, great music, and an open bar - all set for a night of fun and holiday festivities! Tickets are $35.00.
To remain connected with the J. Franklyn Bourne Bar Association, please visit our website at www.bournebar.org.
SIMON E. SOBELOFF JEWISH LAW SOCIETY
Richard Schimel, Program Chair
Our annual Sobeloff Hanukkah Party, featuring the "Best Latke" Championship, will be held on Thursday, December 19, 2024 from 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. in the 1st Floor Conference Center of 401 North Washington St., Rockville, MD. The Honorable Steven Salant will be defending his current title as Latke King.
Please contact Debbie Craven, the Pro Bono Coordinator, at 301-762-5831 or Debbie@mcbfprobono.org to take a case.
Diverse Experience. Singular Focus: Elevate Your Career at Stein Sperling!
For over 45 years, Stein Sperling has fostered a supportive, open-minded, and collaborative environment that values the strengths and skills of each of its employees. The Stein Sperling legal team is enriched by our diverse cultural backgrounds, interests and career experiences. Our diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives are central to the character and strategy of the firm, as well as our commitment to client-first service.
At Stein Sperling, we are honored to be included in both The Daily Record’s Empowering Women award and Best Companies to Work for In Maryland two years running. These accolades reflect our commitment to upholding our prestigious reputation, while wholeheartedly supporting our valued employees. Launch Your Career Today!
We have an immediate opening for an experienced Real Estate Attorney at our Rockville location. For more information regarding this position and qualifications please visit our career page: steinsperling.com/careers/
LEGAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
Armstrong, Donohue, Ceppos, Vaughan & Rhoades, Chtd. (ADCV&R), a leading law firm specializing in the representation of health care providers in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia, has begun a new chapter in the firm’s history with a move to its new office at 21 Church St. in downtown Rockville, MD. After more than three and a half decades at its previous location, the firm has moved to a modern, spacious office at Suite 500 of 21 Church St. encompassing over 10,000 square feet of Class A office space.
The Law Offices of Ronald S. Canter, LLC of Rockville MD and Boca Raton, FL, is pleased to announce that Amanda Manes has joined the firm as an Associate Attorney. Ms. Manes graduated cum laude from the University of Pittsburgh with a degree in Psychology and Political Science. She received her Juris Doctorate from the University of Baltimore School of Law, where she was a Member of the National Appellate Advocacy Moot Court Team. After law school, Ms. Manes clerked for the Honorable Edward R.K. Hargadon, Judge-in-Charge of Juvenile Causes for the Circuit Court for Baltimore City. Ms. Manes is a member of the Maryland State Bar Association and the District of Columbia Bar Association. Ms. Manes focuses her practice on general civil litigation, including business disputes, landlord-tenant matters, and employment law matters. Prior to practicing law, Ms. Manes worked for a federally funded non-profit organization, providing resources, training, and policy analysis to local, state, tribal and federal entities working with survivors of domestic violence. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Conflict Resolution Center of Montgomery County, where she is co-chair of the governance committee.
We are pleased to announce that Heather L. Sunderman has been promoted to Partner at McMillan Metro Faerber, P.C. Heather has been practicing law since 2003 and joined our firm as an Associate in 2022. Since joining our firm, Heather has demonstrated exceptional skill and dedication to her clients in the areas of estate planning and probate, guardianship and family law. Heather has also been appointed to represent disabled persons in guardianship matters as well as children in contested custody hearings. Heather is licensed in MD, VA, and DC. Heather’s experience, hard work, and dedication to her clients have made her an asset to our firm.
Please join us in congratulating Heather on this well-deserved advancement in her career.
Z Family Law is excited to announce that Madison Howard has joined the firm. Madison previously worked at a boutique law firm in D.C. that represented clients in the areas of family law, estate planning, and probate litigation. Madison is excited to be joining Z Family Law so that she can focus more specifically on helping clients navigate divorce and custody matters. She is passionate about guiding families through difficult periods in their lives and enjoys seeing them through to resolution. Madison's pragmatic approach and deep empathy ensure that clients feel understood and supported as they work through the complexities of family law. Madison is licensed in the state of Maryland and the District of Columbia. Z Family Law looks forward to continuing to help clients create new beginnings with the guidance of our outstanding new team member. Z Family Law, LLC is located at 51 Monroe St., Suite 1501, Rockville, Maryland 20850, (301) 388-5528, www.zfamilylaw.com.
RENT/LEASE
BETHESDA — JDKatz, P.C. has two beautiful offices and sev-
eral cubicles available for rent in a shared suite, located on the 6th floor of an office building conveniently situated in downtown Bethesda. This prime location is close to the metro, making it an ideal choice for professionals who value accessibility and convenience. The shared suite includes access to an onsite gym, a law library, a Zoom suite, and a conference center. Additionally, there is a kitchenette and a comfort area, perfect for taking breaks and networking with other professionals. High-speed WiFi is also included, so you can stay connected and productive throughout the day. The rental rate is $1,200.00 per month per office and $300 for cubicles. However, we are open to negotiating lower rates if multiple spaces are rented. This offers a cost-effective solution for teams or businesses looking to expand their workspace. For additional information or to schedule a tour, please contact Tara Figuera at (240) 261-5411.
BETHESDA — Up to 4 welllit offices available for rent in shared suite on the 14th floor of office building convenient to downtown Bethesda. Walking distance to metro. Offices can come furnished or unfurnished. Includes use of conference room, shared kitchenette, copy/file room, and may include use of front desk/ reception area if needed. Secure Wi-Fi is available. $1,200.00 per month per office, though lower rates can be negotiated if multiple offices are rented. Contact Matthew Hertz at (301) 913-9004.
GERMANTOWN — Attractive furnished office is available in a modern condominium office suite. Share conference room, waiting area, wireless network, and other amenities. Space and location are ideal for solo attorney with a compatible practice, satellite office, or other small business. $700.00 per month. Call Stewart A. Sutton (301) 916-5000.
ROCKVILLE — Professional office in Jackson Place South
Office Park, in front of Montgomery College on Route 355. One or two offices or an entire suite is available. Use of conference room and wi-fi. Perfect for small firm or solo practice. CPA-Tax Attorney across the hall for professional networking. Contact Alan Zipp at (301) 340-0084.
ATTORNEY OPPORTUNITIES
ATTORNEY — Family Law
— Do you want to be able to fully focus on practicing law, rather than being consumed by the work involved with managing your own practice or Firm? Would you like to receive credit for generating and supervising clients? Perhaps it’s time to consider making a change. We are expanding and looking for sophisticated attorneys with sustainable business in practice areas that are complementary to our Firm. If you are seeking a legal career where you will be treated fairly in a collegial environment that fosters your success, please forward your resume. Portable business of at least $200,000 is required. Please respond in confidence to Elyse Strickland at estrickland@mcmillanmetro.com.
ATTORNEY — Litigation
Associate — McMillan Metro Faerber, P.C., a well-established AV-rated Potomac law firm, has an exciting opportunity for a civil litigator with a minimum of 5 years of litigation experience. The candidate must be admitted to the Maryland bar, D.C. and Virginia a plus. Excellent client communication skills, ability to work independently and as a team player, attention to detail, and sound judgment are all qualities important to our Firm. Excellent opportunity for a practitioner looking for professional camaraderie and support with practice. Submit confidential responses to estrickland@mcmillanmetro.com.
ATTORNEY — Litigation — McMillan Metro Faerber, P.C.,
a well-established AV-rated Potomac law firm, has an exciting opportunity for a civil litigator with a minimum of 10 years of litigation experience. The candidate must be admitted to the Maryland bar, D.C. and Virginia a plus. Excellent client communication skills, ability to work independently and as a team player, attention to detail, and sound judgment are all qualities important to our Firm. Excellent opportunity for a practitioner looking for professional camaraderie and support with practice. Portable business required. Submit confidential responses to estrickland@mcmillanmetro.com.
ATTORNEY — Corporate and Business Associate — McMillan Metro Faerber, P.C., an AV-rated law firm has an exciting opportunity for an attorney with at least 3 years of experience concentrating in business and corporate law. Candidate must be admitted to practice in Maryland with admission in D.C. and Virginia preferred, have excellent writing and analytical skills and be able to demonstrate the same. The nature of the work includes employment law; business transactions; shareholders’ and operating agreements; non-compete and executive compensation agreements; and business dispute resolution. We offer opportunities for personal and professional development. Excellent client communication skills, ability to work both independently and as a team player, attention to
detail, and sound judgment are all qualities important to our Firm. This is an excellent opportunity for an attorney who is looking for professional camaraderie and support in taking your practice to the next level. Please respond in confidence to estrickland@mcmillanmetro.com.
ATTORNEY — Corporate and Business — McMillan Metro
Faerber, P.C., an AV-rated law firm has an exciting opportunity for an attorney with 10 or more years of experience concentrating in employment, business and corporate law. Candidate must be admitted to practice in Maryland with admission in D.C. and Virginia preferred, have excellent writing and analytical skills, and be able to demonstrate the same. The nature of the work includes business transactions and employment law; shareholders’ and operating agreements; non-compete and executive compensation agreements; and business dispute resolution. We offer opportunities for personal and professional development. Excellent client communication skills, ability to work both independently and as a team player, attention to detail, and sound judgment are all qualities important to our Firm. This is an excellent opportunity for an attorney who is looking for professional camaraderie and support in taking your practice to the next level. Portable business required. Please respond in confidence to clarue@mcmillanmetro.com.
FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF MEETINGS AND EVENTS, VISIT barmont.org/events/event_list.asp
ADVERTISERS INDEX
Joseph, Greenwald
If you have an open position at your firm, you can view resumes or post an ad to the Career Center section of our BAMC website at https://jobs.barmont.org/.
NEW BAMC MEMBERS
Kimberly J. Alfriend
600 Jefferson Plaza, Suite 430 Rockville, MD 20850 301-637-1066 kalfriend@mdlab.org
Information Regarding Scheduled Committee/Section Meetings
All committee and section meetings are currently being scheduled both in-person and virtually at the preference of the Chair/Co-Chairs. Any change to the original schedule will be announced through the groups' listserv.
Please watch your email for listserv messages regarding your committee and/or section meetings.
