Our Management Team
Management Committee and Administration Management
When you partner with Offit Kurman Attorneys At Law, you get more just than a top-notch team of legal experts that specialize in your specific area of personal or business need. You also get a dedicated management team of experienced business professionals helping attorneys provide the highest level of client service in the mid- market business environment.
Our integrated team of administrative and legal professionals are constantly striving to achieve outstanding results for clients, anticipating and responding to changing environments while supporting a positive and collegial company culture.
Management Committee
Chief Executive Officer and Executive Vice President
abukowitz@offitkurman.com | 301.575.0312
An executive manager with BSE, MEAd, and MBA degrees with 30 years of experience in engineering, project, and executive level management in professional service organizations. Aaron is responsible for all of the administrative functions in the law firm and he is a member of the Firm’s Management Committee and Advisory Board.
Administrative Management
Director of Operations and Process Improvement
brandi.hobbs@offitkurman.com | 704.716.0852
Brandi Hobbs, the firm’s Director of Operations and Process Improvement, has over 15 years of professional services management experience, as well as a master’s degree in law firm management from the George Washington University, and a Yellow Belt Certification in Legal Lean Sigma from the Legal Lean Sigma Institute®. As Director of Operations and Process Improvement, Brandi is responsible for leading project management initiatives, overseeing the Firm’s employee onboarding/offboarding processes, and driving continuous process improvement across the organization. She also oversees several functional areas of the firm’s operations and collaborates firm-wide to ensure lawyers and clients alike are receiving the best value from the firm’s resources. Brandi was previously the Chief Strategy Officer of a small North Carolina-based firm, the Director of Client Service and Strategy at a mid-sized firm, and started her professional career managing and brokering professional speakers.
Accounting & Finance
Chief Financial Officer
Lisa.Kloster@offitkurman.com | 240.507.1768
Lisa Kloster has 30 years of professional experience in finance, accounting, business administration, and human resources, as well as in auditing and consulting. She spent the last 14 years as Chief Financial Officer of Pace Harmon Inc., an employee-owned management consulting firm, where she was part of the executive leadership responsible for the strategic direction of the firm and all financial, operational, and HR- related matters, including the ultimate sale of the company. Lisa was formerly an Audit Partner with PricewaterhouseCoopersLLP. She led audits of both publicly held and private companies and managed teams of accountants and consultants on long-term, complex projects. Lisa is a CPA who graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Human Resources
Director of Human Resources
kstates@offitkurman.com | 301.575.0338
Karla has eight years of recruiting and human resources experience in a variety of industries, including staffing, healthcare, technology, and legal. In addition to varied industry experience, she has worked to find top talent for positions ranging from administrative and support roles, to senior leadership positions, to corporate legal resources. With Offit Kurman, Karla’s focus is on non-attorney legal recruiting across all offices and all functions within the firm.
Information Technology
Director of Information Technology
Tim.Rodgers@offitkurman.com| 410.209.6446
Tim is an IT executive with over 30 years of hands on technology experience across a broad range of industries including government, manufacturing, non-profit, and legal. For the past two decades he has successfully lead the daily operations of IT teams as well as large scale enterprise wide projects. Tim has a bachelor's degree in Information Technology Management and an MBA from Loyola University Maryland.
Learning & Development
Knowledge and Innovation Director
tgerdes@offitkurman.com | 410.209.6421
Tony Gerdes guides Offit Kurman’s Learning and Development Department. A skillful educator with over 15 years of experience, Tony is responsible for creating training content, marketing new initiatives and rollouts, and delivering technology training and professional growth opportunities. He also administers the firm’s learning management system, Offit Kurman University. In addition, Tony serves as a Contributing Member of LTC4 (the Legal Technology Core Competencies Certification Coalition).
Office of Managing Principal
Managing Principal, Legal Operations
jraftery@offitkurman.com | 240.507.1702
Mr. Raftery is the firm’s Managing Principal and heads the Office of Managing Principal. The Office of Managing Principal is responsible for the management of the firm’s Practice of Law Division focusing on practice group management and performance, timekeeper performance and morale, cross referrals, quality assurance / quality control, marketing, and organic growth.
In addition to Mr. Raftery’s Managing Principal responsibilities, his law practice focuses on real estate and discrimination litigation, contractual and business disputes, and representation of managers and owners of residential and commercial real estate, including negotiating and drafting management and vendor agreements, leases, tenant-workout agreements, and policies and procedures for residential fair-housing compliance. Mr. Raftery is a recognized industry leader in handling real estate and construction claims, mold and pest-infestation claims, business torts, and the defense of discrimination (Fair Housing Act and employment related) claims.
Marketing and Business Development
Director of Marketing and Business Development
Nicole.Houston@offitkurman.com | 240.507.1758
Nicole is Offit Kurman’s Director of Marketing. She leads the firmwide Marketing team and works closely with firm leadership and management to develop and implement targeted marketing initiatives that align with firm strategy. She is also responsible for firm branding and promotion, public relations, communications and business-focused events. Nicole has more than 20 years of legal services experience managing marketing, communications and business development programs and working across offices to raise the visibility and profile of individual professionals, practice groups and law firm brands. She received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Penn State University and holds an M.B.A. from George Mason University.
Regional Directors
Regional Director
jcrossney@offitkurman.com | 301.575.0387
Joe has 30 + years experience, at executive level with a large telecommunications company. As the Regional Director, Joe is responsible for the effective and efficient operation of the Bethesda office, including all attorneys, paralegals, Legal Administrative Assistants and Document Management Specialists, as well as the office receptionist.