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In this particular custody case, the appellate court overturned the decision of the trial judge, reverting guardianship back to the mother. 

Due to the nature of the appellate trial, this decision has raised many concerns within the legal community, with many attorneys believing that this decision has effectively changed the standards regarding grandparents seeking custody of their grandchildren.

The article, titled The Fallout From Burak, was featured on the cover page of the Daily Record. Click the image below for the full story.

 

 

 

Joseph Greenwald & Laake hosted a reception to honor the legacy of late name partner, Fred R. Joseph, who passed away 20 years ago. Joseph was more than just a name partner at the firm. He was a greatly admired and respected civil rights and criminal trial lawyer who had a tremendous influence within the community and the entire state of Maryland. 

The event provided an evening of remembrance and generosity in Joseph’s honor as the firm gathered with members of the Joseph family and the legal community to celebrate the life of a great attorney and a dear friend. The reception was also attended by members of both the Prince George’s County and Montgomery County bar associations, and members on the bench. Throughout the evening, JGL accepted and matched contributions to benefit the scholarship in Joseph’s name, at American University’s Washington College of Law, his alma mater.

 

Large companies have increased their focus on handling sexual harassment claims amid the Harvey Weinstein allegations. The Variety article details how several executives have stepped down as more and more women file claims. The attorney general of New York has now opened an investigation into Weinstein’s former company.  Holland believes, “the attorney general’s investigation could be an impetus for others to come forward and file a claim.”

Click below for the full article 

Jay Holland is the chair of the firm’s Labor, Employment and Qui Tam Whistleblower practice. He is a renowned employment and qui tam litigator known for taking on tough cases and achieving exceptional results.

 

The event, held at the Ten Oaks Ballroom in Clarksville, Maryland, honored U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin of Maryland with the sixth annual Simon E. Sobeloff Award for outstanding contributions to the legal and Jewish communities. JGL attorneys Jason Sarfati, Reza Golesorkhi and Timothy Maloney attended the event. 

Judge Simon E. Sobeloff’s 59-year career in law was devoted mostly to public service. In 1952, he was sworn in as Chief Judge of the Maryland Court of Appeals, and was the first Jewish man to sit on Maryland’s highest court. He was appointed Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, where he served until his retirement in 1964. 

Sobeloff was an active participant in the affairs of the Jewish community, serving as Director of The Associated Jewish Charities, Director of the Jewish Educational Alliance, an officer of the American Jewish Congress, and more.

The Simon E. Sobeloff Law Society was founded in 2004 by a small group of attorneys in Montgomery County. The purpose of the society is to provide a social vehicle to network, encourage civility and build camaraderie among attorneys, while celebrating Jewish heritage and Jewish values in the law, according to the society’s history. 

 

The crime was carried out by home healthcare providers abusing the Medicaid system. The Department of Justice has made prosecution of individuals accused of corporate fraud a major priority since 2015. The company’s $489,744 in fraudulent claims were tripled due to the FCA’s damages provision. The court also asked for the maximum per claim fine for each offense. 

Click the image below for the full article. 

Brian Markovitz is a principal in Joseph Greenwald & Laake’s Labor and Employment Group. He represents employees who have been wrongfully terminated, who have suffered discrimination at work, or who have been retaliated against for reporting fraud or misconduct. He is one of the nation’s leading practitioners representing whistleblowers under the federal False Claims Act.

 

On Monday, Governor Larry Hogan signed an executive order preventing discrimination against Israel. Specifically, the order prohibits the state of Maryland from awarding government contracts to companies that have supported boycotts of Israel.

As a member of the Maryland – Negev Sister State Committee, Debora Fajer-Smith advocated for this outcome alongside other committee members and organizations, including Terps for Israel a club comprised of University of Maryland students. (pictured below) 

The Maryland Sister States Program is designed to promote “international cooperation and understanding” between Maryland and various foreign states. Negev has officially been a part of the program since September 2016.

Fajer-Smith has traveled as a citizen-ambassador to the Middle East, Asia, Europe, Africa and Latin America. She believes in giving back to the community she serves. For this, the Daily Record named her to the Top 100 Women of the Year in Maryland for 2007. Debora believes whether she’s in Maryland practicing law or advocating for Israel, “it’s all about lifting the lives of others so they can prosper.”

The article, titled “Med Mal Attys Chasing Docs’ Digital Tracks To Patient Wins,” details how attorneys are using health care records from insurance companies to win cases. These digital footprints were previously unavailable, but more and more providers are making the records an industry standard.  Click the picture below for the full article.

Andrew Greenwald is an accomplished medical malpractice attorney with over 50 cases with recoveries of over one million dollars. 

 
Joseph Greenwald & Laake principal Veronica Nannis recently accepted a new leadership position on the Ayuda Advisory Council. Ayuda is an organization solely focused on serving clients in the DMV by providing free legal work, social work and language access  services to immigrants from 104 countries, 70 percent of whom are Spanish-speaking. 
 
Nannis has spent time this past year supporting Ayuda through various events with the organization. In September, Nannis co-hosted the organization’s annual welcome breakfast that raised awareness and donations for Ayuda’s core mission supporting the immigrant community. The event fell during Hispanic Heritage Month, which is celebrated from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. She also co-sponsored Ayuda’s 44th Anniversary Fundraiser in May, with other JGL attorneys in attendance to show their support for the cause. This cause hits close to home for Nannis, who is the daughter of an immigrant, and who is proud of her Colombian heritage. 
 
Nannis is a seasoned attorney in the firm’s Civil Litigation department and has a pro bono commitment to immigrants’ rights and access to justice. In her work with JGL, she has had the opportunity to represent clients from the immigrant community in particular through her work on the firm’s civil rights cases. In 2011, she was one of four attorneys who represented the Espina family, who brought a case against Prince George’s County and Officer Steven Jackson for the 2008 shooting death of Manuel Espina in Langley Park. The jury returned a record-setting verdict in the amount of $11.5 million for the constitutional violations. Nannis was also one of the firm’s recipients of the Trial Lawyer of the Year award by the Maryland Association for Justice for her work in the Espina case. After the verdict, Nannis prepared Mrs. Espina to testify before the Maryland General Assembly regarding the monetary cap on judgments against local governments, which led to the cap being increased for the first time since 1987. 
 
For Nannis, this prestigious appointment fits into both her own personal commitment, and the firm’s commitment, to representing and protecting the marginalized members of society who are often the victims of crime, fraud and abuse. 
 
The seminar titled,“CLE: Military Retirement Benefits, Disability Pay, Related Issue” was sponsored by the Bar Association and Bar Foundation of Montgomery County.
 
During the seminar, panelists discussed topics such as disposable retired pay, waivers to receive disability pay and the impact of the Howell v. Howell, a recent U.S. Supreme Court case. Other seminar topics included discussions on recent statutory changes, best practices and protecting clients in agreements and court orders.  
 
Jeffrey Greenblatt has over 43 years of experience representing individuals in complex, emotionally-charged family law matters in Maryland. He has a strong emphasis in areas such as divorce, alimony, child custody and protective orders, and is a compassionate advocate for each one of his clients. 

Firm principal Jay Holland and Joseph Greenwald & Laake were sponsors of EveryMind’s anniversary gala on Wednesday, Oct. 18. Formerly known as the Mental Health Association of Montgomery County, the organization celebrated 60 years of dedication to providing mental wellness resources and advocacy to individuals and communities.

The gala honored mental health champions, such as U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen and news anchor Doreen Gentzler of Changing Minds, News4’s campaign to shed light on mental health issues. Ten JGL attorneys attended the gala, including Reza Golesorkhi, Vijay Mani, Jerry Miller, Eleanor Hunt, Veronica Nannis, Jason Sarfati and Timothy Maloney.

EveryMind is dedicated to changing stigma surrounding mental health, while also providing mental wellness services. Everyone, from children to senior citizens, can benefit from the organization’s programs. Their initiatives include educational seminars for the general public and professionals, counseling services and a crisis hotline.

Last Tuesday members of Prince George’s County and the Maryland legal community gathered to celebrate Neal T. Conway’s commitment to making justice accessible for all. The event included a keynote presentation by JGL principal Timothy F. Maloney and was attended by a dozen JGL team members. 

Conway currently serves as the chief financial officer of Community Legal Services, a nonprofit organization based in Prince George’s County. He began working with the organization as an intake paralegal, before moving up the ladder to become executive director and eventually to his current board position.

Community Legal Services works directly with low income members of the Prince George’s community. They provide legal advice, representation and education regarding civil law at little or no cost. 

The symposium, held at the College Park Marriott Hotel in Hyattsville, provided an advanced seminar and update on domestic relations practices and procedures. 
 
The symposium included multiple seminars during both its morning and afternoon programs. The program included a description of trust devices frequently used by wealthy family, along with a discussion on how divorce lawyers can assist their clients in protecting their assets. It also included a seminar on how to maintain civility and professionalism during the course of a family law case and throughout one’s entire career. 
 
AAML was founded in 1962 with the goal of providing leadership that promotes excellence in the practice of family law. AAML fellows represent individuals in all facets of family law, including divorce, annulment, prenuptial agreements, postnuptial agreements, and more. 
 
Jeffrey Greenblatt, Reza Golesorkhi Allison McFadden are highly skilled attorneys in Joseph Greenwald & Laake’s Family Law practice group. Greenblatt has over four decades of experience in representing individuals in complex family law matters in Maryland. He is also a pioneer in the emerging area of family law, Gray Divorce, or the divorce of couples over 50 years old. Golesorkhi regularly represents many of the most accomplished individuals and their spouses in the fields of finance, real estate, public service and entertainment, making him the go-to divorce lawyer for high-network individuals. McFadden is a passionate advocate who focuses exclusively on protecting and enforcing the rights of spouses, parents and children. Her practice covers every type of family law matter that impacts the lives of her clients. 
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