Author: JGL Law

The J. Franklyn Bourne Bar Association’s 33rd Annual Scholarship Awards Banquet’s title and theme were “Progress in the face of adversity.” The event was held to honor the scholarship recipients.

To receive a scholarship, applicants must prove that they are well rounded individuals. In addition to their academic achievements, applicants must also demonstrate their commitment to their community and to their school.

Joseph Greenwald & Laake congratulates all scholarship recipients, and wishes them good luck in all their future endeavors. Eleanor was joined by Matt Bryant, Alyse Prawde, Brenda Adimora and Maritza Carmona.

As both a family law practitioner and a parent who has a child with an opioid addiction, I have, for many years now, had a front row seat to the damage that drugs can do to a family. Some years ago, we would encounter opioid addiction in a divorce case only occasionally. However, as the scope of this epidemic has grown in Maryland, so has its prevalence in child custody, divorce and in other family law matters. The good news is that Maryland was an early adopter of programs that work to not only enforce laws, but rather to coordinate teams of professionals to help families struggling with drug addiction. 

Drug Treatment Court gives addicts an opportunity for treatment instead of prison. Family Recovery Court works to reunite families by helping parents who have had had their children taken away. Both programs have been in place since about 2004, but have become even more important with the growth of the opioid crisis. The courts will offer sanctions and terminate the program if necessary, but the focus is clearly on helping participants who are serious about turning their lives around. 

By creating a collaborative group around each case, the court can monitor and guide every step of recovery. Each is a voluntary program that includes random, frequent drug testing, intensive outpatient or inpatient care and frequent court appearances. Many individuals who have drug addiction issues also suffer form mental illness. The “dual diagnosis” individuals can be particularly hard to treat. The overall treatment approach is to focus on getting the patient clean and helping them rebuild their lives – from mental health, to parenting and job skills training. 

Drug Treatment Courts operate across Maryland and Family Recovery Courts are now in place in Harford, Baltimore, Charles and St. Mary’s. Counties.

In Maryland, and in similar programs across the country, rates of success have been high, with low recidivism. Many families every year are regaining their lives, while the cost to taxpayers is far less than that for foster care and prison. As one might imagine, I am hoping this trend continues and continues to expand throughout Maryland and the nation.

In this particular custody case, the appellate court overturned the decision of the trial judge, reverting guardianship back to the mother. 

Due to the nature of the appellate trial, this decision has raised many concerns within the legal community, with many attorneys believing that this decision has effectively changed the standards regarding grandparents seeking custody of their grandchildren.

The article, titled The Fallout From Burak, was featured on the cover page of the Daily Record. Click the image below for the full story.

Joseph Greenwald & Laake hosted a reception to honor the legacy of late name partner, Fred R. Joseph, who passed away 20 years ago. Joseph was more than just a name partner at the firm. He was a greatly admired and respected civil rights and criminal trial lawyer who had a tremendous influence within the community and the entire state of Maryland. 

The event provided an evening of remembrance and generosity in Joseph’s honor as the firm gathered with members of the Joseph family and the legal community to celebrate the life of a great attorney and a dear friend. The reception was also attended by members of both the Prince George’s County and Montgomery County bar associations, and members on the bench. Throughout the evening, JGL accepted and matched contributions to benefit the scholarship in Joseph’s name, at American University’s Washington College of Law, his alma mater.

Large companies have increased their focus on handling sexual harassment claims amid the Harvey Weinstein allegations. The Variety article details how several executives have stepped down as more and more women file claims. The attorney general of New York has now opened an investigation into Weinstein’s former company.  Holland believes, “the attorney general’s investigation could be an impetus for others to come forward and file a claim.”

Click below for the full article 

Jay Holland is the chair of the firm’s Labor, Employment and Qui Tam Whistleblower practice. He is a renowned employment and qui tam litigator known for taking on tough cases and achieving exceptional results.

The event, held at the Ten Oaks Ballroom in Clarksville, Maryland, honored U.S. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin of Maryland with the sixth annual Simon E. Sobeloff Award for outstanding contributions to the legal and Jewish communities. JGL attorneys Jason Sarfati, Reza Golesorkhi and Timothy Maloney attended the event. 

Judge Simon E. Sobeloff’s 59-year career in law was devoted mostly to public service. In 1952, he was sworn in as Chief Judge of the Maryland Court of Appeals, and was the first Jewish man to sit on Maryland’s highest court. He was appointed Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, where he served until his retirement in 1964. 

Sobeloff was an active participant in the affairs of the Jewish community, serving as Director of The Associated Jewish Charities, Director of the Jewish Educational Alliance, an officer of the American Jewish Congress, and more.

The Simon E. Sobeloff Law Society was founded in 2004 by a small group of attorneys in Montgomery County. The purpose of the society is to provide a social vehicle to network, encourage civility and build camaraderie among attorneys, while celebrating Jewish heritage and Jewish values in the law, according to the society’s history. 

The crime was carried out by home healthcare providers abusing the Medicaid system. The Department of Justice has made prosecution of individuals accused of corporate fraud a major priority since 2015. The company’s $489,744 in fraudulent claims were tripled due to the FCA’s damages provision. The court also asked for the maximum per claim fine for each offense. 

Click the image below for the full article. 

Brian Markovitz is a principal in Joseph Greenwald & Laake’s Labor and Employment Group. He represents employees who have been wrongfully terminated, who have suffered discrimination at work, or who have been retaliated against for reporting fraud or misconduct. He is one of the nation’s leading practitioners representing whistleblowers under the federal False Claims Act.

The article, titled “Med Mal Attys Chasing Docs’ Digital Tracks To Patient Wins,” details how attorneys are using health care records from insurance companies to win cases. These digital footprints were previously unavailable, but more and more providers are making the records an industry standard.  Click the picture below for the full article.

Andrew Greenwald is an accomplished medical malpractice attorney with over 50 cases with recoveries of over one million dollars. 

Firm principal Jay Holland and Joseph Greenwald & Laake were sponsors of EveryMind’s anniversary gala on Wednesday, Oct. 18. Formerly known as the Mental Health Association of Montgomery County, the organization celebrated 60 years of dedication to providing mental wellness resources and advocacy to individuals and communities.

The gala honored mental health champions, such as U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen and news anchor Doreen Gentzler of Changing Minds, News4’s campaign to shed light on mental health issues. Ten JGL attorneys attended the gala, including Reza Golesorkhi, Vijay Mani, Jerry Miller, Eleanor Hunt, Veronica Nannis, Jason Sarfati and Timothy Maloney.

EveryMind is dedicated to changing stigma surrounding mental health, while also providing mental wellness services. Everyone, from children to senior citizens, can benefit from the organization’s programs. Their initiatives include educational seminars for the general public and professionals, counseling services and a crisis hotline.

Last Tuesday members of Prince George’s County and the Maryland legal community gathered to celebrate Neal T. Conway’s commitment to making justice accessible for all. The event included a keynote presentation by JGL principal Timothy F. Maloney and was attended by a dozen JGL team members. 

Conway currently serves as the chief financial officer of Community Legal Services, a nonprofit organization based in Prince George’s County. He began working with the organization as an intake paralegal, before moving up the ladder to become executive director and eventually to his current board position.

Community Legal Services works directly with low income members of the Prince George’s community. They provide legal advice, representation and education regarding civil law at little or no cost.