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

Aaron Bukowitz Timothy Lynch Theodore Offit Linda Ostovitz John Raftery Robert Skinner

Aaron Bukowitz

Aaron Bukowitz
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.

Timothy Lynch

Timothy Lynch
President
tlynch@offitkurman.com | 410.209.6436

Timothy Lynch is a litigation attorney and a member of the firm's management committee responsible for the management of all legal affairs of the firm. Mr. Lynch's practice is focused on complex civil litigation matters as well as acting as outside general counsel to many owner managed businesses and entrepreneurs on a wide array of business issues. In addition, Mr. Lynch serves as a corporate advisor to senior level executives, physicians and professional athletes throughout the United States. He serves as a board member for several privately owned companies advising on growth and management issues.

Theodore Offit

Theodore Offit

Chairman
toffit@offitkurman.com | 301.575.0304

Ted Offit is a business attorney, co-founder of Offit Kurman Attorneys At Law and Chairman of the firm. He serves as general counsel to a significant list of privately held organizations and often serves in an advisory capacity to the board of directors of the firm's entrepreneurial clientele. He often serves as special counsel to businesses seeking to implement succession plans through a sale (merger and acquisition) or through transfers to affiliates (family members and employees). Mr. Offit also often serves as special counsel regarding the design and implementation of compensation plans for executive level staff.

Linda Ostovitz

Linda Ostovitz

Principal and Legal Operations Chair
lostovitz@offitkurman.com | 301.575.0381

Ms. Ostovitz serves as the Legal Operations Chair and is a member of the firm’s Management Committee. Her practice focuses on Family Law, including such subject matters as divorce, custody, child support, alimony, property division, post and prenuptial agreements. She is a mediator and a certified arbitrator. She holds a prestigious fellowship in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and serves as the Vice President of the Maryland Chapter. She is the Chair of the Board of the Howard County Chamber of Commerce, and also serves on the Boards of Offit Kurman, the Rotary Club of Columbia Patuxent, and Respite Retreats. She is an active supporter of Gilchrist Hospice.

John Raftery

John Raftery

Managing Principal
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.

Robert Skinner

Robert Skinner
Chief Operating Officer
rskinner@offitkurman.com | 301.575.0375

Rob Skinner is an executive manager with over 15 years of experience in Information Technology and project management. As Chief Administrative Officer, Rob is responsible for the firm’s Information Technology, Learning and Development, Facilities, Client Relations, Billing, and Onboarding departments. Rob oversees the departments' operations and provides leadership and guidance on policy and strategic projects and initiatives.

Administrative Management

Brandi Hobbs Jim Ries Jeff Webster

Brandi Hobbs

Brandi Hobbs
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.

Jim Ries

Jim Ries
Director of Business Development
jries@offitkurman.com | 410.209.6455

Offit Kurman is a full-service law firm with over 225 attorneys focused on representing privately held businesses. With deep experience and knowledge dealing with the issues that business owners are regularly faced with, we bring value to every relationship. As Director of Business Development, Jim Ries drives revenue growth for Offit Kurman by helping business leaders and families of wealth address some their most difficult challenges. He also identifies and develops strategic partnerships and market opportunities. Jim has access to a deep network of attorneys in every practice area, and he is able to connect his clients to the right attorney who can resolve their legal disputes and protect their assets. Jim is a master networker, and his high-level connections call him for solutions when they don't know who to call. Let Jim be your Google.

Jeff Webster

Jeff Webster
Director of Procurement, Facilities and Vendor Management
jwebster@offitkurman.com | 301.575.0318

An executive manager with BA and MBA degrees and 20 years of executive level management experience. A highly capable professional with easily transferable and broad experience in operations management, sales, marketing and customer relations. Jeff oversees all functions related to facility management, procurement of resources and vendor relations.

Accounting & Finance

Lisa Kloster Michael Collins Rachel Fuller Toni Hannon Carlos Pardilla Lisa Shattuck Edward Snyder

Lisa Kloster

Lisa Kloster
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.

Michael Collins

Michael Collins
Associate Director of Accounting
Michael.Collins@offitkurman.com
301.575.0340

Michael assists in managing the back-office accounting and finance functions, including Cash and Trust application, Banking, Payroll; General Ledger; and Accounts Payable. Michael has 15 years of experience in the life-cycle of business and office operations, along with financial planning and analysis of companies with multi-site operations. He has also completed his CPA exams.

Rachel Fuller

Toni Hannon

Carlos Pardilla

Lisa Shattuck

Edward Snyder

Human Resources

Karla States Michael DiGennaro Charlotte Gillespie Kelly Leiras Leigh Novack Brian Spiegel Jani Willis

Karla States

Karla States
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.

Michael DiGennaro

Michael DiGennaro
Attorney Recruitment Manager
Michael.DiGennaro@offitkurman.com | 929.476.0072

Michael has over ten years of global legal recruitment experience. He is responsible for identifying and evaluating talented individuals to join Offit Kurman. He served the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System in Washington, DC as a bank regulatory attorney before becoming a legal recruiter. Prior to attending law school, he developed expertise in economics, quantitative and qualitative analysis, consulting, and brand management. Michael holds a J.D. from New York University School of Law and an M.A. in Statistics from Columbia University.

Charlotte Gillespie

Charlotte Gillespie
Recruitment Manager

charlotte.gillespie@offitkurman.com | 410.209.6425

Charlotte has four years of recruiting experience, with both a large recruiting firm and in-house with a large healthcare technology company. Before Offit Kurman, she was performing full-cycle recruitment for a publicly-traded company and its four subsidiary companies for a variety of positions with a focus on legal as well as marketing, human resources, accounting & finance, and operations.

Kelly Leiras

Kelly Leiras
Benefits & Compliance Manager
kleiras@offitkurman.com | 410.209.6431

Kelly is an experienced professional who brings a successful administrative, benefits and internal customer-first management background to the Firm. She is responsible for the firm’s benefits functions, which include benefits administration, directing and planning the day-to-day operations of group benefits programs (group health, dental, flexible spending plan, and 401(k) plans.

Leigh Novack

Brian Spiegel

Jani Willis

Jani Willis
Onboarding Program Manager
Jani.Willis@offitkurman.com | 301.575.0384

Jani has a diverse background consisting of program and project management, human resources, and diversity and inclusion in both the for-profit and non-profit worlds. She has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana. She also holds an MBA from Loyola University Maryland.

Information Technology

Tim Rodgers Greg Largent

Tim Rodgers

Tim Rodgers
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.

Greg Largent

Greg Largent
Information Technology Manager
glargent@offitkurman.com | 484.531.1720

As Information Technology Manager, Greg is responsible for the daily operational support of the firm’s technology and the planning and execution of IT projects. He has over two decades of information technology and leadership experience, including his time in the financial, marketing, and pharmaceutical industries. Greg has a BA in Network and Communication Management and a diploma in Network Engineering Technology, as well as multiple IT and management related certifications.

Learning & Development

Tony Gerdes Desiree Gareau

Tony Gerdes

Tony Gerdes
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).

Desiree Gareau

Desiree Gareau
E-Learning Development Manager
dgareau@offitkurman.com | 267.338.1329

Desiree is an experienced Instructional Designer with a demonstrated history of creative work. Skilled in various design programs, system management, and storytelling, she holds two certifications through the Association for Talent Development. Desiree is a content designer who enjoys building effective microlearning to support the business. Previously versed in the retail and banking worlds, she is excited to focus on legal as a new area of expertise.

Office of Managing Principal

John Raftery Linda Ostovitz Katie Barrett

John Raftery

John Raftery
Managing Principal, Legal Operations
jraftery@offitkurman.com | 240.507.1702

Linda Ostovitz

Linda Ostovitz
Legal Operations Chair
lostovitz@offitkurman.com | 301.575.0381

Katie Barrett

Katie Barrett
Legal Operations Director
katie.barrett@offitkurman.com | 410.209.6422 |

As Legal Operations Director, Katie assists both the Managing Principal and Legal Operations Chair with the Office of Managing Principal’s special initiatives, projects, programs, and strategic goals. Katie works closely with other firm management teams to ensure efficient communications, prioritization of important issues, and timely completion of tasks and assignments.

Marketing and Business Development

Nicole Rodgers Houston

Nicole Rodgers Houston
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

Joe Crossney John DePrince Ian Stewart

Joe Crossney

Joe Crossney
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.

John DePrince

John DePrince
Regional Director
jdeprince@offitkurman.com | 267.338.1313

John is a business management professional with 20+ years of experience in fitness and healthcare. John received his undergraduate degree in Business Administration with a major in Accounting from Drexel University. As Regional Director for the Philadelphia region, John is responsible for managing the administrative staff, working with the attorneys and paralegals to ensure compliance with firm policies and helping them to meet or exceed their budgeted goals.

Ian Stewart

Our Management Team

Management Committee and Administration Management

Management Committee

Administrative Management

Accounting & Finance

Human Resources

Information Technology

Learning & Development

Office of Managing Principal

Marketing and Business Development

Regional Directors

New York & New Jersey

Pennsylvania

Delaware

South Carolina

Maryland

Washington DC & Virginia

North Carolina