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
Gwendolyn Holdgreiwe practices in Real Estate, Landlord Representation and fair housing practice areas, and focuses on litigating landlord-tenant disputes, particularly, representing residential and commercial landlords. Gwen spends the majority of her time in court prosecuting and defending cases on behalf of large property management companies, business owners, and individual home owners. She competently and aggressively leads clients through the entire litigation process. Gwendolyn has also honed a specialty in resolving housing disputes for condominium and cooperative housing associations.
Ian Thomas is a member of the Commercial Litigation Practice Group, where he frequently litigates matters concerning real estate, business disputes, and employee mobility/trade secrets. Ian also has extensive experience defending businesses involving government enforcement actions and consumer protection claims. In doing so, Ian has gained extensive trial experience and has fully briefed and argued appeals in several state courts and in the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
Emily Gelmann practices in Offit Kurman’s Family Law Practice Group, where she handles divorce, custody, pre- and post-nuptial agreements, and is often court-appointed counsel to represent children in divorce cases. Emily is also a trained mediator and certified collaborative divorce practitioner, allowing her to work with clients interested in resolving their issues through alternative dispute resolution calculated to avoid costly complex divorce litigation when appropriate.
Karin Corbett is a business attorney and commercial litigator who effectively prevents, resolves and litigates legal disputes for businesses in the construction & real estate industry. Karin advocates successfully for clients in the courtroom and partners with clients to avoid future disputes by negotiating stronger contracts, understanding the practical and legal implications of their business practices, implementing best business practices, ensuring compliance with law and regulations and managing and mitigating risks of all types.
Jordan Savitz practices in Offit Kurman’s Business Law and Transactions Practice Group, where he advises clients in all stages of the business life cycle. Jordan assists clients with matters including, but not limited to, choice of entity, complex operating and stockholder agreements, compliance with Rule 506 of Regulation D, real estate leasing, employment agreements, website terms and conditions, trademark filings, complex contract drafting and negotiation, succession planning, as well as stock and asset purchase agreements. Jordan also leverages this background and his passion for solving the challenges of entrepreneurship to understand his clients’ business model and strategic objectives and to provide practical legal advice that hedges against current and future risks and challenges.
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.
Scott Lloyd practices in Offit Kurman’s Intellectual Property Practice Group, where he counsels emerging and midsize businesses on a wide array of legal issues in the areas of corporate governance, intellectual property, commercial transactions, dispute resolution, regulatory compliance and international trade matters. Scott has supported technology commercialization efforts as counsel and advisor to companies in several industries including information technology, engineering, specialty chemicals and energy, and provides specialized services to companies in FDA-regulated markets such as food and beverage, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and medical devices.
Associate to Counsel
Jung Kim is part of the Commercial Litigation group and practices in Offit Kurman’s Bethesda office and concentrates on all facets of real estate law, from tax lien litigation to construction claims. His responsibilities included drafting pleadings and memoranda, researching relevant case law, and consulting clients on transactional and litigation matters.
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.
Gabriel Celii focuses his practice on representing businesses and municipal entities navigating labor and employment disputes ranging from wage and hour litigation and work place discrimination defense to labor negotiations and the resolution of grievances. During his representation of Philadelphia-area Townships and Counties, he has successfully defended claims brought against public officials and advised municipalities on the drafting of local ordinances, such as Police Pension DROP amendments.
Alfredo Acin is part of Offit Kurman’s Commercial Litigation group represents executives and entrepreneurs, as well as their families and businesses, in resolving legal issues that touch all areas of their professional and personal lives. Whether the matter concerns divorce and custody disputes, or disputes over contract issues or collection of debts and judgments, through corporate governance or shareholder disputes, or employment law matters, Alfredo is able to assist clients with navigating these complex matters in advance of and during contested court proceedings.
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.
Kathryn Pettit focuses her practice on construction law. She has counseled and represented owners, construction managers, contractors, subcontractors, and design professionals in all phases of construction projects. She has experience representing clients in disputes arising from a wide array of construction projects, including both private and public. She has litigated numerous construction claims, from the owner, contractor, and design professional's perspectives, in state and federal court, as well as arbitrations. Kathryn also has extensive experience representing homeowners in suits against the builders of their properties due to building envelope defects, including stucco defects.
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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