Offit Kurman is pleased to announce that 15 of the firm’s attorneys have been included on the 2017 list of The Best Lawyers in America©. Based on over 7 million peer reviews provided by attorneys, the list is a leading, unbiased source of legal referrals in the United States.
This year’s Best Lawyers directory includes not only many of Offit Kurman’s most prominent attorneys, but several members of the firm’s management committee. Each practitioner is also a Best Lawyers veteran who has spent multiple years on the list. The firm’s lawyers recognized by Best Lawyers represent Offit Kurman’s diversity of practice groups as well as the myriad regions we serve.
More information about these fifteen attorneys, along with their Best Lawyers practice areas and years included on the list, can be found below.
Baltimore, MD
Joyce A. Kuhns (Listed in Best Lawyers Since 2007)
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights, and Insolvency and Reorganization Law Litigation – Bankruptcy
With extensive experience at the national and regional levels, Joyce Kuhns brings her in-depth knowledge in delivering creative solutions to help transform financial challenges to successful outcomes. Whether representing debtors, creditors, creditors committees or equity committees, trustees or regulators, Ms. Kuhns’ understanding of the complexities of financial and business structures and her skill with in court and out-of-court resolutions enables her to provide critical strategic advice from the boardroom to the courtroom and to a broad spectrum of clients including buyers and sellers of distressed assets and debts as well as directors and officers of companies in crisis. Ms. Kuhns is frequently invited to lecture before national and international trade groups on restructuring issues and has published in regional and national publications on these issues. She has testified before Congress on key legislation in the restructuring industry.
Howard K. Kurman (Listed in Best Lawyers Since 2015)
Employment Law – Management
Howard K. Kurman is an employment attorney, co-founder of Offit Kurman, chair of Offit Kurman's Labor and Employment Law practice group, and a member of the firm's management committee. He represents employers ranging in size from as small as 20 employees to those employers with geographically disparate locations consisting of over 4,000 employees. Mr. Kurman assures, through regular contact with his clients, that they promulgate and maintain the most effective employment policies that will, to the extent possible, minimize their legal exposure in today’s litigious workplace. Mr. Kurman offers advice on employee handbooks, employment agreements, and covenants not to compete as well as confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements. Previously, Mr. Kurman was the chair of the firm’s Labor & Employment Practice Group.
Timothy C. Lynch (Listed in Best Lawyers Since 2013)
Commercial Litigation and Litigation – Real Estate
Timothy Lynch is a litigation attorney and a member of the firm's management committee responsible for the management of all legal affairs of the firm. Mr. Lynch’s practice is focused on complex civil litigation matters as well as acting as outside general counsel to many owner managed businesses and entrepreneurs on a wide array of business issues. In addition, he serves as a corporate advisor to senior level executives, physicians and professional athletes throughout the United States. He also serves as a board member for several privately owned companies advising on growth and management issues.
Bethesda, MD
Edward A. Bloom (Listed in Best Lawyers Since 2010)
Real Estate Law
Edward A. Bloom is Chair of the Offit Kurman's Real Estate Law and Transactions practice group. He practices real estate and transactional law, and his practice is primarily concentrated on real estate development, real estate litigation, real estate workouts, real estate and corporate lending, leasing, licensing, corporate and transactional matters. Mr. Bloom has over 30 years of experience on all types of real estate and corporate matters. He counsels developers, owners and users on acquisitions, dispositions, financing and development projects. He has extensive experience on all types of lease matters, and regularly represents tenants in the negotiation of leases from 5,000 to 100,000 square feet in size. Mr. Bloom has drafted and negotiated numerous work agreements for tenant build-out in connection with leasing matters. He has represented lenders, borrowers and asset portfolio purchasers on loan workouts, restructurings and foreclosures.
Sara M. Donohue (Listed in Best Lawyers Since 2010)
Family Law
Working as a family law attorney for over twenty-five years, Sara Donohue has practiced in the field of domestic law in both Maryland and the District of Columbia. Her practice includes working on complex divorce and custody matters. In addition to handling matrimonial matters in the traditional negotiation and litigation modes, she has been trained in Collaborative Law and is a member of Collaborative Divorce Association, Inc. In addition to her Best Lawyers listing, Ms. Donohue has won recognition as a top woman attorney from the Washingtonian, Baltimore Magazine, Bethesda Magazine, and Super Lawyers.
Cheryl L. Hepfer (Listed in Best Lawyers Since 1995)
Family Law
Cheryl Hepfer is a highly-regarded attorney who has practiced family law for more than 40 years. She has been rated by her peers and is listed in Best Lawyers in America and as a top lawyer in the Washingtonian, Bethesda Magazine, and Super Lawyers. She is past president of both the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and the International Academy of Family Lawyers. Her practice consists primarily of domestic litigation involving significant assets and business interests. She has a wealth of experience in complex cases involving significant assets and property distribution, alimony, child custody and access. She also has significant experience representing owners of businesses and their spouses, and those with significant assets, and works with business valuation experts and forensic accountants to maximize the benefits to her clients.
James M. Hoffman (Listed in Best Lawyers Since 2013)
Litigation – Bankruptcy
As a bankruptcy lawyer, business attorney, and expert in trademark law, James Hoffmanfocuses his practice in the areas of representing various business types, particularly closely held businesses. He also has a broad base of experience representing creditors, trustees and debtors in bankruptcy cases and litigation. Mr. Hoffman has represented seven different Chapter 7 trustees, and several Chapter 11 trustees and receivers. He has been involved in handling a broad range of litigation before state courts, including disputes involving complex commercial litigation, breach of contract actions, and collection actions. Mr. Hoffman also brings his extensive experience as a real estate attorney to the table.
Ronald L. Ogens (Listed in Best Lawyers Since 2008)
Family Law and Family Law – Mediation
Ronald L. Ogens Ogens serves as the Chairman of the Family Law Practice Group. Mr. Ogens’ practice as family law attorney is focused on the negotiation, settlement, and litigation of family law matters in Maryland and the District of Columbia. He is a past president of the Maryland Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, an association of the nation’s top matrimonial lawyers from the 50 states who specialize in all issues relating to marriage and divorce. In addition to his Best Lawyers listing, Mr. Ogens has won recognition from the Washingtonian, Bethesda Magazine, and Super Lawyers.
Bryn H. Sherman (Listed in Best Lawyers Since 2013)
Real Estate Law
Bryn Sherman’s practice focus as a bankruptcy attorney is on both civil litigation and real estate litigation, with a concentration in representing creditors rights in bankruptcy. She also represents commercial and residential landlords in all types of disputes, in addition to local and regional banks in all matters, including strategic loan documentation, foreclosures and workouts.
Maple Lawn, MD
Theodore A. Offit (Listed in Best Lawyers Since 2013)
Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)
Theodore “Ted” Offit is a business lawyer and CEO of Offit Kurman, which he co-founded with his brother Maurice and Howard Kurman. He has served as lead counsel in merger and acquisition transactions for privately held companies, as well as general counsel for privately held businesses, families of significant wealth, and nonprofit organizations. His broad financial background as a CPA and his more than 30 years of experience in public accounting and the practice of law have given him a platform from which he serves as a trusted key advisor to the firm’s entrepreneurial clientele. Mr. Offit also received the highest professional (AV) rating from his peers, as reported by Martindale-Hubbell. In 2006 Mr. Offit was named a Top Legal Advisor by SmartCEO Magazine. Earlier this year, he was featured on the cover of the debut issue of the Greater Baltimore edition of Attorney at Law Magazine, which named him its “Attorney of the Month” for March.
Philadelphia, PA
Michael Conley (Listed in Best Lawyers Since 2010)
Insurance Law
Michael Conley is an insurance litigation and recovery lawyer who serves as the chair of the firm’s Insurance Recovery practice group and a principal in the Labor & Employment Law and Business Litigation Departments. His broad legal experience includes insurance litigation, insurance coverage litigation, labor and employment law, and general litigation. He represents policyholders, including closely held, publicly traded, nonprofit, and municipal entities, with claims against their insurance companies. His insurance coverage law experience includes handling coverage actions on behalf of insureds relating to bad faith claims, defense obligations, law and ordinance exclusions, breach of health insurance contract, crime coverage, employment liability coverage, and coverage for data loss and environmental liability.
Neil A. Morris (Listed in Best Lawyers Since 2012)
Litigation – Labor and Employment
Neil Morris has passionately represented employers for the last 30 years. Mr. Morris specializes in the areas of labor and employment, municipal labor law, employment discrimination, defamation and business litigation. Mr. Morris has served as Special/Labor Counsel for more than 35 Pennsylvania Townships and Boroughs, the County of Bucks and many private employers. He is often brought into municipalities to handle “crisis” situations involving employees and/or management.
Tysons Corner, VA
Joseph A. Condo (Listed in Best Lawyers Since 1983)
Family Law
Joe Condo focuses his practice in the areas of family law. Recognized as one of the most accomplished and proficient family-law attorneys in Virginia, he has been in practice for 40 years. He has been included in all of Washingtonian Magazine’s lists of the Washington area’s best divorce lawyers since 1981, described in the magazine’s February 2009 issue as a “Virginia legend” who “knows how it’s done.” He was chosen by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America beginning with its first edition in 1983, and has been listed in each edition since.
Shirley Keisler (Listed in Best Lawyers Since 2015)
Family Law
Shirley Keisler practices in the areas of state, interstate, and international family law and is highly experienced in guiding clients through separation and divorce using mediation and, if necessary, litigation. While the majority of the cases Ms. Keisler handles result in amicable resolutions, she is a seasoned trial attorney and has successfully litigated high conflict custody and visitation proceedings; international and interstate custody and/or divorce cases; complex marital property divisions (equitable distribution cases); child support and spousal support; and family abuse protective order hearings. She is well versed in the unique issues that arise with military and Foreign Service families, and is experienced with the division of pensions and retirement accounts whether for those in the Military, Foreign Service, government, or private sectors or their spouses.
Steven D. Stone (Listed in Best Lawyers Since 2013)
Education Law
Steven D. Stone represents clients before all state courts in Virginia, before government agencies, and before local governments, school boards, and departments. His clients include area education associations and other trade and professional organizations as well as families and individuals. He also has provided legislative and lobbying services on behalf of a wide variety of groups such as labor, business, attorneys, and doctors. He takes pride in the fact that most of his cases are quietly resolved in the best interest of his clients while avoiding costly litigation and adversarial proceedings.
ABOUT OFFIT KURMAN
Offit Kurman is one of the fastest-growing, full-service law firms in the Mid-Atlantic region. With over 120 attorneys offering a comprehensive range of services in virtually every legal category, the firm is well positioned to meet the needs of dynamic businesses and the people who own and operate them. Our eight offices serve individual and corporate clients in the Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, and Northern Virginia markets, as well as the Washington DC, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York City metropolitan areas. At Offit Kurman, we are our clients’ most trusted legal advisors, professionals who help maximize and protect business value and personal wealth. In every interaction, we consistently maintain our clients’ confidence by remaining focused on furthering their objectives and achieving their goals in an efficient manner. Trust, knowledge, confidence—in a partner, that’s perfect.
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