Practice Areas
Business Litigation
The firm maintains an active and sophisticated business litigation practice in a wide range of matters in all Virginia, District of Columbia, and Maryland state courts and the United States District Courts throughout each jurisdiction. The firm actively litigates and resolves disputes before both trial and appellate courts in all types of business and commercial settings, including employment claims, commercial lease disputes, environmental litigation, construction litigation, partnership and shareholder disagreements, contract review, contract preparation, and breaches of contract.
Commercial clients can expect services designed to maximize the their total return along with timely reports and periodic evaluation of their claims from inception through resolution.
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Commercial Transactions
Whether in the context of a personal or complex business transaction, the firm provides economical and proactive contract reviews designed to streamline negotiations, facilitate future changes, and promote harmonious business relationships. Too often, transaction specialists prescribe overly complex terms and provisions that lead to disputes rather than avoid them. The firm’s goal in contract reviews and negotiations is to utilize “plain English” terms and concrete examples that reflect the parties’ real world experience so as to avoid future litigation and expense.
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Corporate Formation
The firm provides a wide range of services to its corporate and commercial clients and is well versed in the creation and maintenance of various entities, including limited liability companies, corporations, charitable corporations, and partnerships. As your company grows, the firm’s corporate expertise provides its corporate clients with a wide array of options to draw upon during expansion, reduction, and related business changes. The firm’s attorneys work hand in hand with clients to create a strategy tailored to their individual needs so that their intellectual property and corporate assets are provided the greatest possible protection in the most cost effective manner.
The firm also offers legal and law-related services to foreign businesses who conduct business in the United States ranging from registration and licensing to franchising and subcontracting agreements. In addition, the firm represents numerous nonprofit organizations and is experienced in the creation, filing, and maintenance requirements for such organizations, both domestically and for those operating abroad.
In commercial transactions, the firm assists clients with mergers and acquisitions and the sale and purchase of business entities and assets. The firm has established relationships with accountants, engineers, architects, scientists, and health care professionals whose knowledge and experience are available as needed to serve each client’s needs.
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Employment Law
Labor and employment law is one of the fastest growing and rapidly evolving areas in the practice of law, and the firm keeps its employer and the employee clientele on the cutting edge of the latest developments. The firm advises its clients in all matters of employment law and provides advice and representation in matters arising under such statutes as Title VII, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Family and Medical Leave Act. The firm also prepares and negotiates employment agreements, covenants not to compete, office policy and procedure manuals, and employee benefit plans.
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Estate Planning
The firm provides a variety of estate planning services for individuals and families ranging from drafting wills to the creation of trusts, advance medical directives, and powers of attorney. The firm regularly assists its clients during probate in the filing of estate inventory forms, accounting, and related reports.
The firm also provides assistance in the administration of estates. Our legal professionals utilize experts valuations, appraisals, and alternative dispute resolution when necessary to help resolve disputes involving estates and property.
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General Liability Defense
The firm counsels and conducts traditional insurance defense litigation in a wide range of civil matters, including casualty claims, property and premises liability claims, automobile litigation, transportation claims, product liability disputes, and medical and professional malpractice claims.
The firm’s focus is on providing cost-effective litigation services, with particular emphasis placed upon individual client attention and effective communication. Clients and insurers are provided timely and periodic evaluation reports on all litigation matters, which allows them to budget and manage their potential exposure throughout the course of each claim.
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Legal Malpractice
The firm’s expertise in matters involving professional negligence extends to legal malpractice claims between attorneys and clients. Such claims are evaluated thoroughly with the goal of developing the most appropriate resolution strategy as early as possible, whether through informal negotiation, formal ADR proceedings, or litigation. Regardless of the resolution method, the firm handles such matters with discretion and professionalism.
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Medical Malpractice
The firm represents parties involved in medical malpractice claims of all kinds, from internal medicine, cancer, pulmonary, podiatric, hospital negligence, and surgical procedures, to claims involving misdiagnosis and inappropriate medication against physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and other health care professionals. Through the firm’s established relationships with expert witnesses, such as physicians, health care professionals and administrators, medical device engineers and designers, vocational rehabilitationists, life care planners and other medical experts, each client can expect to receive a prompt initial case evaluation and a realistic assessment of his or her chances of success. The firm’s unique approach, utilizing a preliminary in-house physician review, contacting physician and malpractice insurance professionals at the earliest stages, and assessing a claim’s potential risks and benefits, ensures the firm’s clientele of a thorough cost-effective evaluation and litigation strategy.
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Personal Injury
Although you will not see an advertisement on television about the firm’s expertise in the field of personal injury law, the firm litigates and resolves cases for numerous victims who have suffered serious and disabling injuries arising out of motor vehicle, industrial, occupational, FELA, medical malpractice, admiralty, and other accidents. Through the firm’s established relationships with expert witnesses, such as health care professionals, engineers, architects, accountants and other financial experts, each client can expect to receive a prompt initial case evaluation and a realistic assessment of its chances of success. Because the firm accepts representation of personal injury claimants only on a selected basis, those clients who retain the firm are assured of receiving direct personal attention throughout their claims.
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Professional Negligence
The firm provides traditional legal representation and case evaluation services in connection with claims asserted against architects, engineers, and technical professionals of all kinds. The firm has established relationships with a diverse group of experienced professionals and expert witnesses who assist the firm’s clients in evaluating their claims in a timely and cost effective manner, both on behalf of individuals and professional firms.
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Real Estate Litigation
Both sellers and purchasers can lose valuable rights through misrepresentations and failures to perform in connection with real estate transactions. Such problems often greatly devalue a homeowner’s property and may also affect the ability to resell the property. The firm represents all parties from buyers and sellers to brokers and agents to inspectors of all kinds, and provides lease reviews and updates, counseling in landlord-tenant disputes, and property management evaluations.
In addition to traditional legal representation, the firm can provide mediation services under Paragraph 17 of the REIN purchase agreement and other ADR services addressing such issues as valuation, contract rescission, and economic loss.
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State & Federal Appeals
The firm handles appeals in the Virginia Supreme Court, the Virginia Court of Appeals, the Maryland Court of Appeals, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and the U.S. Supreme Court.
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