Edward C. Bacon has 30 years of experience devoted exclusively to civil litigation in the Federal and State courts of Maryland and the District of Columbia. He focuses his practice in the areas of serious personal injury including wrongful death, brain injury and paralysis; product liability; construction defects and accidents; environmental exposure/toxic torts; and retailer and employer liability. Mr. Bacon devotes a substantial portion of his practice in the defense of asbestos related claims. Additionally, a significant portion of his practice involves the representation of national and local retailers in security related lawsuits involving issues of excessive force, racial profiling, and criminal assaults.

He is a member of the American Bar Association (Litigation Section; Torts & Insurance Practice Section), the Maryland State Bar Association (Litigation Section; Negligence, Insurance and Workers' Compensation Section), the District of Columbia Bar Association, the Florida Bar Association, the Prince George's County Bar Association, the Defense Research Institute, the Maryland Association of Defense Lawyers and the District of Columbia Defense Lawyers Association.

Mr. Bacon is admitted to practice in The Court of Appeals of Maryland, the United States District Court for the District of Maryland (Northern and Southern Divisions), the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia and the Florida Supreme Court.

Mr. Bacon has earned an AV Peer Review Rating in Martindale Hubbell.

Patricia M. Thornton has 29-years of experience devoted exclusively to civil litigation in the Federal and State courts of Maryland and the District of Columbia. She focuses her practice in the areas of serious personal injury including wrongful death, brain injury and paralysis; motor vehicle accidents, premises liability, products liability, retailer liability, and intentional torts.

Ms. Thornton is a member of the Maryland State Bar Association (Litigation Section; Negligence, Insurance and Workers' Compensation Section), the District of Columbia Bar Association, the District of Columbia Defense Lawyers Association and the Prince George's County Bar Association.

She is admitted to practice in the Court of Appeals of Maryland, the United States District Court for the District of Maryland (Northern and Southern Divisions), the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, the United States Court of Federal Claims and the United States Supreme Court.

Ms. Thornton has earned an AV Peer Review Rating in Martindale Hubbell.

Selected as Super Lawyer in Maryland and District of Columbia by Law & Politics (2007-2010)

Mark D. Palmer has over 25 years of experience devoted exclusively to civil litigation in the Federal and State courts of Maryland and the District of Columbia. His practice is focused in the areas of serious personal injury, including wrongful death, brain injury and paralysis; fire litigation; construction defects and construction injuries; environmental exposure particularly involving lead paint; products liability; premises liability; and insurance coverage.

Mr. Palmer is a member of the American Bar Association (Litigation Section; Torts & Insurance Practice Section), the Maryland State Bar Association (Litigation Section; Negligence, Insurance and Worker's Compensation Section), the District of Columbia Bar Association, the Defense Research Institute, and Maryland Defense Counsel, Inc.

He is admitted to practice in the Court of Appeals of Maryland, the United States District Court for the District of Maryland (Northern and Southern Divisions), the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, and the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.

Mr. Palmer has earned an AV Peer Review Rating in Martindale Hubbell.

1999, Maryland; 2001, District of Columbia, U.S. District Court, District of Maryland; U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit; U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia

Jeannie Pittillo Kauffman focuses her practice in the areas of serious personal injury, wrongful death, products liability, premises liability, construction defects and accidents, retailer/employer liability, credit liability and environmental exposure/toxic torts. Ms. Kauffman has devoted a substantial amount of her practice to defending asbestos related claims. In addition, Ms. Kauffman has defended cases involving mold, lead and fume exposure allegations.

Ms. Kauffman joined the firm in 2000 after serving as law clerk to the Honorable Graydon S. McKee, III of the Circuit Court for Prince George's County. Ms. Kauffman also interned with the Honorable Judge Steven I. Platt of the Circuit Court for Prince George's County while attending law school. Ms. Kauffman is a graduate of the University of Maryland School of Law and of the University of Maryland at College Park, where she graduated summa cum laude and received the Peter Lejins Award given to the graduating senior with the highest GPA in the field of Criminal Justice & Criminology.

Mr. Kauffman is a member of the American Bar Association (Litigation Section; Torts & Insurance Practice Section), the Maryland State Bar Association, the Defense Research Institute, the Maryland Association of Defense Lawyers and the Prince George's County Bar Association.
She is admitted to practice in the Court of Appeals of Maryland, the United States District Court for the District of Maryland (Northern and Southern Divisions), the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

Sean Werner joined the firm in 2003. Mr. Werner is a graduate of Colgate University and obtained his law degree from American University's Washington College of Law in Washington, DC.

State of Maryland, 2004   U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, 2005  District of Columbia, 2007  U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, 2008  U.S. Court of Appeals for theFourth Circuit, 2008

Ms. Osborne joined the firm after serving as law clerk to the Honorable Sheila R. Tillerson Adams of the Circuit Court for Prince George's County. Ms. Osborne completed her undergraduate studies at American University in Washington, D.C., where she was a Frederick Douglas Scholarship Recipient, a Comparative Justice Study Abroad Scholar and Participant in Europe, and the Recipient of the Outstanding Multicultural Senior of the Year for Leadership and Community Service. She received her law degree from The Howard University School of Law, where she was a Merit Scholarship Recipient; First Place Regional ATLA Winner and Vice President of the Huver I. Brown Trial Advocacy Moot Court Team; and CALI Awards recipient for highest course grades. Additionally, Ms. Osborne has served as an intern at the United States Department of Justice.

Ms. Kim joined the firm after serving as law clerk to the Honorable Susan M. Marzetta of the Circuit Court for Baltimore City. Ms. Kim completed her undergraduate studies at Johns Hopkins University where she was a Korean American Scholarship Foundation scholar, John Eager Howard scholar, and elected to membership in the Honor Society of Phi Beta Kappa. She received her law degree from The University of Maryland School of Law, where she was a member of the Asian/Pacific-American Law Student Association and participated in the Small Firm/Immigration Law Clinic.

Ms. Kim is admitted to practice in the Court of Appeals of Maryland, the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, and the District of Columbia Court of Appeals.

Ms. Kim is fluent in Korean.

Patrick J. Flores joined the firm after serving as a law clerk at Freeman & Freeman, P.C., a civil litigation firm in Maryland. He also clerked at the Department of Justice and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Mr. Flores completed his undergraduate studies at University of Maryland where he double-majored in information technology and business marketing. He received his law degree from The University of Maryland School of Law, where he was class representative for the Asian/Pacific-American Law Student Association and participated in the Economic Housing and Community Development Clinic.

Martin L. Vedder joined the firm from Freeman & Freeman, P.C. in June 2009. Mr. Vedder's practice focuses on both transactional and litigation matters. His intellectual property practice encompasses both trademarks and copyrights services, including trademark counseling, clearance, prosecution, registration, maintenance, and licensing; and copyright registration and maintenance. Mr. Vedder also assists his clients in enforcing their intellectual property rights or defending against claims of infringement at both the agency level before the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the federal courts of the United States, including the U.S. District Courts in Maryland, District of Columbia, Utah, and Florida. Mr. Vedder's commercial practice also includes commercial real estate lease negotiation and drafting; business establishment and structuring; contract negotiation and drafting; restrictive covenants and non-disclosure agreements. Mr. Vedder further has extensive experience in all stages of civil litigation before both state and federal courts including intellectual property disputes, insurance defense, utility defense, personal injury, and premises liability.

Omar K. Barakat joined the firm in 2010. Mr. Barakat completed the pre-medical requirements and earned a BA in Biology from Franklin and Marshall College. Mr. Barakat received his law degree from the University of Baltimore School of Law, where he was a member of the International Law Society and the Entertainment, Arts & Sports Law Association.

University of Maryland University College; BS Paralegal Science, 2000

Samantha Granderson joined the firm in 2000 as a Paralegal. Mrs. Granderson earned her Juris Doctorate from the University of Maryland School of Law where she was awarded the Public Interest Award for her work in the Family Law Clinic and was a member of the African American Law Student Association.