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.
Arthur G. House has been certified as an international mediator and named to the Panel of Mediators of the International Mediation Institute (IMI), which is located in The Hague, Netherlands. Mr. House, who chairs Paley Rothman’s Alternative Dispute Resolution practice group, is one of approximately 160 mediators in the world to receive the IMI certification.
Mark A. Binstock, a principal with the firm’s Litigation practice group, was a speaker at the recent 11th Annual Solo and Small Business Conference sponsored by the Maryland State Bar Association. Mr. Binstock’s presentation to the attorneys in attendance was on “Avoiding Mistakes in Estate Planning.”
David P. Shapiro made a presentation on the legal considerations of professional businesses engaging in social media. Mr. Shapiro belongs to Paley Rothman’s Business/Commercial Transactions, Mergers/Acquisitions, Health Law and Employment Law practice groups.
Paula A. Calimafde, the chair of the firm’s Retirement Plans, Employee Benefits and Government Relations practice groups, recently participated in the U.S. Small Business Administration Pension Roundtable that included Treasury and IRS officials, representatives of small business associations and private practitioners. Ms. Calimafde, who chairs the Small Business Council of America, joined with the other panelists in discussing a variety of estate tax, retirement plan and cafeteria plan issues.
Roy I. Niedermayer and Arthur G. House were included among the business law “go to attorneys” in a reader poll conducted by Washington SmartCEO. Mr. Niedermayer is a principal of the firm and a member of its Litigation and Appellate Practice groups. Mr. House, also a Paley Rothman principal, is a member of the Business/Commercial Transactions and Computer, Internet & Technology groups and chairs the Alternative Dispute Resolution group.
Robert H. Maclay and Deborah A. Cohn in November made their twice-a-year presentation on estate planning as part of the World Bank Pension Department’s Pre-Retirement Planning Series. Mr. Maclay, a member of the firm’s Estate Planning, Estate/Trust Administration, Tax and Health Law practice groups, spoke to unmarried U.S. citizens and couples comprised of two U.S. citizens on taking advantage of state and federal estate tax exemptions, the use of trusts and a variety of other topics of interest to the participants. Ms. Cohn, who also belongs to Paley Rothman’s Estate Planning, Estate/Trust Administration and Tax groups, provided an overview presentation on basic estate planning (e.g., defining and differentiating between a will, a revocable trust, power of attorney, medical directive, probate and its advantages and disadvantages) and then addressed non-U.S. citizens on a variety of issues, including the different tax systems that apply to individuals who are—and are not—domiciled in the U.S. for estate tax purposes, the federal estate tax exemption available in both scenarios and those assets subject to or exempt from tax in both situations. Ms. Cohn also chaired a full-day MICPEL program on Will Drafting and discussed ethics, standard of care and attorney-client privilege in addition to speaking on certain non-dispositive provisions, including probate avoidance strategies, beneficiary designations and joint property.
Patricia M. Weaver, chair of the firm’s Appellate Practice group and a member of the Alternative Dispute Resolution and Litigation groups, was recently the subject of the Washington Business Journal’s “People & Community” profile. The question-and-answer piece—entitled “Mediating on mediation”—focused on her being the president-elect of the Bar Association of Montgomery County and the professional and personal experiences that have played a major role in her life.
Five Paley Rothman attorneys have been selected by their peers in the legal community for inclusion in the 2010 edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Glenn M. Cooper and Kathleen M. Dumais were chosen in the “Family Law” category. Daniel P. Hodin and Linda D. Schwartz were named in “Real Estate Law.” Hope B. Eastman (Labor & Employment Law) also received recognition.
Patricia M. Weaver, chair of the firm’s Appellate Practice group, has been elected to serve as president of the Bar Association of Montgomery County (BAMC) in 2010-11. She is a two-time winner of the BAMC’s Chair of the Year Award for her work heading up the group’s Fee Dispute Committee and its Social Committee, and is a past president of the Women’s Bar Association of Montgomery County. Bibi M. Berry, a member of the Family Law practice group, was elected to serve on the BAMC Executive Committee. She already sits on that organization’s Case Watch Committee of the Family Law Section, and is a member of the Diversity Committee of the Maryland Association for Justice (formerly Maryland Trial Lawyers’ Association).