Cheryl L. Hepfer

Principal

Press Releases

24 Offit Kurman Attorneys Recognized in 2026 Edition of Maryland Super Lawyers 

December 19, 2025
24 Offit Kurman Attorneys Recognized in 2026 Edition of Maryland Super Lawyers 

Offit Kurman is pleased to announce that 24 of its attorneys have been named to the 2026 Maryland Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists. In addition, Sandra Brooks and Cheryl Hepfer received special recognition on the Maryland Top 100 and Top 50 Women lists. These honors are based on more than seven million peer evaluations, making Super Lawyers one of the most trusted and unbiased resources for legal referrals in the United States.

The attorneys recognized represent a wide range of practice areas, including family law, business law, bankruptcy, labor and employment, estates and trusts, and real estate, reflecting the depth and diversity of Offit Kurman’s legal team. Many of this year’s honorees have appeared on these lists multiple times, demonstrating their continued excellence and commitment to client service. For detailed biographies, practice areas, and years of recognition, please see the links below.

BALTIMORE, MD

Super Lawyers 

Howard K. Kurman

Years: 15 | Employment & Labor

Rachel Mech

Years: First Year on the List | Business Litigation & Family Law

*Previously named to Rising Stars for 4 years

Rising Stars

Kaitlyn Clarkson

Years: 1 | Civil Litigation: Defense 

Lauren R. Mullin

Years: 3 | Business Litigation

Gwen Roy- Harrison

Years: 4 | Real Estate

BETHESDA, MD

Super Lawyers

Lisa Seltzer Becker

Years: 4 | Family Law 

Sandra Brooks

Years: 6 | Family Law 

M. Jemi Cho

Years: 2 | Family Law 

Cheryl L. Hepfer

Years: 20 | Family Law 

James M. Hoffman

Years: 13 | Business/Corp

Samantha H. Kravitz

Years: 4 | Family Law 

Stephen A. Metz

Years: 13 | Bankruptcy: Business  

Bryn H. Sherman

Years: 8 | Bankruptcy: Business  

Susan M. Wyckoff

Years: 11 | Family Law 

Marshall Yaap

Years: 4 | Family Law 

Rising Stars

Summer Abel

Years: 3 | Family Law 

Susanna I. Boensch

Years: 3 | Family Law 

Heather Sisto Koontz

Years: 2 | Family Law 

Kevin Woodbridge

Years: 4 | Estate and Probate 

COLUMBIA, MD

Super Lawyers

Linda S. Ostovitz

Years: 10 | Family Law 

Steven E. Shane

Years: First Year on the List | Estate & Trust

Litigation

Rising Stars

Michael H. Joseck

Years: 3 | Estate and Probate 

FREDERICK, MD

Super Lawyers

Ian P. Bartman

Years:13 | Business Litigation

Keith N. Schiszik

Years: 19 | Family Law

Firm Highlights

  • Events
    AIA Tri-State Conference
    Princeton will serve as the backdrop for three days of connection, learning, and design leadership. From keynotes to tours to the Tri-State Design Awards, this year’s conference is designed to go far beyond education sessions. Kick off the week with pre-conference intensives and individual state component Design Award celebrations, followed by three days of education, inspiration, networking, and design excellence at the 2026 AIA Tri-State Conference—featuring pre-conference intensives, three keynote speakers, 25 education sessions, curated tours, an expo, spec academies, and the AIA Tri-State Design Awards—bringing together architects and design professionals from New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania to connect, learn, and celebrate the best of the profession. G2. Designing Secure Practices: Cybersecurity, Data Privacy, Contractual Provisions, and Insurance Risks for Architects (4:00 PM - 5:30 PM) Architects and design professionals increasingly rely on cloud platforms, BIM software, and digital tools to manage sensitive data, creating cybersecurity and privacy risks. A single incident can trigger liability claims, regulatory obligations, reputational harm, and insurance challenges. Yet many firms underestimate how contracts, insurance, and internal practices intersect during a breach. This program offers legal and insurance perspectives on cyber risk in architecture, examining liability exposure, risky contract provisions, and mitigation strategies. A cyber insurance expert will explain policy responses, coverage gaps, coordination with professional liability, and best practices for aligning insurance with contractual risk and protecting firms from evolving cyber threats. Learning Objectives: Identify key cybersecurity and data privacy risks faced by architecture firms and explain how these risks can impact professional liability and project outcomes. Analyze common contractual provisions to determine which clauses may increase exposure to cyber incidents and propose strategies to mitigate these risks. Evaluate the scope and limitations of cyber insurance policies, including coordination with professional liability coverage, to determine how a policy would respond in a breach scenario. Develop actionable risk management strategies by integrating legal, contractual, and insurance considerations to protect sensitive client and project data.
  • Blog Posts
    Law, Love, and Life's Battles: Facing Breast Cancer
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