Madelyn Healy

Patricia Harris is a land use attorney at Lerch, Early & Brewer in Bethesda, Maryland. She assists developers and property owners with securing approvals needed to develop their properties, including site plans, special exceptions, subdivision approvals, historic preservation, local map amendments, zoning text amendments, master plan recommendations and building permits in Montgomery County, Maryland. Pat is knowledgeable about transit-oriented, mixed-use development and other issues rela...

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

Damien C. Specht is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Government Contracts. Damien C., who practices law in Washington, District of Columbia, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Damien C. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Chidi I. James is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs and Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs. Chidi I., who practices law in Fairfax, Virginia, has been recognized since 2012. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Chidi I. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Kellee Boulais Kruse is a principal at The Employment Law Group ® law firm with a passion for working on civil rights cases, especially those concerning discrimination. She has additional experience with contract disputes, whistleblower retaliation cases, and claims brought under state and federal statutes such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the Energy Reorganization Act, and the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act. Ms. Kruse re...

John's practice focuses on the representation of mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), closed-end funds and business development companies (BDCs) and their independent board members. He advises clients on a range of matters, including the formation, operation, merger and liquidation of mutual funds, closed-end funds, ETFs, and BDCs. John has extensive experience working on transactions involving registered funds, such as adviser acquisitions, fund adoptions and product launches.

Bill Christiansen specializes in biotechnology patent matters, with particular emphasis on U.S. and international patent procurement, strategic management of patent portfolios, investment due diligence, early stage company counseling and competitive patent position analysis. He received his B.S. in Biochemistry and Biophysics (with honors) from Oregon State University (1991). After obtaining a Ph.D. in Biochemistry/ Biophysics/Molecular Biology from the University of Notre Dame (1995), for wh...

Marc Fiedler is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Appellate Practice, Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs and Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs. Marc, who practices law in Washington, District of Columbia, has been recognized since 2006. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Marc is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Walter D. Kelley, Jr. is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Antitrust and Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Plaintiffs. Walter D., who practices law in Alexandria, Virginia, has been recognized since 2013. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Walter D. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Laura Handman is the co-chair of the firm’s appellate practice and divides her time between the New York and D.C. offices. For thirty years, Laura has been providing pre-publication counseling and litigation services from complaint through trial and appeal to U.S. and foreign broadcasters, film studios, and book, magazine, newspaper and Internet publishers and non-profits. Laura has extensive experience in libel, newsgathering, privacy, right of publicity, reporter’s privilege and...