• A pension fund—the chair of the creditors’ committee and holder of the largest claim in the case—in all aspects of chapter 11 case as lead counsel, which included a contested confirmation hearing and successful appeals to the district court and US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
• A national, privately held commercial real estate investment company and numerous affiliated landlords, in bankruptcy cases across the United States, including the bankruptcies of The Sports Authority, Hostess, Borders, Circuit City, Fleming, Kmart, KB Toys, Smurfit Stone, and Kaiser Aluminum.
• Defense of a former officer and board member of certain operating subsidiaries of Enron Corp. in connection with preference and fraudulent transfer claims asserted by the official committee of unsecured creditors to recover a seven-figure severance payment.
• The second-largest radio broadcasting company in the United States as trial counsel, in litigation involving a disputed section 363 sale of two radio stations and claims for breach of contract, fraud and tortious interference, in a case tried before the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.
• A major telecommunication company, in connection with claims and certain real property interests in the bankruptcy case of Bangor & Aroostook Railroad Company before the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maine.
• A special servicer, in connection with a loan secured by a hotel and other collateral in a bankruptcy case and related adversary proceeding in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas.
• An investor, in connection with the purchase of debt secured by a Washington, DC mansion and the subsequent confirmation of a creditor-filed Chapter 11 plan of liquidation in a bankruptcy case in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.
• The official liquidator of BVI entity, in ancillary bankruptcy proceedings in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Columbia. Current focus is on recovery of high-end real property in Madrid and upon prosecution of fraudulent conveyance claims involving debt and equity interests in publicly and privately held companies.
• The GUC Trust (created pursuant to the Chapter 11 plan confirmed in the Motors Liquidation Company f/k/s General Motors Corp. bankruptcy case), in litigation against a number of hedge funds, seeking equitable subordination, disallowance of claims and other relief.
• Direct Entertainment Media Group, Inc. (DEMG) as co-counsel in jointly administered Chapter 11 cases filed by RDA Holding Co., The Reader’s Digest Association, Inc., DEMG, and other affiliated debtors and debtors in possession.
• A music and video entertainment company in connection with the acquisition of certain assets through a Uniform Commercial Code Article 9 strict foreclosure proceeding.
• A plaintiff business development company as trial counsel, in litigation against a private equity company and numerous affiliates, asserting breach of contract, fraudulent conveyance, breach of fiduciary duty and other claims, in a case tried before the Delaware Chancery Court.
• A leading information technology company, in litigation involving disputed royalty payments under patent cross-license agreements.
• A former CEO of a designer, importer, and distributor of children’s consumer products in a class action alleging securities violations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

• Honor

  Blank Rome D.C. Attorneys Named to 2017 Capital Pro Bono Honor Roll

  February 2018

  Kierstan L. Carlson, Jennifer L. Carrier, Howard S. Jatlow, Emma C. Jones, Michael Joseph, James D. Kelly

See all News and Views

• 2015–2017, listed in Capital Pro Bono Honor Roll

Memberships

• American Bar Association
• American Bankruptcy Institute
• Bankruptcy Bar Association for the District of Maryland
• Maryland State Bar Association

Admissions

• Supreme Court of the United States
• United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
• U.S. District Court - Colorado
• District of Columbia
• Maryland
• U.S. Bankruptcy Court - District of Columbia
• U.S. Bankruptcy Court - Eastern District of Virginia
• U.S. Bankruptcy Court - Maryland
• U.S. District Court - District of Columbia
• U.S. District Court - Eastern District of Virginia
• U.S. District Court - Maryland
• United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
• United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
• United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
• United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
• United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
• United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
• Virginia

Education

• American University, BA
• American University, Washington College of Law, JD, cum laude