Derwood Lawyers

We focus on prompt responses on a human level to clients' legal needs. We have had forty years experience in a broad range of legal issues involving individuals, small businesses and real estate developers. We work with individual property owners to develop, sell and purchase residential and commercial property.

Jennifer M. Alonso was born and raised in New Jersey. She attended private schools throughout her life, and later lived in various parts of the United States as the spouse of military member. She graduated cum laude from the University of Colorado and Rutgers University School of Law, and spent her last year at University of North Carolina School of Law, where she also made Dean’s List. Ms. Alonso has been practicing law since 2002, and in the beginning of her career, worked in personal injury, worker’s compensation, and surety law. After being mentored by a seasoned immigration practitioner with...

Steve Thienel is an attorney and managing member of Thienel Law Firm, a Maryland law firm dedicated to servicing the needs of professionals and business owners. In his law practice, Steve focuses his practice on a full spectrum of legal services in the areas of tax, business, estate planning, and family law matters to maximize client opportunities while preserving wealth. He represents entrepreneurs, investors, business owners, executives, and professionals in both litigation and transactional matters. Steve is an entrepreneur and business owner himself having been a business consultant, academic, and corporate executive prior to starting his own law practice.

As Co-Chair of Paley Rothman’s Family Law practice and a member of its Litigation practice group, Carlos Lastra provides clients with diligent, thoughtful and effective representation, addressing both their immediate concerns and securing long-term solutions, in arguably the toughest times imaginable. Applying skills honed over a quarter of a century of recurrent civil and criminal trials before judges and juries in federal and state courtrooms in multiple jurisdictions, Carlos employs his rich trial experience to create a strategy custom-made to meet the client’s objectives, anticipate the opposing party’s tactics, and ultimately achieve his client’s goals.
Over the last 26 years, Carlos...

Morgan E. Leigh is a fearless advocate who cares deeply about representing individuals in trouble. She has spent her entire legal career fighting on behalf of the accused. In 2012, she began her career as an public defender in Montgomery County, Maryland where she litigated thousands of criminal cases. In 2015, she started her own law practice where she specialized in representing individuals charged with a crime in the District of Columbia and Maryland. In 2020, she joined Scrofano Law PC as a Trial Attorney to head up the firm's Maryland criminal practice. She is licensed...

JASON A. RUBEN, ESQ.
Education: Juris Doctorate from the University of Maryland School of Law
Honors, Health Law Certificate
Bachelors of Science in Political Science and Bachelors of Science in Communications at Towson University


Areas of Practice: Criminal Defense, Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice, and Government Relations.


Experience:

Jason Ruben began his legal career working in the State’s Attorney’s Office for Montgomery County Maryland. There he gained an invaluable understanding and in-depth knowledge into the Maryland criminal justice system.


Jason then began working at the Network for Public Health Law. The Network for Public Health Law provides legal assistance and helpful resources to local, state and federal...

Immigration Lawyer, Lynn Garfinkel, Esq., has been helping clients prevent and solve problems for eight years. She recently launched Garfinkel Immigration Law, LLC to better serve client needs.Lynn Garfinkel represents clients seeking green cards, temporary and permanent visas, family and work petitions, deportation defense, naturalization, and religious, political, and gender based asylum, and benefits under the Violence Against Women Act. Ms. Garfinkel has experience with a variety of employment based petitions, including intracompany transferees, specialty occupations, professionals, researchers, and more.Finally, Ms. Garfinkel successfully represents clients at consulates around the world. Ms. Garfinkel is currently Chair of the Asylum...

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.

Mr. Richa's clients include recording artists, songwriters, music producers, music production companies, music publishers, record labels, television and film producers, television and video production companies, entertainment management companies, apparel companies, filmmakers, professional photographers, promotion companies, restaurants, mortgage companies, real estate companies, graphic design companies, automobile service centers, importers/exporters, interior decorating companies, insurance companies, consulting companies, medical industry companies, technology companies, software companies, image consulting companies, property nanagement companies, retail stores, business management companies, actors, directors, screenwriters, marketing companies, public relations firms, personal and business managers, commercial and music video production companies, DJ's, recording studios, dancers and choreographers along with various...

Linda Schwartz is a senior member of the Professional Ethics & Discipline, Estate Planning, Estate & Trust Administration, Corporate, and Real Estate practice groups. She has considerable experience in complex real estate and commercial transactions, business planning, executive succession planning, and estate planning and administration for both U.S. and non-U.S. citizens. For more than 30 years, she has served as counsel to prominent national, regional and local developers and business owners. In 2006, she was elected to the American College of Real Estate Lawyers.
Throughout her legal career, Linda has been active in public service. She is a former Assistant Attorney...

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...

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...

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...

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...

For more than 40 years, Art House has been working with businesses of all types as a corporate lawyer and litigator. He chairs the firm’s Science & Technology and Alternative Dispute Resolution practice groups, and is a member of the Corporate practice group. Art brings responsiveness and an ability to offer practical solutions to his clients, understanding that his clients’ business needs drive the deals, not the lawyer.
Art’s background in enterprise development, licensing for technology-based companies and assisting both established and start-up businesses in developing legal, business alliance and acquisition strategies gives him unique insight into the real-world problems facing...

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.

Gary Gerstenfield is a well-known and respected criminal defense attorney who is highly soughtafter for his effective trial skills and advocacy. He obtained his Juris Doctor in 1990 from the Catholic University of America, where he served as senior staff member of the prestigious Journal of Contemporary Health Law & Policy. Upon entering the bar, Mr. Gerstenfield returned to school in Boston where he obtained a certificate in DUI defense from the nationally known College of DUI Defense presented at Harvard Law School.

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...

Kevin is a Principal in the firm and considers himself as a true business attorney. From start-up through transition, Kevin serves as outside counsel for a myriad of local businesses of varying size and industry. He is a member of the firm’s Corporate, Nonprofits, Science & Technology, and Real Estate practice groups, and regularly provides counsel in each of these areas, including general operation and governance of for-profit and nonprofit entities, business dispute resolutions, IP and technology licensing and transactions, private placements, the negotiation of employment relationships and separations, executive compensation, structuring and implementing corporate mergers and acquisitions, the negotiation...

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...

Jim Hammerschmidt is Co-President of the firm, Co-Chair of the Employment Law group, and a member of its Litigation and Appellate Practice groups. His practice includes a range of commercial, corporate, and employment counseling and litigation, but his primary task is listening. The first thing Jim does when meeting with a client is ask, “What is your goal?” In doing this, Jim is able to determine the client’s expectations and whether we will be able to meet them. Only then can he really set about meeting his clients’ business needs.
Jim has extensive experience representing and counseling clients on employment law...

Litigation attorney focusing on auto accident, work injuries and criminal defense.

Ken C. Gauvey is an experienced attorney in the areas of immigration, wage and hour,family law, and litigation matters. When you have a matter with us, your matter is personally handled by an experienced attorney who will communicate with you about your case and act as a litigator, an advocate, and partner.

Stephen Drazin is the Principal, Legal Coordinator, and Managing Attorney at The Drazin Law Center, P.A. Mr. Drazin offers over 20 years of legal experience to individuals and businesses across Maryland, including the Columbia and Baltimore regions. Stephen Drazin is licensed in all the State and Federal Courts within Maryland, as well as, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (in Richmond, VA). Stephen strives to offer an alternative to large law firms by working with clients from the initial consultation through settlement, trial, or case dismissal. Understanding that clients require and desire to know all...

Experienced bankruptcy attorney with over 10 years of experience

Aldo J. Terrazas is an experienced litigator and negotiator with over 25 years of experience. He takes over the worry and eases the anxiety of clients with effective and aggressive representation that inspire confidence. He has argued cases before state and federal courts and he has negotiated the resolution of hundreds of disputes. When only the tenacity of true advocate will do, Mr. Terrazas is the lawyer to call.

Almost three decades as a trusted legal adviser to small businesses, over a decade of operating a small brick and mortar business which also sells on line. I have a 360° view and understanding of how small businesses work from a legal, practical perspectives.