News

Whiteford, Taylor & Preston Names Partners

Date: December 2, 2009

Baltimore - Whiteford, Taylor & Preston is delighted to announce that Susan Jaffe Roberts has been elected a partner of the firm, and Daniel A. Griffith, and Edward J. O'Connell III have been named equity partners, effective January 1, 2010.

The firm's managing partner, Martin T. Fletcher, commented, "It is a privilege to welcome such fine attorneys into their new and expanded roles within the firm. They are each making tremendous contributions to the growth of our multistate offices and our expanding client base."

Susan J. Roberts (Baltimore) is a 2001 graduate of the University of Baltimore School of Law who is based in the firm's Baltimore office. She received her degree magna cum laude and was named to the Heuisler Honor Society. She clerked for the Hon. James F. Schneider, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge in the District Court of Maryland, then joined the firm's Business Reorganization and Bankruptcy practice. Her practice includes representing businesses in all aspects of financial restructurings. She is the co-author of "International Secured Transactions and Insolvency," published in The International Lawyer earlier this year. She is admitted to practice in Maryland and the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland.

Daniel A. Griffith (Wilmington) is the head of the firm's Delaware office. An experienced litigator, Griffith has tried a variety of civil rights, copyright infringement, employment discrimination, insurance coverage/bad faith, municipal liability, and professional negligence cases. Additionally, he has focused on complex litigation cases including stockholder suits and general corporation issues. He represents commercial and personal insurance carriers, multi-national corporations, municipal entities, and state governments, among others. He is admitted to practice in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware and is a member of the American, Delaware, and New Jersey Bar Associations, as well as the Defense Research Institute. He earned his J.D. from Rutgers University in 1990 and his B.A. in English in 1987. In 2009, he was recognized by Chambers and Partners for his experience in a broad range of Chancery disputes and for his "niche expertise" in land use litigation, representing municipalities. They quoted interviewees who praised him for his "dynamic, responsive approach and great knowledge of the law." In addition, this fall, he was named a "Future Star" in Euromoney's Benchmark Litigation.

Edward J. O'Connell III (Falls Church) is a partner in the firm's Community Associations practice, based in Virginia, and is a Co-Chair of the firm's Community Association practice group. He represents community and homeowners' associations in the full range of issues, ranging from formation and the creation of common-interest community associations, to advice on management issues and board/owner disputes, construction warranty issues, land use matters, fair housing and discrimination issues, capital improvements, and the full range of governance issues. Ed serves on the Board of Directors of the Washington Metropolitan Chapter of the Community Association Institute.  He is a graduate of Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law (J.D. 1994) and the University of Richmond (B.A. 1986), and is admitted to practice in Virginia and the District of Columbia, as well as before the U.S. Tax Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and the U.S. District Courts for the District of Columbia and the Eastern District of Virginia.

With over 150 attorneys, Whiteford, Taylor & Preston is dedicated to helping our clients achieve their business goals through strategic legal counsel.  We serve our clients across the nation and around the globe from our base of six offices in Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC.  For more information, please visit our website at www.wtplaw.com.