Education

College of William and Mary, B.A. in Public Policy, Minor: Computer Science, May 1992; J.D., Marshall-Wythe School of Law, May 1995.

Bar Admissions

Supreme Judicial Court of Maine (October 2016);
Supreme Court of Virginia (October 1995);
District of Columbia Court of Appeals (December 1997);
United States District Court for the District of Columbia (June 1998);
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia (April 1999);
United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan (July 1999);
United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (March 2002);
United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit (June 2000);
United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit (January 2001).

Bar Memberships and Activity

American Bar Association

• member
• former Co-Chair of Internet Litigation Sub-Committee of the Commercial & Business Litigation Committee of the Litigation Section
• former editor of Spreading Justice, the newsletter of the Pro Bono and Public Interest Litigation Subcommittee
• former Co-Chair of Young Lawyers Subcommittee of Commercial & Business Litigation Committee
• named Outstanding Subcommittee Chair of Litigation Section

Maine State Bar Association

• member
• volunteer attorney with Free Legal Answers Maine
• volunteer attorney with Volunteer Lawyers Project

Virginia state bar member (inactive)

DC Bar member (inactive)

Volunteer/Community Service

• elected Chair of Carrabassett Valley School Committee (2018-19, 2019-present)
• elected to Carrabassett Valley School Committee (2016-19, 2019-present)
• elected Chair of Carrabassett Valley Board of Zoning Appeals (2019-present)
• Chair of Carrabassett Valley Parent Support Organization (PSO) (2020-21)
• Co-Chair of Carrabassett Valley Parent Support Organization (PSO) (2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19)
• coach of Stratton School’s boys’ soccer team (2014-present)
• coach of Stratton School girls’ softball team (2018)
• delivered presentations at Carrabassett Valley Public Library on Forming Your Own Business, Advance Health Care Directives, and Interacting with the Police (w/Carrabassett Valley Police Chief Mark Lopez) as part of the Lawyers in Libraries Program
• volunteer attorney with American Bar Association’s Free Legal Answers program for Maine
• member of Legal Services for the Elderly’ panel of attorneys
• Wilderness First Responder (2020-present)
• former President, Chairman of the Board of Directors, EMT-B and ambulance driver with McLean Volunteer Fire Department in McLean, Virginia
• volunteer attorney for over 20 years with Whitman-Walker Clinic in Washington, DC; recipient of Distinguished Volunteer Award; recipient of Michael L. Chiavetta Award and Going the Extra Mile Awards on behalf of prior firms; trained and supervised other volunteer attorneys;
• volunteer attorney with 9/11 Project
• volunteer youth soccer coach of house, all-star and travel teams; hold D, E, and F licenses and National Youth License

Publications and Reported Cases

Top Five Reasons to Take a Pro Bono Immigration Case, American Bar Association, Section of Litigation, Spreading Justice (Fall/Winter 2008).
Recent Developments in Civil Litigation Under the Computer Fraud & Abuse Act, American Bar Association, Section of Litigation, Commercial & Business Litigation (Summer 2006).
For the Young Lawyer: Litigation Under the Uniform Trade Secrets Act, American Bar Association, Section of Litigation, Commercial & Business Litigation (Spring 2006).
Cybersecurity: It Doesn’t Come in a Box, Metropolitan Corporate Counsel (Dec. 2004).
Securing Our Cyberspace (with Joe Casey and James Gilmore), Legal Times (Jan. 19, 2004).
Domestic Partnership Registration in the District of Columbia (Whitman-Walker Clinic 2002).
AP Bites Off More Than It Can Chew, DC Bar Computer and Telecommunications Law Section Newsletter (September 2000).
A Compass for Travelers in the Trackless Wastes of CERCLA: A Modest Proposal to Soften CERCLA’s Blow Absent Major Congressional Action, The Journal of Environmental Law & Practice (Spring 1999).
CERCLA Update (October 1998 – July 2001).
SecureInfo Corp. v. Telos Corp., 387 F. Supp. 2d 593 (E.D. Va. 2005).
Syngenta Crop Protection, Inc. v. United States Environmental Protection Agency, 202 F. Supp. 2d 437 (M.D.N.C. 2002).
Roman v. Korson, 89 F. Supp. 2d 899 (W.D. Mich. 2000).
City of Alexandria, Virginia v. Slater, 46 F. Supp. 2d 35 (D.D.C. 1999).

Representative Legal Accomplishments

Prepared comprehensive estate plans on behalf of clients including durable financial powers of attorney, advance directives (or living wills and health care powers of attorney, separately), wills, and trusts (and where appropriate, special needs trusts).

Obtained guardianship over disabled parent.

Administered two related estates simultaneously, where the first parent died without a will (or intestate) and the second died while the estate of the first parent was still pending.

Helped dozens of clients obtain asylum or refugee status in the United States, legal permanent residency, and citizenship.

As first chair in nation-wide class action involving migrant farm worker housing against United States in litigation in federal court, obtained an order compelling production of documents, an order compelling depositions of agency witnesses, and an order finding the agency in violation of mandatory regulations and prior court orders and directing the government to issue guidance and provide quarterly reports to the court and our clients. Settled matter with the government during appeal and obtained substantial settlement for attorneys’ fees.

As second chair in bench trial involving violation of telecommunications tariff, obtained $2 million judgment on toll-free long distance provider’s behalf.

As first chair in jury trial of breach of contract action, obtained a favorable settlement after presenting case-in-chief.

Secured release of client charged with felony burglary on his own recognizance, and secured dismissal of all charges at the preliminary hearing stage.

Drafted complaint on behalf of an elderly man living in Israel, whose Retirement Insurance Benefits under the Social Security Act were wrongfully reduced by the Social Security Administration on the basis of his receipt of an Old Age Allowance from Israel. Rather than answer the complaint, the government moved for a dismissal and a remand to the agency for a decision fully favorable to my client, and agreed to pay his attorneys’ fees and costs.

Author of complaint against broadcaster for broadcasting indecent material on national morning radio show, resulting in fine against broadcaster for $247,500.

Served as second chair in hearing on motion for temporary restraining order in federal court; obtained order preventing the United States from issuing product registration to client’s competitors. Principal author of successful motion to dismiss all counts filed by one of those competitors in related litigation in another federal court.

Principal author of motion and supporting memoranda that served as the basis upon which the opposing party was found to have spoliated electronic evidence and ordered to pay our client’s fees and costs.

As first chair in litigation against former client of firm, settled matter after recovering unpaid fees on behalf of firm.

As first chair in litigation, obtained dismissal of all claims in employment discrimination case after oral argument.

Successfully completed week-long trial advocacy course offered by the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA), culminating in full jury trial.

Principal author of successful motion to compel against non-profit citizens’ groups on behalf of municipal client, as well as successful motion seeking order compelling citizens’ groups to pay municipal client’s attorneys’ fees.

Principal author of summary judgment papers that resulted in dismissal of millions of dollars of claims against general contractor of large residential project in construction contract litigation.

Negotiated favorable settlement on behalf of client in dispute regarding web hosting and web site design services.

Negotiated favorable settlement of consumer complaints against our client before a state Attorney General.

Successfully resisted the threat of breach of copyright litigation by the Associated Press and obtained AP’s permission to allow our clients to maintain a popular parody on the World Wide Web.

Principal author of summary judgment papers filed on behalf of municipal client challenging the Federal Highway Administration’s environmental impact statement for a major local transportation project in federal court resulting in summary judgment in favor of our client. The successful litigation led to a very favorable settlement between the client and the federal government while the government’s appeal of the district court decision was pending.

Principal author of briefs resulting in court order compelling dozens of defendants to participate in alternative dispute resolution (ADR) in litigation involving a Superfund site in federal court. Principal author of ADR filings resulting in assignment of favorable shares to our clients, and ultimate settlement of claims against the majority of the defendants.