Attorneys

“My job is to not only navigate complex legal issues for my clients, but to remain calm and focused when emotions run high. Using this approach, I am better equipped to help my clients meet their needs and achieve their goals.”

Robert Goodis

Associate

301-968-3403
301-654-7354 FAX
rgoodis@paleyrothman.com

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Robert Goodis is an Associate in the firm's Family Law department and a member of its Litigation practice group. He handles a variety of family law matters, including divorce and separation, child custody, child support, domestic violence, separation agreements, pre- and post-nuptial agreements, alimony, property distribution, and modification actions; as well as general civil litigation matters, including tort and contract actions. He has a passion for research and problem-solving analysis of complex legal issues, and is an experienced civil and criminal litigator.
 
Robert’s calm demeanor benefits his clients who are often going through difficult or trying circumstances. His ability to deescalate volatile situations puts his clients, and other parties, at ease during negotiations. Robert focuses on the important aspects of a case, and works with his clients to choose the best path forward when navigating sophisticated legal issues. 

Prior to joining Paley Rothman, Robert worked at the Maryland Office of the Public Defender. There, he was a proven advocate for his clients in misdemeanor and District Court felony cases in a fast-paced and high-volume environment. As an Assistant Public Defender, Robert established a record of success in motions and trial practice. He served as Law Clerk to the Honorable Judge Daniel M. Long in the Circuit Court for Somerset County. Robert was also a student attorney in the Civil Division of D.C. Law Students In Court, Inc., while in law school. Robert is the Founder and Executive Director of The Goodis Center for Research and Reform, Inc., a human rights research and advocacy organization designated as a tax exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

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Practice Areas
Bar Admissions

  • Maryland

  • District of Columbia

Education

  • J.D., American University, Washington College of Law, 2015
         - Public Interest / Public Service (PIPS) Scholarship, Class of 2015 
         - Nathan A. Neal Award for Outstanding Advocacy (D.C. Law Students in Court), 2015
         - Outstanding Volunteer Law Student (Homeless Persons Representation Project), 2015
         - Human Rights Brief, Senior Staff (Deputy Web Editor) 
         - Certificate of Attendance, June 2010; Academy on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law 

  • Master of Public Policy (MPP), American University, School of Public Affairs, 2016 
         - Pi Alpha Alpha Public Affairs & Administration Honor Society 

  • B.A., Bard College, 2010 
         - Lynda and Stewart Resnick Scholarship for Exceptional Academic Promise, 2010 
         - Shelley Morgan Award for Leadership and Community Service, 2011 
         - Thesis: “Contemporary Immigration Detention Practices in the United States: A Study in Sociology and Human Rights”

Accolades & Awards

  • Maryland Super Lawyers "Rising Stars" (2020-2021)

  • Washington D.C. Super Lawyers "Rising Stars" (2020)

In The News
Recent Publications
Civic & Community Involvement

  • Maryland State Bar Association
         - Family Law Section

  • Bar Association of Montgomery County

  • The Goodis Center for Research and Reform, Inc. - Founder and Executive Director

  • Maryland Criminal Defense Attorneys' Association 

  • Homeless Persons Representation Project, Inc.

Speeches & Presentations

  • "Front-Line Defense When Confronted with ICE Enforcement," Maryland Office of the Public Defender's 2018 Annual Conference: We Who Believe in Justice Cannot Rest!, April 2018

  • "Presentation and Meeting with Department of Justice Regarding State Restrictions on Immigrant Access to Victims of Crime Act Compensation Funds," co-presenter, U.S. Department of Justice, April 2015