Principal Tamara Goorevitz Appointed to USLAW Network’s Executive Committee

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F&P is pleased to share that USLAW has appointed Firm Principal Tamara Goorevitz to the USLAW Network’s Executive Committee for 2021-2022. The appointment was announced during USLAW’s annual Fall Member Business Meeting in Colorado Springs. Tamara previously served as the Chair of the Transportation & Logistics Practice Group for USLAW from 2018-2020 and on the USLAW Board of Directors.

Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, USLAW consists of over 100 full-service law firms with more than 6,000 active attorneys worldwide. These firms can only become a part of the network by invitation and focus their practice areas primarily on commercial and business law, employment and labor law, and litigation.

Click here to learn more about USLAW and its mission.

F&P Secures a National Ranking for Law360’s 2021 Glass Ceiling Report

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F&P continues to shatter the glass ceiling by securing a national ranking for Law360’s annual report. The firm ranked 16th for firms with 100 or fewer attorneys; 44% of our associates are female, 36.4% are equity partners, and 61.5% are non-equity partners. The methodology behind this year’s rankings (a redesign of the Glass Ceiling Report) shows how the percentage of women across the three attorney levels compares with the field of new hires. This redesign was due in part to the effect that the pandemic had on female attorneys.

In 2020, 54% of students enrolled in law school were female and outnumbered men for the fifth year. Despite this trend, a relatively small number of female attorneys will achieve equity partner or acquire a seat on the executive committee, and the struggle remains for female representation. F&P strives to maintain a focus on hiring a diverse workforce and appreciates Law360 for recognizing the firms making efforts to close the gender gap.

Links to the complete articles can be found below (Law360 subscription required.)

https://www.law360.com/pulse/articles/1416557/glass-ceiling-report-representation-in-the-ranks

https://www.law360.com/pulse/articles/1415466/glass-ceiling-report-how-does-your-firm-stack-up-

F&P Spotlight on Principal Lynn Fitzpatrick

/0 Comments/in /by F&P Spotlight on Principal Lynn Fitzpatrick

What is your practice area, and how did you choose it?
Workers’ compensation chose me! I clerked for a trial court judge and learned what areas were not for me. There was an opening in a local firm after my clerkship, and it happened to be for a workers’ comp defense attorney. I was offered the position, and the rest is history.

Please describe a signature case or representation.
Thorpe v. Ted Bowling Construction, 283 Va. 808 (2012) was my first reported Virginia Supreme Court case, dealing with the issue of proper calculation of an individual’s average weekly wage.

What do you find most satisfying about law practice?
I am grateful that I have developed a practice in which I am able to strike a work/life balance that suits both my professional aspirations and my family’s needs. The workers’ compensation bar in Virginia is a relatively small group of attorneys, and I enjoy the camaraderie as well as the high caliber legal minds of the colleagues I engage with on a daily basis.

What is the best career advice you’ve received?
Pay it forward. Take the advice you’ve collected over the years and work on helping the next generation of lawyers.

What developments or changes in workers’ comp law do you expect to see in the coming year?
With remote work becoming more prevalent, I expect to see more litigation involving compensability of injuries occurring at home.

What is your favorite aspect of working at F&P?
The people. I appreciate the fact that the Firm has shown resilience and good judgment in trying circumstances throughout our 22-year history.

What’s your proudest accomplishment?
Raising three sons to adulthood and near adulthood!

Tell us something about you that few of your colleagues and clients would know.
I used to sing in a rock band in law school and beyond.

What is your favorite food?
Hard-shell Maryland crabs. I grew up in Rockville, MD, and these were a regular part of my childhood summers.

“Best Lawyers” Announces 2022 Honorees

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“Best Lawyers” recently announced the designees for “Best Lawyers” and “Ones to Watch” for 2022. These selections are determined entirely by peer review and assessed by colleagues in the same geographical and legal practice areas. Criteria include legal expertise, ethics, and professionalism and are awarded to attorneys who have been in practice for more than ten years. “Ones to Watch” are selected by the same methodology and are given to attorneys who are still early in their careers and have been practicing for less than ten years.

Honorees for 2022 include:

“Best Lawyers”

Ralph Arnsdorf
Tamara Goorevitz (new for 2022)
Bert Randall
Lynn Fitzpatrick

“Ones to Watch”

John Archibald (new for 2022)
Michael Bennett (new for 2022)
James Hetzel
Heather Rice (new for 2022)
Bryce Ziskind
Elena Patarinski

To learn more about “Best Lawyers,” visit www.bestlawyers.com.

 

Andrew Stephenson to Speak At ACTA Annual Conference

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F&P principal Andrew Stephenson is slated to speak at the American College of Transportation Attorneys’ (ACTA) Annual Conference. This year’s event returns in-person at the Loews Chicago O’Hare Hotel on August 19-20.

Andrew will be speaking on, “Defending Against the Manufacturing of Medical Bills for Claims” along with Travis Ginest of Independent Drivers Association,

ACTA is comprised of 25 select members who each have more than 20 years of experience in the trucking industry. ACTA is a non-profit which serves as a legal resource for transportation defense lawyers,

Summer Welcomes New F&P Associates

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This summer, F&P welcomes two workers’ comp associates in Maryland and Virginia. Associate Marleigh Davis is also returning to Baltimore as a worker’s compensation attorney.

Marleigh Davis is rejoining the Baltimore workers’ compensation team. She knew she wanted to focus her career in litigation after clerking for the Honorable Lawrence P. Fletcher-Hill in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City.  Marleigh was an Associate Comments Editor with the University of Baltimore Law Review and a Rule 19-220 Student Attorney in the Juvenile Justice Project clinic during law school.  Marleigh was also a research assistant for Professor Barbara Babb.

Tim Hartman is the newest edition to Baltimore’s workers’ compensation practice. Before joining Franklin and Prokopik, Tim worked for the Small Business Administration’s Office of Disaster Assistance, providing COVID-19 relief for business owners across the country through both the EIDL and SVOG programs. Tim led a 100-person team, providing guidance on corporate legal issues and ensuring efficient disbursement of federal relief funds.

Allyson Blazey is resident in our Herndon office, focusing on her practice on workers’ comp.  Since being sworn into the Virginia Bar in 2018, Allyson has focused her practice exclusively on Virginia Workers’ Compensation. Before joining Franklin & Prokopik, Allyson represented employers, insurers, and third-party administrators in workers’ compensation claims before the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission at an insurance defense litigation firm in Virginia.

Lynn Fitzpatrick Named as One of “Virginia’s Go To Lawyers”

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Franklin & Prokopik is proud to announce that principal Lynn Fitzpatrick has been named one of Virginia’s “Go To Lawyers” for workers’ compensation by Virginia Lawyers Weekly. The publication added the workers’ comp category this year in addition to honorees for business law and employment law.

Lynn has been practicing in the area of civil litigation, especially the defense of state workers’ compensation cases, for more than 28 years. She is resident in F&P’s Herndon office.

Virginia Lawyers Weekly designates a “Go To Lawyer” as an expert in his or her field and has extensive knowledge of case law, statutes, and regulations. This lawyer has a strong success record with cases that can speak to his or her quality of advice. 

Click here to read more about this honor.

F&P Welcomes New Associates During Pandemic

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F&P is pleased to announce the addition of five new associates firm-wide in the last eight months. Despite the pandemic causing disruptions to businesses and industries worldwide, F&P has continued to grow and we would like to introduce you to our new attorneys.

Jessica Corace joins the Baltimore liability defense team. She concentrates her practice in construction and general civil litigation. She has extensive litigation experience in toxic tort, personal injury, and breach of contract matters. She brings a well-rounded perspective having represented both plaintiffs and defendants.

Daniel Cornell is the newest member of the Baltimore workers’ compensation practice. Before joining F&P, Dan was a health law attorney with CloudMed, LLC where he appealed claim denials with insurance companies as well as state and federal agencies on behalf of healthcare systems and hospitals in the U.S. and its territories. Prior to his legal career, Dan spent time working for a trucking company based in Pennsylvania and served as a police officer in Virginia.

Ben J. Crawley-Woods, born and raised in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, is the newest member of our Martinsburg office. He focused on liability defense and insurance coverage analysis before pursuing a business venture as a solo practitioner. Ben handled almost 500 cases in his general practice, taking matters to jury trial in state and federal court. His clients’ issues ranged from workers’ compensation and ERISA disputes to criminal indictments. Outside of his law practice, Ben has served as an adjunct professor of political science at Shepherd University.

Colin Grigg comes to F&P from the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office where he litigated more than 80 trials, including over 25 jury trials to verdict. Colin was also a Judicial Law Clerk for the Honorable Althea M. Handy in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City.

Bryce Ziskind rounds out the Baltimore liability team with a focus on the defense of insurance carriers and private individuals. Bryce has defended clients from claims of personal injury, negligence, and breach of contract. Since joining F&P, Bryce represents clients in a variety of matters including cargo loss, catastrophic accident/injury/tort claims, general negligence, and breach of contract.

Meet F&P Workers’ Comp Paralegal Mira Ramahi, Who Just Earned Her U.S, Citizenship!

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Paralegal Mira Ramahi, who comes to us from Jordan, is happy and proud to say that she has just earned her United States Citizenship after being here eight years. She fled a country where she, as a woman, had few opportunities in the professional world.  Even though she was an adult, she was required to be under the conservatorship of a male. Marriages are arranged, and women are expected to be instructed on what to do. Mira knew from an early age she wanted to help people but knew that her chances were limited in Jordan. With the strong support of her parents, Mira left her family and sought political asylum here in the United States. Mira arrived with a degree in politics and economics. She worked in various fields before deciding to obtain her paralegal certificate from CCBC.  Mira is now a valued member of the F&P workers’ compensation team. Among Mira’s growing list of accomplishments, she has recently added homeowner to her list. She is a foodie who enjoys the Farmers’ Market on Frederick Road, baking, and Japanese food, but no meat please – Mira is a pescatarian. When not baking, Mira also enjoys hiking, European Soccer, and reading. While she likes traveling and experiencing new places, we are thrilled that  Mira now calls America and F&P her home.

F&P Obtains Dismissal of Workers’ Compensation Claimant’s Action for Judicial Review in Reported Decision from MD Court of Special Appeals

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On March 31, 2021, the Maryland Court of Special Appeals, in a reported opinion, reversed the Circuit Court for Harford County’s grant of summary judgment to a workers’ compensation claimant.  The Circuit Court had granted judgment despite the fact that the claimant was seeking judicial review of a Maryland Workers’ Compensation Commission’s decision that chose not to exercise its plenary power to re-open or re-visit a prior order adverse to the claimant.  Applying precedent from the Court of Appeals, the intermediate appellate court had no difficulty holding that there is still no right of judicial review when the Commission chooses not to disturb a prior award or order.  Rather, the Court held that the Circuit Court should have granted the Employer’s (the Harford County Board of Education) and Insurer’s (the Maryland Association of Boards of Education) motion to dismiss the action.  F&P Principal David A. Skomba argued the case before the Court of Special Appeals and was joined on brief by fellow Principal Angela Garcia Kozlowski and Associate Natalie J. Johnson.

View the argument and decision.