Takoma Park Lawyers

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...

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...

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 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...

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...

Compassionate. Zealous. Aggressive Attorney focussed on criminal defense, Immigration and Family Law. Proven Results. Voted Top 100 Criminal Defense Lawyers in Maryland by the National Trial Lawyers. Licensed in both Maryland and Florida.

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.

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...

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.

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...

I have been practicing law for over twenty-five years, and was selected as the attorney for several major legal service plans, including Chase Manhattan, American Express and Montgomery Wards Legal Service Plans, helping thousands of satisfied clients with their legal problems, and have been an AARP member attorney. In my legal practice, I have taken many cases to trial when necessary, but have settled many hundreds of disputes to the mutual satisfaction of my clients, sometimes involving hundreds of thousands of dollars. In the process, I have handled many cases in such areas of concentration as: Probate, Wills, Trusts, Estate Planning, Elder...

Jeffrey Hord is an Associate in the firm’s Employment Law and Litigation practice groups. He is an experienced, aggressive litigator who is admitted to practice in all the state and federal courts throughout Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. A true trial lawyer, Jeff has successfully represented both individual and corporate clients in complex litigation, as well as in administrative proceedings before state and federal agencies such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the National Labor Relations Board, the U.S. Department of Labor, and various local human rights commissions.
Prior to joining Paley Rothman, Jeff was a senior associate at several well-known...

Jim Rathvon, chair of the firm’s Regulatory Law & Litigation practice group, maintains a broad environmental, chemical, food and drug and consumer product regulatory and litigation practice. He focuses on the regulation of pesticides and other chemical products under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA) and other complex federal regulatory programs. His environmental law work ranges from counseling and advocating on regulatory and licensing issues to defending clients in government enforcement proceedings to representing them in federal arbitrations...

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.

Mr. Bramzon is truly a counselor at law. Upon the gravest of circumstances, individuals have been seeking the counsel, help, and defense of Lonny Bramzon for years. He is a master of negotiations. He has a remarkable ability to communicate and connect with clients and adversaries alike. His understanding of the psychology of government agents and attorneys is bar none. He has been able to save the lives and liberty of countless individuals when the circumstances appeared hopeless. Despair does not exist in Lonny’s vocabulary. His ability to speak to a jury and eloquently present his legal issues to...

Kirk Rankin was born in Washington DC and graduated with Honors from The George Washington University Law School in 1993. He studied finance and economics at The American University where he graduated in 1987. Mr. Rankin founded the Law Offices of Kirk Rankin and Associates nearly 20 years ago after practicing law for 5 years with another attorney.

Mr. Rankin was admitted to the Bars of Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. He is also admitted to practice before the United States District Courts for Maryland, Virginia, as well as the USCIS and all Immigration Courts.

Together with...

BA 1990 Villanova University
JD 1993 University of Dayton school of law ( member and then editor university of Dayton law review)

Named the 2007 Maryland trial lawyer of the year by the Maryland trial lawyers Association for groundbreaking litigation throughout the state of Maryland involving the safety of manufactured housing which reversed years of county building inspectors improper Interpretation of and inspection for footings to the frost line

Featured in “The Rules of the Road” by Patrick Malone a lawyer’s guide to complex civil litigation

Marshall Yaap is a private practice family lawyer based in Chevy Chase, Maryland. His practice primarily focuses on helping clients throughout Maryland and the District of Columbia resolve issues related to divorce, legal separation, alimony, child custody, separation agreements, prenuptial agreements, property division, child support, and civil protection cases. Marshall’s practice also focuses on international family law issues. Marshall strives to achieve the best possible results for his clients while providing individual attention and guidance at all times.

My journey to citizenship began when I arrived in the USA from Bolivia at the age of 12. The struggles my family and I faced motivated me to become an immigration attorney, helping those in similar situations. I specialize in removal defense, naturalization, humanitarian relief, family immigration, and litigation. Ofrezco servicio en español también I offer compassionate, client-centered support at every step because that's how I wanted to be treated. I prioritize regular updates and clear explanations. You won't experience radio silence here – I'm always accessible for questions. Immigration law is more than a profession; it's a mission to fight for families...

Ali Herischi is the principal at the law firm of Herischi & Associates. He practices in areas of human rights litigation, which includes FSIA, ATCA, TVPA, and ATA. His practice also includes labor and employment, Iran's sanctions, immigration, and technology business startups.

Additionally, he represents clients in business negotiation and mediation settings. Mr. Herischi is a licensed mediator and conducts mediation sessions for business, family and individual conflicts.

Mr. Herischi also provides strategic consulting with technology startups, and work as in-house counsel. He is is a member of board of directors of few startup and not-for-profit companies.

Mr. Herischi is a...

For information about the law practice of Paul Oliver Eisler, visit www.eislerlaw.com.

I am a former Family Court magistrate and Judge in Vermont. I am a skilled mediator and trial attorney who can get results with strong advocacy and with compassion to meet the situation.