P. Ryan Messier

A former chief of staff at the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, Kathleen Benway helps clients develop practical strategies for compliance with applicable state, federal, and global consumer protection and privacy laws. Kathleen’s experience makes her uniquely positioned to represent clients before the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and other government agencies. She has over 12 years of senior-level experience with the FTC, including chief of staff to three directors of the Bu...

Ian A. Herbert focuses his practice on all areas of employee benefits law. He has counseled clients on all aspects of the establishment and administration of pension and profit sharing plans, ESOPs, non-qualified deferred and executive compensation programs, equity and similar compensation plans, welfare benefit plans, cafeteria plans and VEBAs. In addition, he has wide-ranging experience in performing compliance reviews of qualified plan operations and assisting clients in correcting qualifi...

Julie Christopher is passionate about helping people navigate challenging transformations in their family landscape. She focuses her legal practice on domestic issues including separation and divorce, complex custody suits, child support and alimony, modifications to existing agreements, property distribution and valuations, contempt and enforcement, and pre- and post-nuptial and separation agreements. Julie is driven to ensure her clients maintain the steadfast belief that she is their advoc...

Emily J.H. Daniels is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Communications Law. Emily J.H., who practices law in Washington, District of Columbia, has been recognized since 2020. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Emily J.H. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Jim Coleman has forty years of experience in counseling employers on wage and hour matters, as well as defending employers in wage and hour litigation and administrative proceedings. His expertise includes in-depth knowledge of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and many comparable state wage and hour laws. Jim served as General Counsel for the National Council of Chain Restaurants for two decades, and through his representation of the trade association, as well as many of its member compan...

Gregory Doran is the leader of the firm’s Community Development Finance practice and one of the nation’s leading authorities on community development finance. He helps investors, lenders and borrowers employ federal and state tax incentives to promote development in underserved markets. Greg primarily works with federal and state new markets tax credit (NMTC) and historic preservation programs. He learned his craft working in the IRS Office of Chief Counsel, where he helped develo...

Justin S. Alex is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law. Justin S., 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 Justin S. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

James Grier Hoyt is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Real Estate Law. James Grier, who practices law in Washington, District of Columbia, has been recognized since 2020. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which James Grier is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Chris Locey practices in the District of Columbia and Virginia. Combining an analytic and sensitive approach to client issues, as a litigator and negotiator, Mr. Locey’s practice includes experience in the interface between foreign law, especially Shari’a and Islamic law, and the courts and laws of the local jurisdictions, as well as custody cases involving sexually abused and neglected children. Prior to becoming a principal of Smollar Kuntz Locey, PLLC, Mr. Locey spent three yea...

Robert P. Trout has over 40 years' experience in civil and criminal litigation. His practice has concentrated primarily on complex commercial litigation and white-collar criminal defense, as well as the defense of administrative agency enforcement actions. He began his legal career at the Department of Justice, where he served for two years in the Criminal Division, followed by four years as an Assistant United States Attorney in Baltimore, Maryland. Mr. Trout served as Associate Deputy Indep...