News: Press Release
Offit Kurman Promotes Seven Attorneys to Principal Status; Eight to Counsel
Baltimore, MD | May 11, 2020
For Immediate Release
Offit Kurman is pleased to announce the promotion of five associates and two counsel attorneys to Principal, effective immediately. Attorneys Gwendolyn Holdgreiwe, Ian Thomas, Emily Gelmann, Karin Corbett, and Jordan Savitz have been promoted from Associate to Principal; Crystal Kramer and Scott Lloyd have been promoted from Counsel to Principal.
Additionally, there were eight Associates promoted to Counsel status: Jung Kim, James Gillis, Sharie Albers, Ben Karb, Gabriel Celii, Alfredo Acin, Katharine Batista, and Kathryn Pettit.
Each year, Offit Kurman’s Management Committee and the firm’s shareholders identify Associate and Counsel-level lawyers who have achieved extraordinary results within their practices and have demonstrated ‘first chair’ skillsets in client representation and development. Associates and Counsel who earn the title of Principal demonstrate leadership ability, diligence, and a high quality of service, as well as an unwavering dedication to working with the standards of excellence expected of the firm’s top attorneys.
“The title of ‘Principal’ has long been associated with significant professional and personal achievement,” said Howard Kurman, Offit Kurman co-founder and Management Committee member. “This status is not easily earned at any law firm, much less at ours. Of course, becoming a Principal, while conferring impressive status on the elevated attorney, also imposes on that attorney the implied obligation to uphold the highest ethical and moral standards that our profession demands. We know and are confident that Gwen, Ian, Emily, Karin, Jordan, Crystal and Scott not only will succeed in their future legal careers but that each possesses the quality of character we truly value at Offit Kurman.”
More information about each new Principal attorney can be found below.
Associate to Principal
Counsel to Principal
Crystal Kramer’s practice is focused on Landlord Representation and representation of property managers of residential and commercial real estate in Virginia. Crystal’s representation includes fair housing disputes and both investigations and litigation associated fair housing complaints and compliance. Crystal also spends significant court time involved with lease disputes, including breach of lease, unlawful detainer actions, and tenant’s assertion actions on behalf of her clients. She also provides broader legal advice to clients on their compliance with various laws, drafts company policies and procedures, reviews and drafts lease agreements, negotiates and drafts settlement agreements, among other general counsel-type tasks. Crystal also devotes a considerable amount of her practice to counseling businessowners on civil disputes and representation in court.
Associate to Counsel
James Gillis practices in Offit Kurman’s Tysons Corner office and focuses on estate planning, transfer and income tax planning, and trust and estate administration in Virginia. James also works on the selection of fiduciaries, and the preparation of revocable and various types of irrevocable trusts to avoid probate, reduce transfer tax, protect assets for future generations, and provide support for beneficiaries with special needs, along with the administration of estates and trusts.
Sharie Albers practices in the Tysons Corner office and is an attorney in Offit Kurman’s Family Law Practice Group. Her practice includes adoptions, divorce, child custody and visitation, child support, and spousal support.
Ben Karb focuses his practice on commercial real estate transactions and advising HOAs and condominium associations in both North and South Carolina across a broad spectrum of issues, including the interpretation of covenants, contractual matters, and collection of assessments.
Katharine Batista is a labor and employment attorney who provides management with risk mitigation strategies and effective representation in litigation, in industries such as hospitality, medical, financial services, architecture and retail. Specifically, Ms. Batista successfully defends employers against claims of discrimination and harassment, retaliation, wrongful terminations and wage and hour violations. She also commonly represents her clients in employee mobility actions for breach of restrictive covenants and contractual interference, as well as defends them against such claims. In addition, Ms. Batista counsels her clients on workforce issues and commonly presents and trains on employment law topics before the Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association, the Society of Human Resources Management and other human resources organizations.
To browse our full attorney roster and practice area listings and to learn more about Offit Kurman, please visit offitkurman.com/attorneys and offitkurman.com.
ABOUT OFFIT KURMAN
Offit Kurman, one of the fastest-growing, full-service law firms in the United States, serves dynamic businesses, individuals and families. With 17 offices and nearly 250 lawyers who counsel clients across more than 30 areas of practice, Offit Kurman helps maximize and protect business value and personal wealth by providing innovative and entrepreneurial counsel that focuses on clients’ business objectives, interests and goals. The firm is distinguished by the quality, breadth and global reach of its legal services and a unique operational structure that encourages a culture of collaboration. For more information, visit www.offitkurman.com.
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