WASHINGTON, DC (August 04, 2006) – The Washington Business Journal has selected Maurice Baskin, J. Douglas Baldridge and Lawrence Katz as finalists for its Top Washington Lawyer awards program. Finalists were selected from more than 400 nominations.
Mr. Baskin, a Partner in Venable's Labor and Employment Group, is a finalist in the Employment Contracts category. Mr. Baskin represents a broad spectrum of clients dealing with collective bargaining, executive agreements, employee handbooks, unfair labor practices, wage and hour litigation, wrongful discharge, employment discrimination, arbitration, personnel advice, and appellate litigation. During the past year, he has served as lead negotiator in contentious labor negotiations in the television and food service industries. Mr. Baskin has substantial litigation experience before the NLRB, Department of Labor, EEOC and in the federal and state courts. He also has significant experience in appellate litigation, including service as lead counsel before the U.S. Supreme Court.
Mr. Baldridge, Chair of the Commercial South Litigation Group, is a finalist in the Corporate Litigation category. He is a first-chair trial lawyer, having tried to verdict numerous significant matters as the lead trial lawyer. Mr. Baldridge has also participated on numerous trial teams involving months of in-court trial experience, and has taken or defended over 500 depositions. His 19 years of experience includes litigation of general business disputes, publishers’ rights, First Amendment, antitrust, intellectual property, false advertising, unfair competition, franchise, toxic torts, commercial lending, and commercial real estate. During the past year, he has served as lead trial counsel for internationally recognized celebrities in complex federal litigation involving privacy and rights of publicity claims, and has continued his efforts to preserve and extend his landmark voting rights trial victory on behalf of disabled voters in the State of Florida.
Mr. Katz, a Partner in the Bankruptcy and Creditors' Rights Group, is a finalist in the Bankruptcy category. As a bankruptcy lawyer and commercial litigator with 28 years experience, Mr. Katz's experience includes all aspects of debtor and creditors’ rights. Mr. Katz has participated in a variety of business restructurings and workouts, Chapter 11 and 7 bankruptcy proceedings and all forms of commercial litigation and alternative dispute resolution. Mr. Katz’s most recent victory was before the U.S. Supreme Court in Howard Delivery Service, Inc., et al., v. Zurich American Insurance Co., decided this past term by the Court. He is currently serving as President-Elect of the Maryland Bankruptcy Bar Association, and is also an active member of the Northern Virginia Bankruptcy Bar Association and the American Bankruptcy Institute.
A reception honoring the finalists and announcing the winners in each category will take place on September 14, 2006 in Washington, D.C.
One of the American Lawyer’s top 100 law firms, Venable LLP has attorneys practicing in all areas of corporate and business law, complex litigation, intellectual property and government affairs. Venable serves corporate, institutional, governmental, nonprofit and individual clients throughout the U.S. and around the world from its headquarters in Washington, D.C. and offices in California, Maryland, New York and Virginia.