Author: JGL Law

Debora Fajer Smith spearheaded the effort to bring Velasquez to Greenbelt for a lunch meeting on August 30th. Patrick Tandy, director of communications for the MSBA, attended the meeting, too. Velasquez addressed approximately 20 partners, associates and law clerks, using the theme of ‘change’ to discuss ongoing evolution within the MSBA. 

Velasquez stressed that the MSBA needs to “show up more often within the state,” by providing more networking and learning activities in conjunction with county bar associations. He encouraged members to join an MSBA committee, and stressed that the association will be even more present locally. 

JGL founding member Walter Laake and managing director Burt Kahn both participated in the discussion. 

Laake suggested that each educational session at the annual MSBA convention be taped and recorded to be shared with members across all available technology platforms. Kahn asked if the MSBA can leverage the buying power in its 25,000 members into cost-effective programs for the individual members and firms.

 

Managing director Burt Kahn was recently interviewed by Herb Cohen from Executive Leaders Radio. The Federal News Radio broadcasts the weekly show featuring professionals from a variety of fields, as they discuss their personal and professional growth.

Kahn delves into his past, and reveals how his experiences have shaped him to be a trial lawyer and managing director of Joseph Greenwald & Laake.

For a full audio recording of Burt’s interview, click below. 

 

 

Principal Veronica Nannis recently sat down with IPWatchdog to discuss freedom of speech in the private sector. Following the recent dismissal of Google employee, James Damore, who released a statement criticizing Google’s diversity initiatives, Nannis attempted to clear up some of the confusion surrounding free speech in the workplace.

The statement in question cited biological differences such as, “neuroticism” as one of the reasons why there are so few women in the technology sector. Google terminated Damore a few short days later, after the media had shed its critical light on the company.

As a member of JGL’s civil litigation department, Nannis has over 10 years of experience in qui tam, or whistleblower, law and litigation. In the article she discusses topics such as employee rights in at-will states, the limits of censorship and anti-retaliation law.

To read the article in full, click the image below.

Joseph Greenwald & Laake senior counsel Matthew Focht presentd a webinar on Expert Witness Discovery in Personal Injury Litigation on Aug. 23. The seminar, hosted by Strafford Publications, covered various topics that center on establishing or challenging admissibility of expert evidence, including: tactics for expert designation, cross-examination, deposition and Daubert/Frye challenges of liability and damages experts. 

Matthew co-presented the webinar with David H. Fleisher, P.E., from Fleisher Forensics in Ambler, Pennsylvania, and Glenn M. Cambell, Esq., from William J. Ferren & Associates in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania. 

Matthew is a trial lawyer in JGL’s Personal Injury practice group who helps individuals who have been seriously injured in avoidable accidents recover compensation throughout Maryland and the DC area. He has gained a strong reputation among clients and other lawyers alike for his surgeon-like approach to resolving personal injury disputes, and for his tireless work ethic and commitment to his clients during times of extreme crisis. 

Strafford is a leading continuing education provider that offers nearly 500 live webinars and teleconference per year. They offer high quality and efficient Continuing Education programs for lawyers throughout the United States. For more information on Matt’s webinar click below. 

 

 

His article, published online Aug. 21, advises family lawyers on factors to take into consideration when clients are considering divorce later in life. 

Steering away from simply the business of the matter, Greenblatt uses his article to delve into the emotional side effects of gray divorce, too. In the article, he recognizes that while divorce at any age is difficult, divorce over 50 comes with many more issues, especially when a couple has spent years growing a nest egg as a married couple. Greenblatt provides descriptions of issues including tax liability, retirement savings, alimony and social security, in order to give family lawyers a good idea of what to expect in these types of cases. 

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. 

Family Lawyer Magazine is an online portal that helps United States and Canada family lawyers excel in their practices. Contributing lawyers to the magazine’s publication share their best practices, allowing others to learn and grow their own personal and professional lives.

You can find the article here: 

The article details his work on a case involving a former Prince George’s County school aide who pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation and child pornography charges stemming from sexual misconduct at Judge Sylvania W. Woods Elementary School in Glenarden, Maryland. 

23-year-old Deonte Carraway has been sentenced to 75 years in prison by a federal judge, and faces 270 counts of sex abuse and other related charged in Prince George’s County Circuit Court. At least nine civil suits and one class-action lawsuit are pending, led by families of the affected children against Carraway, Prince George’s County Public School system and the city of Glenarden.

Maloney, who represents several of the families suing, said that the issued sentence was appropriately strong. 

“Deonte Carraway will spend the rest of his life in federal prison,” Maloney said in the article. “But of course no sentence can ever make up for the harm to these children and their families.” 

Maloney is offering free and confidential case evaluations for affected children and their families, using an online form: https://www.jgllaw.com/judge-sylvania-woods-elementary-school-victims-rights1

Click below for the full article

A federal district court in Cincinnati granted what is believed to be the first certification of a class action in a Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act case ever in the Sixth Circuit. In that court,  a team of JGL litigation attorneys and their co-counsel are advocating on behalf of borrowers whose mortgage loans are alleged to have  been negatively affected by a series of improper kickbacks. The kickbacks in question are claimed to have violated the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) and were allegedly conducted by lenders and title companies including Genuine Title and Emery Federal Credit Union.  While this appears to be the first time a court in the Sixth Circuit has granted certification of a RESPA class action, the team did previously secure class certification of a related case in the Fourth Circuit last November. 

In the 30-page opinion, the court deemed Emery’s arguments as “not persuasive” and sided with the plaintiffs at this stage of the litigation, allowing the case to move forward towards trial. The team representing the plaintiffs in this class action includes  Timothy Maloney, Veronica Nannis and Megan Benevento of JGL as well as Michael Paul Smith and Sarah Zadrozny of Smith, Gildea & Schmidt, assisted by local counsel from Cincinnati Gregory Utter.

To read the full opinion click here

 

In today’s social media age, the line between one’s professional and personal life is easily blurred. Stories of public employees getting fired for posting their radical opinions online are not unheard of. In an article for the Maryland Bar Journal (MBJ), Joseph M. Creed tackles this complex issue.

Creed covers topics such as, public employees’ rights regarding free speech, versus the State’s power as an employer. As one of our Labor & Employment attorneys, Creed is able to apply his unique knowledge to the topic, offering both advice and information.

Principal Jay Holland was recently quoted in an article by Inside Counsel on the new ruling regarding racial slurs and harassment. According to the Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, a racial slur need be either severe or pervasive to qualify as harassment. This sets a groundbreaking precedent, as originally slurs had to be both severe and pervasive.

Holland who is chair of JGL’s Labor, Employment and Qui Tam Whistleblower Law Division, applied his expertise to the issue. He offers suggestions for employers on how to prevent harassment including leading by example and requiring employees attend anti-discrimination training. Click below for the full article.

A seven-year-old girl from Montgomery County was visiting her father when she was bit by a pitbull named Toro. The dog had previously attacked a mail carrier in 2011, and had issues with animal control in the past. 

The pitbull’s owner and the landlord of the house, Andrew Kaupert, had left the house at the time. Kaupert was renting the house from his parents and the case held both Kaupert and his parents responsible for the attack.

Due to the attack, where Toro bit her twice, the girl underwent five surgeries and received scarring on her leg. She received both economic and noneconomic damages.Click below for the full story. 

Join us in October as we celebrate Fred Joseph’s legacy, his contributions to the firm and to his community with a benefit in his honor. 

Since the Koshko decision of 2007 it has been difficult for grandparents and other third parties to gain visitation rights. A recent decision in the Court of Appeals could open some doors for these visitation seekers. Jeffrey N. Greenblatt has been practicing family law for 43 years. He discussed these cases and others in the Maryland Daily Record’s Family Law Update. Click below for the full story.