Jessica L. Foss

Erin Girard is a real estate and land use lawyer with significant experience in securing approvals on a wide range of complex commercial, institutional and mixed-use projects. She represents and advises clients in all aspects of land use law, including regulatory permitting and licensing, from planning through post-construction. Her practice spans due diligence review, zoning entitlements, rezoning, variances, special exceptions / conditional uses, subdivision approvals, historic preservation...

Charles S. Birenbaum serves as the firm’s Chair of Northern California. Chuck is an experienced labor and employment attorney who focuses his practice on traditional labor and employment law matters, and has wide-ranging experience litigating in state and federal courts as well as various administrative agencies. He has testified on proposed legislation impacting entire industries before state legislative committees, and has interfaced and negotiated with labor organizations, politician...

Mark W. Batten is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employment Law - Management, Labor Law - Management and Litigation - Labor and Employment. Mark W., who practices law in Boston, Massachusetts, has been recognized since 2008. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Mark W. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Annelisa D. Smith is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Collaborative Law: Family Law, Family Law, Family Law Arbitration, Family Law Mediation and Juvenile Practice. Annelisa D., who practices law in Portland, Oregon, has been recognized since 2017. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Annelisa D. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Edward (Ed) Patton is a seasoned trial attorney with a focus on corporate and business law , civil litigation , insurance defense , toxic tort, and asbestos defense. He offers strategic counsel to clients on international import and export activities, including establishing corporate compliance programs for international trade and NAFTA initiatives. Ed boasts significant knowledge and experience in governmental compliance, encompassing licensing procedures for international exports, product m...

Ryals Drayton Stone is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. Ryals Drayton, who practices law in Rome, Georgia, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Ryals Drayton is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Michael Grubbs is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Health Care Law. Michael, who practices law in Indianapolis, Indiana, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Michael is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Paul J. Spadafora is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Litigation - Trusts and Estates. Paul J., who practices law in Seattle, Washington, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Paul J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

James Higgins is a member at Frederic Dorwart Lawyers PLLC whose practice focuses on banking and finance law, commercial litigation, public finance, fiduciary litigation, securities litigation, regulatory matters, and appellate advocacy. He represents banks, financial institutions, corporate trustees, businesses, and institutional clients in complex disputes involving trust and fiduciary matters, internal investigations, regulatory enforcement, securities claims, municipal finance, and bankin...

For ultra-high-net-worth individuals, Kathryn von Matthiessen offers sophisticated yet practical counsel on income and transfer tax optimization. She provides estate and business succession planning for domestic and international private clients, and has extensive experience in cross-border issues. Kathryn's international private client experience is particularly broad. For clients coming to the United States she provides pre-residency planning. For foreign families with US members, she uses ...