Washington, DC
In December 2005, several lawyers, all formerly with Schmeltzer, Aptaker & Shepard, P.C., joined Gray Plant Mooty. This alliance expanded our depth of franchise and distribution talent to 35 lawyers and strengthened our position as one of the nation’s leading franchise and distribution firms. These talented lawyers brought expertise in connection with a wide variety of litigation issues and have made important law for franchisors and other clients in a number of areas, including default and termination, class action certifications, antitrust, vicarious liability, health and safety standards, violation of “obey all laws” clauses, trademark infringement, enforcement of noncompete clauses, encroachment, and advertising and sales promotion program administration, among others.
Our Washington, DC attorneys specialize in other areas as well. They litigate complex civil cases in federal and state courts across the country. In addition to franchise matters, they litigate shareholder disputes, false and deceptive advertising claims under the Lanham Act, real estate issues, employment claims, trademark disputes, health law issues, and a host of other matters. They also represent private and publicly held corporations and individuals in white collar civil and criminal matters, often assisting clients in complex investigations pursued by the United States Department of Justice or other federal government agencies. Finally, our lawyers assist clients on a broad range of intellectual property matters, including counseling, portfolio management, litigation, licensing, and transactions in the areas of trademark, copyright, unfair competition, and advertising.
Click here to read "Providing Franchise Law and Litigation Excellence in the Nation’s Capital" as seen in Forbes magazine in May 2013.
Living in Washington, DC
DC is a livable city with its Georgetown and Adams Morgan neighborhoods. With its vast transportation network (Metrorail, Metrobuses, Marc trains) DC makes commuting easy for those wanting work in the city but live in the surrounding areas of Maryland and Virginia. For those who prefer to drive, our Watergate location has convenient access to the city’s major points of ingress and egress. DC is also a city abounding in culture with its many museums, monuments, historical landmarks, and parks. DC boasts having the greatest concentration of lawyers, scientists, and engineers in the nation.
DC is a great place to work & live:
- DC is No. 1 on the list of “20 Best Towns in America” by Outside magazine
- DC ranked second among the top large metropolitan areas in the United States when it comes to quality of life, according to a 2010 portfolio.com/bizjournals.com study.
- In 2010, Forbes ranked DC among the top three best cities for young professionals—places where ambitious college grads can get a strong start on a high-powered career.
For more information:
The official tourism site of DC: www.washington.org