Robert Deal

Sean P. Kelly has practiced exclusively in the area of family law and divorce for his entire career as a lawyer, which began in 1994. Having "grown up" in the field, Sean has extensive litigation experience and a significant knowledge and understanding of the law. One benefit of his years of litigation experience is that it affords a seasoned trial lawyer like Sean many more opportunities to achieve fair and equitable settlements for his clients. His substantial trial experience, coupled with...

Katherine D. Smith is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law. Katherine D., who practices law in Reston, Virginia, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Katherine D. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Allison has advocated extensively for clients in government contracts litigation before the Boards of Contract Appeals (BCA) and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, as well as in bid protests before the Government Accountability Office (GAO). In these processes, she places clients in the best position for successful outcomes by covering all bases and ensuring she’s diligently safeguarding their rights under specific contract clauses. Outside of dispute resolution, Allison also advises gov...

Gerard E. Mitchell is ranked by SuperLawyers among the top 100 lawyers in Washington. Best Lawyers in America named him Medical Malpractice Lawyer of the Year in 2010 and 2015 in the Washington D.C. Area. The April 2002 Washingtonian Magazine described him as having the "reputation as the area's most effective medical-malpractice attorney." Mr. Mitchell is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. He is former President of the Trial Lawyers Association of Metropolitan Washington, D.C...

Mary Jane Alves is a partner in Cassidy Levy Kent’s Washington, DC office. Her practice focuses on antidumping, countervailing duty, and safeguard enforcement and compliance. Her experience in unfair trade cases spans a range of industries, such as agriculture, chemicals, electronics, pharmaceutical, energy, textiles, carbon and stainless steel, other metals and minerals, and manufactured goods. Before returning to private practice, Ms. Alves worked for 17 years at the U.S. Internationa...

Stephen Weissman is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Antitrust Law and Litigation - Antitrust. Stephen, 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 Stephen is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Paul J. Kiernan is a trial lawyer and appellate who focuses on administrative-agency litigation, real-estate disputes, corporate-governance litigation and local government law. He represents businesses, developers, institutions, lenders, hotels, landlords, and tenants on land use, condemnation, development and property-management disputes and matters involving distressed real estate. Mr. Kiernan has substantial experience in general commercial litigation, commercial and international arbitrat...

Jacki Thompson represents management in a wide range of employment matters, with particular expertise in labor relations in the airline and healthcare industries. Jacki guides clients through all facets of labor law. As a member of the firm's Airline Group, she assists both airlines and airline carrier service providers in grievance resolution matters, including grievance arbitrations and mediation. She has also successfully defended multiple AIR21 cases for her airline clients. In addition, ...

Michael Lazarus advises domestic and international clients in the telecommunications industry on transactional and regulatory matters and represents them before the Federal Communications Commission (the FCC) and state and local regulatory bodies. He represents mobile and fixed service providers of broadband and narrowband services delivered over landline and cable networks, terrestrial wireless systems, satellites and the Internet. His experience includes: FCC regulations applicable to wirel...

Fred Goldberg is co-head of the firm’s Tax Group and global co-chair of the firm’s Diversity Committee. Mr. Goldberg first joined Skadden in 1986, following two years as chief counsel of the Internal Revenue Service. From 1989 until 1992, Mr. Goldberg served as commissioner of the IRS, and during 1992 he served as assistant secretary of the Treasury for Tax Policy. He returned to Skadden in December 1992. Working with his Tax Department colleagues in Skadden’s Washington, Ne...