North Bethesda Lawyers

Ryan Spiegel chairs the firm’s Government Contracts practice and is a member of its Litigation, Corporate, and Science & Technology practice groups. His work spans a wide range of industries, includes general business and risk management counseling, and is characterized by outstanding client service, effective case strategy, and creative legal arguments. While he can be a tenacious litigator when necessary and maintains an excellent grasp of procedure, Ryan strives to understand his clients’ interests and goals and seek the best solution for them. He believes that resolving problems and disputes is more important than arguing for its own sake.
In recent...

Mark Goldstein, one of the founders of the firm, is a member of its Corporate, Financial Services, Estate Planning and Estate & Trust Administration practice groups. He concentrates on corporate, business, estate and tax planning and advises large and small corporations, general and limited partnerships, associations and proprietorships on sophisticated business planning issues. He represents a large number of estate planning clients and is well respected for his ability to communicate and implement complicated plans in a practical manner. Mark has significant experience in structuring and negotiating business and financing transactions, reorganizations and private placement syndications. He has served as...

Richard Dodd is a seasoned divorce and child custody negotiator and litigator. He is also trained in mediation and collaborative dispute resolution, both of which emphasize clients' self-determination in negotiating settlement terms to provide for equitable parenting access plans and property settlements according to their values and objectives, rather than leaving the outcome to a judge.

Jeffrey Kolender chairs the firm’s Estate Planning and Estate & Trust Administration practice groups. He concentrates primarily in those areas and also advises small businesses in tax business planning. Jeffrey recognizes that each client is different and enjoys the challenge of creating a plan that accomplishes the client’s unique goals. He advises clients about adequately providing for their family, including saving taxes, creating trusts for children, planning for disability, and the special planning issues involved in second marriages and same-sex marriages.
He understands that estate planning can be a complex and emotional process for clients. Jeffrey always takes the time to...

After many years of practicing family law, and having seen the emotional and financial damage that litigation can cause, I have chosen to focus my practice on healthier ways of resolving disputes such as Collaborative Law, mediation, negotiation, and settlement advocacy. While I represent individual clients, I also assist couples as a neutral mediator. I believe that by focusing on constructive settlement solutions, separating couples are much more likely to make mutually beneficial decisions while preserving valuable financial resources. Whether through Collaborative Law, mediation, or standard negotiation, I help my client stay focused on future goals rather...

Ignacio Donoso is nationally recognized as a leading immigration attorney, with expertise in visas for investors, professionals, researchers, start-ups and family immigration. Mr. Donoso is an award-winning attorney. He was recognized in 2015, 2016 and 2018 as one of the Top 25 EB-5 immigration attorneys in the U.S. by EB-5 Investors Magazine.

Donoso & Associates offers immigration services and visa processes for the U.S. as well as Canada, Mexico and India. Our team of attorneys and are fluent in English, Spanish, French and Hindi.

Prior to founding Donoso & Associates in 2013, Mr. Donoso served from 2007 to 2013...

Paul Marcotte, Jr. Chairs the firm’s Tax practice group and is a member of its Estate Planning, Estate & Trust Administration and Nonprofit groups. He concentrates his practice on federal, state and international tax matters (both planning and controversy), estate and wealth preservation planning, probate and trust administration, nonprofit organizations, and business counseling and succession planning. Paul helps his clients by putting complicated tax issues into simple English. He makes sure that the individuals, businesses and international clients he services have help navigating our complex tax systems and avoid potential minefields such as increased levels taxation and/or penalties.
Paul’s international...

In practice in Maryland and Washington D.C. For 25 years. I have tried hundreds of cases and resolved many more. The most important thing a lawyer can do for you is to analyze the case and take steps to assure a positive outcome. A resolution without a trial is always preferable.

Since 2002, I have represented clients in Maryland custody, divorce, and marital matters. I negotiate, litigate, and advocate for the best interests of my clients, whether in contested litigation, uncontested settlement, as well as premarital and other agreements. My clients are not only spouses and parents, but also children whose interests she is appointed by the court to represent in contested custody litigation. I strive to improve the Maryland law in the General Assembly, volunteering my time to monitor, advocate, and educate about legislative developments in family law.

My goal is to help my clients move away from...

Jessica Summers is an Associate in the firm’s Employee Benefits, Employment Law, Retirement Plans, Litigation and Government Relations practice groups. Jessica works with companies and organizations on a wide range of matters, including establishing and implementing effective employment policies, drafting employment agreements, maintaining employee benefit plans, addressing corporate planning issues and monitoring and advising clients on legislative and regulatory developments of import to them.
As an all-purpose business attorney with experience across several practice areas, Jessica has a comprehensive understanding of the legal and business needs of her clients and uses a common sense approach to finding solutions. In looking out...

Victor Rosenberg, a founding member of the firm, is also a member of its Corporate, Tax, Estate Planning, and Estate & Trust Administration practice groups. He concentrates his practice on corporate, real estate, business, estate planning, probate and tax matters and is also involved in family wealth preservation and business continuity through the establishment of charitable trusts of all types, private foundations, family partnerships and limited liability companies.
Victor is active in trust reformation as well as the financing and sale of beneficial interests in trusts. He has extensive experience in structuring and negotiating business and financing transactions, including the sale...

Glenn Cooper is the Chair of the firm’s Litigation practice and senior partner in our Family Law practice. He frequently appears before federal and state courts at both the trial and appellate levels, and before arbitration panels and professional disciplinary boards. No matter whether he is litigating a matter of a business or domestic nature, Glenn aggressively defends his clients’ positions and pursues their desired outcomes. The majority of Glenn Cooper's practice is devoted to complex business, financial, commercial and domestic litigation involving significant business issues.
A number of Glenn's cases have helped shape the current state of the law in...

Ron Dweck is Chair of the firm’s Corporate practice group, and a member of the Tax, Nonprofit and Science & Technology groups. Ron acts as general counsel to a number of companies, including large and small corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships and business organizations in various fields. As such, he knows a great deal about many different practice areas and applies that knowledge to better serve his corporate clients. His corporate work includes preparing and negotiating a wide variety of business contracts, as well as counseling in conjunction with executive compensation, corporate governance and risk & litigation management. He has...

Attorney John Pontius is the founder of Pontius Tax Law, PLLC with offices in Washington, DC and in Rockville, Maryland. Mr. Pontius represents individual and business clients with sensitive and serious tax matters before the Internal Revenue Service and state taxing authorities. Mr. Pontius regularly advises clients with complex tax issues in the following areas: FBAR examinations, offshore disclosures, FATCA, tax planning, unfiled tax returns, release of tax liens and levies, trust fund recovery penalty, IRS and state audit examinations as well as Appeals, penalty abatement, US Tax Court litigation along with defense of tax fraud and tax evasion....

Rockville Criminal defense lawyer David H. Moyse began his legal career as an associate for a personal injury law firm, collaborating on several six-figure settlements and lengthy civil trials. Since forming Jezic & Moyse, LLC as a founding partner, he has been part of a team of lawyers who successfully settled a District of Columbia medical case for a high seven-figure amount As a Rockville criminal lawyer, David Moyse obtained a complete acquittal from a jury in a high-profile First Degree Rape in Montgomery County in July, 2010. In January of 2010, Mr. Moyse and Mr. Jezic, in a...

Mark Binstock is a member of the firm’s Litigation practice group who concentrates a significant portion of his practice in litigation involving estates, trusts, guardianships and other fiduciary matters. He has experience in commercial litigation, a substantial portion of which involves commercial contracts, construction litigation, domestic relations and personal injury, while appearing regularly before the federal and state courts in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia.
Every client has their own unique and individual needs and goals in pursuing matters in court. Mark strives to identify those needs during the course of representation. He is sensitive to his clients’ personalities...

Advocate and adviser for government employees, business professionals, and businesses in a wide range of employment and civil litigation matters.

Civil Litigation:
- Represent individuals and businesses in various civil-litigation matters, including business litigation, contract disputes, partnership disputes, and insurance coverage.
- Represent licensed professionals in investigations, disciplinary proceedings, and appeals of adverse agency decisions regarding licensure.
- Experienced trial lawyer in state and federal court.
- Experienced appellate attorney in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, D.C. Court of Appeals, Maryland Court of Appeals, and Maryland Court of Special Appeals.
- Law clerk...

I became an immigration attorney to help preserve this country's legacy as a land of opportunity and freedom. With my hard work, perseverance, and a strong advocate by their side, my clients were able to achieve the American Dream.

Divorce is often a difficult and painful process, and it can be emotionally exhausting. If you are going through the divorce process and are wondering where you can turn to procure the help you need at such a time, look no further than Gardner Law Firm. A divorce lawyer in Rockville at this office has assisted numerous individuals who are dealing with complications and hardships comparable to yours and is prepared to take on your case and support you at this time. Attorney David Gardner received his Juris Doctorate from the American University, Washington College of Law and is a...

Debbie Cohn’s keys to professional success are as diverse as her eclectic client base that consists of professionals, business owners, retirees, and non-U.S. citizens. Yet perhaps her most critical—and comforting—characteristic is an ability to explain complex concepts in a way her clients can understand. Debbie’s approach to estate planning is equal parts pragmatic and creative, which helps put her clients at ease with the knowledge that their families will be cared for and protected, and their asset protection and wealth management goals will be met. And her wealth of experience and vast knowledge of the law allow her to blend...

Flora Lee always strives toward what she believes to be the right or best path, not the path of least resistance. Her drive to be better and do more, combined with her keen analytical ability, allows her to visualize and work to implement her clients’ goals. Flora was drawn to the legal profession by its unique combination of intellectual challenges, real-life stakes, and interpersonal collaboration. She works to understand her clients’ concerns even beyond the immediate case at hand, and to bring solutions that fit within their bigger picture. Prior to joining Stein Sperling, Flora clerked for the Honorable Irma S. Raker...

Attorney Howard B. Hoffman is experienced in employment and employment immigration matters. On numerous occasions, he has served as a featured speaker at numerous legal seminars. He is an accomplished legal author, and an honors law graduate of the University of Maryland School of Law. Prior to opening his own legal practice in 2002, Mr. Hoffman worked for a prominent employment law boutique catering exclusively to management clientele.

Emily leads our firm’s litigation team, focusing on all aspects of divorce, custody and child support matters. Emily’s favorite place to be, when she’s working, is in the courtroom. She is a seasoned litigator who will tell you that there are few things in life better than a well-executed cross-examination. When she’s not in court, Emily is one of the nicest lawyers you will ever meet. Within the firm she is known for her ability to approach every case with a calm focus that puts her clients at ease. She has earned the well-deserved reputation among her colleagues for...

Robert Katz is one of the leading personal injury attorneys in the nation. For three decades, he has built one of the most successful personal injury practices. His practice employs six attorneys with approximately one hundred years combined experience as well as ten paralegals. He has obtained in excess of two hundred million dollars in compensation for his clients. He enjoys the highest peer review rating from Martindale-Hubbell. Mr. Katz prides himself in having developed the loyalty of many immigrant groups including the Asian, Spanish, African, Middle-Eastern, and many other populations that reside in the Mid-Atlantic region. Mr. Katz is currently a...

Pallavi Kachoria is an Associate in the firm’s Litigation and Family Law practice groups. She has experience in a variety of litigation areas including general civil, commercial, and domestic litigation. Pallavi also has experience in transactional matters in working with business owners to draft documents and research complex legal issues.
Her passion for the law, the rules, and fairness helps her succeed as a litigator. In working with her clients, Pallavi embraces a practical and honest approach in dealing with their complex disputes. She works tirelessly to understand all facets of her cases and aims to develop a strong relationship...

Cristen Rose’s practice encompasses a wide variety of commercial & business litigation, with significant experience in mass torts, class actions, product liability defense, environmental litigation, contractual disputes and regulatory compliance. As a member of the firm’s Regulatory Law & Litigation practice group, she devotes a significant portion of her practice to the regulation of pesticides and other chemical products under the Federal Insecticide Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). Cristen also has extensive experience representing companies that are subjects of investigations by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the...

As a member of the firm’s Tax, Retirement Plans, Employee Benefits, Estate Planning, Estate & Trust Administration, and Corporate practice groups, Arnold Sherman focuses his practice on the areas of tax and business planning, and estate planning and probate administration matters. He has extensive experience in negotiating, structuring and documenting business contracts, tax-deferred exchanges and wealth preservation structures.
Arnie’s knowledge and familiarity with how businesses work make him especially adept at understanding and responding to the needs of his business clients. He is diligent in keeping himself apprised of current tax laws and continually works to provide his clients with the...

Alan Mark is a Co-Chair of the firm’s Real Estate and Chair of the Financial Services practice groups. He is also a senior member of the Corporate group. For more than 40 years, Alan has concentrated on corporate, commercial and real estate finance matters. He has served as outside counsel to numerous local, regional and national financial institutions, publicly traded biotechnology companies and hotel owners and operators. He has also served as outside counsel to information and telecommunication technology clients, government entities and individuals in connection with technology transfers, business acquisitions, project development and equity and debt financings. Since 1996,...

Michelle Chapin, a member of the firm’s Estate Planning, Estate & Trust Administration, Tax and Corporate practice groups, advises individuals, families and small business owners regarding their estate and gift planning needs. Recognized as a Top Trusts and Estates Lawyer in Washingtonian magazine, Michelle excels at providing clients with easy to understand explanations of intricate legal and tax matters. She works closely with her clients to create comprehensive and customized estate and business succession plans to achieve their tax and non-tax wealth preservation objectives. She also helps clients implement lifetime gifting and post-mortem wealth transfer strategies and counsels fiduciaries on...

Rebecca Nitkin believes in the passionate pursuit of justice for all - one case at a time, one client at a time. She is licensed to practice in all Maryland courts and in Washington DC, and since 1992 has practiced exclusively in the area of criminal law. She has handled many high-profile criminal defense cases that have been featured on both local and national radio and television and in other media, including "Good Morning America," "The Today Show, "The O'Reilly Factor", and "Court TV With Nancy Grace". Her interviewing skills landed her the position as a Legal Analyst on...

The majority of my practice is construction and government contract litigation, although I also represent franchisees and businesses in a variety of other matters. Primarily, my objectives are to solve my client's problem quickly, efficiently and economically. To this end, in addition to handling complex litigation from start to finish, whether through settlement or final court disposition, I strive to be my client's general counsel - always available to consult, advise and strategize with them on matters ranging from employer/employee issues, government and regulatory compliance, insurance matters as well as corporate formation, structure, resolution and related needs. As...

Michael Fried has spent over 25 years practicing law, and more specifically tax related law. As the principal founder of Fried Law Firm and now 1 of 2 partners at Fried & Rosefelt, LLC, Michael S. Fried actively helps clients by handling bankruptcies, business purchases, federal and state tax problems, partnership and shareholder relationships.

The National Law Center, George Washington University J.D., with Honors
University of Maryland, BA Major in Government & Politics, Minor in Psychology
Civic, Professional, Foundation and Corporate Affiliations:

Delegate to Democratic National Convention
Campaign Manager for Rep. Michael D. Barnes
Rockville Chamber of Commerce – Past President
National Capital Chapter of MS Society - Board of Trustees, and Past Chair
Shady Grove Hospital Fund Campaign - Major Gift Chair
Montgomery County Bar Association –Chair Judicial Selections; Member of Ethics, Fee Arbitration and Legislation Committees
Silver Spring Chamber of Commerce - Vice President
Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce - Liquor Control Evaluation
Rockville Alternative Community Service Commission
Montgomery County Volunteer MS Committee -...

I am the managing attorney at Actio Law, and am licensed to practice law in Maryland, and pending admission to the District of Columbia Bar. Throughout my career, I have focused on protecting the rights of consumers and ordinary people. Whether through the practice of immigration and consumer debt law, or helping to keep corporate financial giants in compliance with consumer protection regulations, my primary concern has always been protecting the rights of the individuals who need it most. I understand that as times are changing, so too are the needs of clients. You...