Primary Office
Insurance
- Advised and represented a national insurance company in a federal court action seeking recovery of significant lost premium resulting from a third-party administrator’s diversion of business to a competitor.
- Defended a national life insurance company in a state administrative proceeding involving claims of misrepresentation relating to a flexible premium adjustable life insurance policy and obtained an order denying claims in the policyholder’s complaint.
- Represented one of the three largest international insurance brokers against claims of professional negligence in connection with the placement of commercial general liability and automobile policies, resulting in summary judgment and dismissal of all claims.
- Represented a life insurance company against fraud and misrepresentation claims in connection with the insureds’ decision to adopt and participate in a welfare benefit plan.
- Defended an investment advisory company and individuals against claims of misrepresentations and unsuitability in connection with the purchase of variable annuity and secured a finding of no violation of insurance laws.
Consumer Financial Services
- Represented a finance company in two state-court class actions asserting statutory claims arising from collection activity and defeated class certification in both cases.
- Defended class action lawsuits in federal and state court against a regional property management company arising from alleged unfair debt collection practices, resulting in the dismissal of a federal claim that was affirmed by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals and the state law claims, which was affirmed by the Maryland Court of Special Appeals.
- Represented a student loan finance company in a class action involving claims asserted under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, the Maryland Consumer Debt Collection Act, the Maryland Consumer Debt Collection Act, and the Maryland Collection Agency Licensing Act.
- Defended a national auto finance company in a consumer class action and avoided class treatment by enforcing arbitration clause in Smith v. Credit Acceptance Corporation, 240 Md. App. 709 (2019).
Shareholder Litigation
- Represented a real estate management company's president and CEO in a class action shareholder lawsuit involving alleged federal securities violations, resulting in the dismissal of all claims.
- Served as Maryland counsel to a Texas corporation in defense of consolidated shareholder litigation involving challenges to a $46 million merger transaction, which resulted in the dismissal of all claims as affirmed by the state appellate court.
- Defended a Maryland REIT against multiple shareholder lawsuits challenging the REIT's management structure.
- Served as Maryland counsel to the majority shareholder of a publicly traded REIT in defense of litigation by minority shareholders challenging a $140 million merger transaction, which resulted in the dismissal of all claims.
- Served as Maryland counsel to the directors of a publicly traded REIT in defense of a hostile takeover and related shareholder litigation challenging actions by directors and management.