Ellis M. Butler

Jennifer Locke is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. Jennifer, who practices law in Washington, District of Columbia, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jennifer is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Vernon Johnson is a trial and litigation attorney representing companies and their management in complex commercial civil litigation. He has experience handling cases and matters in a variety of industries including real estate, defense, health care, manufacturing and financial services. What do you focus on? I help clients in a wide range of industries with their complex commercial litigation disputes and issues and provide assistance and counsel to help solve problems with real estate, cont...

Robert Stankey is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Communications Law. Robert, who practices law in Washington, District of Columbia, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Robert is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Joel R. Grosberg is co-head of McDermott’s Antitrust Mergers Focus Group and assists clients on civil and criminal antitrust matters, including obtaining merger clearances, counseling and litigation. He has represented clients in obtaining antitrust approvals in numerous challenging transactions, and in other government antitrust investigations before the Department of Justice, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) and foreign competition authorities. Joel has significant exp...

As the former Director of the US Securities and Exchange Commission’s Division of Enforcement, Stephanie Avakian is well positioned to help clients address the enforcement, governance, and compliance issues presented by today’s markets. With decades of experience in government and private practice, she leads the firm’s Securities and Financial Services Department in counseling and defending public companies, investment banks, asset management firms, accounting firms, boards ...

Matthew Gordon is a Partner at Selzer Gurvitch in Bethesda, Maryland, where he practices Land Use and Zoning Law . He represents developers, property owners, nonprofit organizations, housing providers and institutional clients in zoning, land use, permitting and entitlement matters throughout Maryland and the Washington metropolitan area. Matthew counsels clients through all phases of the development process, including due diligence, zoning analysis, regulatory approvals, public hearings and ...

Mihaela Petre joined Bromberg, Kohler Maya and Petre, PLLC in September 2011 and she is currently a partner of the firm. Mihaela is admitted to practice law in New York and in her native Romania. She obtained her first law degree at the Law School of the University of Bucharest , Romania, and in 2008 she graduated from Georgetown University Law Center with an LL.M. in International Legal Studies. Mihaela practiced corporate law in Romania and worked as contract attorney for several major law ...

Steve Vinick’s passion for helping his clients is what drew him to the practice of personal injury law, while his desire to respond to the diverse needs of his clients is what drew him to Stein Sperling. With more than 20 years representing clients in personal injury and criminal defense, Steve has earned a reputation as a relentless, skilled litigator and a highly effective courtroom advocate. His clients know he has their back and they can sleep at night secure in the knowledge that h...

Michael Spafford is a partner in the Investigations and White Collar Defense practice of Paul Hastings and is based in the firm’s Washington, DC office. Mr. Spafford’s practice focuses on white-collar criminal defense, government investigations, regulatory enforcement, internal investigations, and related litigation. He has represented financial institutions, funds and other companies, as well as individual clients in numerous high-profile government investigations and parallel li...

James L. Boring is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Trusts and Estates. James L., who practices law in Fairfax, Virginia, has been recognized since 1997. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which James L. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.