Patricia M. Weaver honored by Women’s Bar Association
Patricia M. Weaver, the current president of the Bar Association of Montgomery County, will be honored by the Montgomery County Women’s Bar Association (MCWBA) at a dinner to be held on Sept. 20 at Normandie Farm in Potomac. Ms. Weaver, who chairs the firm’s Appellate Practice group, is a past president of the MCWBA and a current member of the Maryland State Bar Ethics Committee.
Elder Care Project of Bikur Cholim of Greater Washington
Arnold B. Sherman made a presentation in mid-July on the basics of Wills and Estate Planning as part of the Elder Care Project of Bikur Cholim of Greater Washington, an organization which provides services and resource information to those people in the Jewish community who live in or travel to the Washington area for medical treatment. Mr. Sherman, a member of the firm’s Estate Planning, Estate/Trust Administration and Retirement Plans practice groups, spoke on wills, revocable trusts, health care and financial powers of attorney and living wills.
Arthur H. Blitz relected to EagleBank Board of Directors
Arthur H. Blitz was recently reelected as a member of the Board of Directors of EagleBank, a local community business bank with 13 locations in Montgomery County, Md., Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. Mr. Blitz, who heads up Paley Rothman’s Real Estate and Financial Services practice groups, is one of the original directors of the bank that opened in 1998.
Beverly Groner Law Award – Kathleen M. Dumais
Kathleen M. Dumais received the Beverly Groner Family Law Award at the Maryland State Bar Association (MSBA) Annual Meeting in June. The award recognizes an attorney who exemplifies the highest professional standards of family law during a distinguished career. Nominees are identified by the MSBA Family Law Section Council and then voted on at the council’s May meeting. Ms. Dumais, a member of Paley Rothman’s Family Law and Litigation practice groups, handles all aspects of domestic relations law and concentrates on complex divorce and custody matters.
Bar Association of Montgomery County Inducts Patricia M. Weaver
Patricia M. Weaver was inducted as president of the Bar Association of Montgomery County (BAMC) for 2010-11 at the BAMC Annual Meeting & Law Day event in May. Ms. Weaver, chair of Paley Rothman’s Appellate Practice group, addressed the membership, thanking them for the opportunity and expressing her plans to “spotlight our good works and bring public attention to the positive impact that lawyers in Montgomery County are having in our local or larger communities.” She also had the honor of introducing the event’s keynote speaker, Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley.
Kathleen Dumais on Kojo Nnamdi Show
Kathleen M. Dumais recently participated in a live segment on WAMU Radio’s (88.5 FM) “Kojo Nnamdi Show” dealing with upscale domestic violence. Ms. Dumais, who is serving her second term as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates for the 15th District, has introduced many legislative initiatives in the domestic violence area. She is a member of Paley Rothman’s Family Law and Litigation practice groups.
Bethesda Magazine – Top Divorce Lawyers
Four of the firm’s Family Law attorneys– Glenn M. Cooper, Kathleen M. Dumais, Howard B. Soypher and Bibi M. Berry –were included in the May/June 2010 Bethesda Magazine “Top Divorce Lawyers” article. Based on interviews with more than 50 full time divorce lawyers, Mr. Cooper was chosen—and Mr. Soypher was mentioned—among the top 25 who practice primarily in Montgomery County. Ms. Dumais was one of only seven attorneys named in the “When Custody, Child Support and Visitation Are Involved” category while Ms. Berry was among only 11 divorce attorneys to receive “Honorable Mention” recognition which was limited to those who “get positive reviews from peers.”
Bar Association Fellows Elected
Linda D. Schwartz, chair of the firm’s Professional Ethics & Discipline practice group, co-chair of the Real Estate group and a member of its Estate Planning and Business/Commercial Transactions groups, has accepted an invitation to become a Fellow of the American Bar Association (ABA). The Fellows is a prestigious group of attorneys, judges, law faculty and legal scholars whose members have been elected by their peers for their outstanding achievements and dedication to the highest principles of the legal profession. Limited to one third of one percent of lawyers licensed to practice in each jurisdiction, the Fellows has since 1955 supported the ABA’s research efforts. Ms. Schwartz becomes the third Paley Rothman attorney to be chosen as a member of the organization, joining Glenn M. Cooper and Hope B. Eastman.
Paula A. Calimafde officially began her term as the Small Business Legislative Council (SBLC) chair at the organization’s annual meeting in March 2010. Ms. Calimafde, who chairs the firm’s Retirement Plans, Employee Benefits and Government Relations practice groups, will direct the SBLC’s representation of small businesses working in such diverse economic sectors as manufacturing, retailing, distribution, professional and technical services, construction, transportation and agriculture. The association’s membership consists primarily of major small business trade associations around the country and whose charter is to represent their members on Capitol Hill.
Arthur H. Blitz in February gave a presentation on “Special Needs Trusts” to a group of financial planners associated with Lincoln Financial Advisers in Tysons Corner. Mr. Blitz, who co-chairs the firm’s Real Estate and Financial Services practice groups and is a member of the Litigation and Business/Commercial Transactions groups, included an overview of both means-tested and non means-tested benefits, estate planning considerations, state requirements and the various options available for a Special Needs family.
Daniel S. Koch , a member of the firm’s Government Contracts, Computer, Internet & Technology, Litigation and Employment Law practice groups, made a presentation on “Government Contracts and Intellectual Property” to a recent joint meeting of the Intellectual Property Section and the Government Contracts Law Committee (GCLC) of the Montgomery County Bar Association. The GCLC seeks to raise the profile of government contracts law in the county and may evolve into an official section of the Bar Association. Mr. Koch discussed the important differences between commercial and Government contracts, focusing his comments on how the latter deal with patents, trade secrets, copyrights and trademarks.
Paula Calimafde was a co-presenter at a recent DC Bar Taxation Section Estate Planning Committee Luncheon. Ms. Calimafde, a senior member of the firm’s Estate Planning practice group, spoke about Roth IRAs, their benefits, and some conversion strategies to take advantage of in conjunction with the expected changes in the law that take effect in 2010.