Our Awards
It is not surprising that our attorneys’ experience and excellent record of results have earned both the individuals and the firm itself a myriad of awards, acknowledgments and honors.
An impressive number of Paley Rothman lawyers are always included among those annually recognized as Super Lawyers in Maryland and Washington D.C. Many prominent publications have seen fit to include several of the firm’s finest as “Best Lawyers” (Washingtonian Magazine), members of the “Legal Elite” (Washington SmartCEO), “Top Estate Lawyers” (Bethesda Magazine) and “Leadership in Law” honorees (The Daily Record). The organizations that each year identify the top practitioners in the legal profession have followed suit; “Best Lawyers in America,” “Who’s Who in American Law” and "Chambers U.S.A." are among those that have bestowed accolades to Paley Rothman attorneys.
Equally impressive is how the firm has been acknowledged for the quality of its work in recent years. Our Employment Law, Real Estate, Estate Planning, Appellate, and Tax practice groups have each been selected in the U.S. News - Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms” rankings of national and Washington, D.C. area firms for the last several years, and our Commercial Litigation, Family Law, Estate Litigation and Insurance Recovery practice groups received Metropolitan (Washington D.C.) rankings. Fortune Magazine’s “Investors Guide” published a list of the nation’s top-ranked law firms that included Paley Rothman. The rankings were based on the LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings of 250,000 law firms nationwide. Of that total, less than 1,000 firms were selected, based on the percentage of their attorneys achieving an AV Preeminent rating, the highest level of professional excellence.
Awards & Recognitions
Paley Rothman is delighted to announce that 14 of the firm’s attorneys have been named Maryland Super Lawyers and Rising Stars for 2023. Family Law attorney Glenn Cooper was ranked the Number 1 Lawyer in Maryland. Both Glenn and Litigation attorney Trish Weaver were named in the Super Lawyers Top 100 List and Trish was honored in the list of Top 50 Women.
For the 11th year in a row, Paley Rothman earned national and local honors in U.S. News - Best Lawyers® 2023 "Best Law Firms" rankings.
Paley Rothman is pleased to announce that 19 lawyers have been selected in the 2023 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America. Jennifer Pope was named Best Lawyers: Ones To Watch for the first time alongside attorney Hayes Edwards. Attorneys Glenn Cooper, Hope Eastman, and Daniel Hodin have been listed Best Lawyers for 15 consecutive years.
Litigation Attorney Trish Weaver accepted the Andrew L. Sonner Diversity Award for upholding the highest standards of the legal profession by encouraging racial and cultural diversity in the hiring, retention and promotion of attorneys. The award was given by the Bar Association of Montgomery County.
Starting in November, HR Director Mandi Baldwin, Senior Legal Assistant/Paralegal Brandon Hallmark, and Attorney Trish Weaver took a Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion Course with the Bar Association of Montgomery County. We are immensely proud of the dedication of these three Paley People and encourage others to Listen, Learn and Teach.
Paley Rothman is proud to announce that three of our distinguished attorneys were named 2022 Washingtonian Top Financial Advisers for the 3rd consecutive time amongst approximately 50 Top Estate Attorneys in the DC Metropolitan area. We are honored to have Jeffrey Kolender, Paula Calimafde, and Michelle Chapin in our sophisticated and caring estate planning and estate administration groups. Both groups are known for their familiarity with cutting edge techniques while providing exceptional service to our clients.
Paley Rothman is pleased to announce that 10 of the firm’s attorneys have been named Maryland Super Lawyers for 2022 and two have been selected as Rising Stars. Glenn Cooper has been ranked as a Maryland Super Lawyer Top 10 for the eighth consecutive year and has been on the Super Lawyers list for the past 15 years. Trish Weaver was also honored as one of Maryland's Top 50 Women Super Lawyers, a spot she has held four times in the last six years.
For the 10th year in a row, Paley Rothman earned national and local honors in U.S. News - Best Lawyers® 2022 “Best Law Firms” rankings.
Paley Rothman is pleased to announce that Paula Calimafde was recognized by Best Lawyers as the 2022 "Lawyer of the Year" for Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships) in Washington, D.C., Hayes Edwards was named Best Lawyers: Ones To Watch, and 21 lawyers have been selected in the 2022 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America.
24 of Paley Rothman's Attorneys were awarded a 2022 Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating. Of that 24, 23 were recognized at the highest standard, AV Preeminent®. The award signifies them ranking at the highest level of professional excellence, by peers in the industry, for their legal knowledge, communication skills, and ethical practices.
Six of Paley Rothman's Attorneys have received the 2022 Martindale-Hubbell Client Review Award. This rating means they've gotten at least one review regarding their service.
Lynette Kleiza and Arnold Sherman were awarded the 2022 Martindale-Hubbell Client Champion Badge which recognizes those attorneys who excel at service as attested by their clients.
Eight attorneys were selected in the Top Attorneys feature in the November/December 2021's issue of Bethesda Magazine.
Glenn Cooper was ranked the No. 1 attorney in Maryland Super Lawyers for the third year in a row. Nine other attorneys were named to the 2021 Maryland Super Lawyers list and three were selected 2021 "Maryland Rising Stars."
For the ninth year in a row, Paley Rothman earned national and local honors in US News-Best Lawyers 2021 “Best Law Firms” rankings.
Paley Rothman is pleased to announce that 20 lawyers have been named to the 2021 Edition of Best Lawyers in America, and one attorney was named to the Best Lawyers: Ones To Watch list.
Glenn Cooper was named to the Top 10 Washington D.C. Super Lawyers list. Nine other attorneys were named to the 2020 Washington D.C. Super Lawyers list and four were selected 2020 "Washington D.C. Rising Stars."
Fourteen attorneys were featured across twelve practice areas in the Top Attorneys feature in the November/December 2019 issue of Bethesda Magazine.
Paley Rothman is pleased to announce that six of its attorneys have been listed in Washingtonian magazine's December 2019 issue for Top Financial Advisers and Top Divorce Lawyers. The Top Financial Advisers included Paula Calimafde, Michelle Chapin, and Jeffrey Kolender. The Top Divorce Lawyers included Tracey Coates, Glenn Cooper, and Carlos Lastra.
Jeffrey Kolender, Paula Calimafde, and Michelle Chapin were all featured in the most recent edition of the magazine. The feature is in the July/August 2018 edition of Bethesda Magazine. This year, 17 attorneys were listed as the Top Estate Lawyers by their peers, and 8 were selected as Rising Stars.
Paula Calimafde and Debbie Cohn were elected Fellows of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel is a nonprofit association of lawyers and law professors skilled and experienced in the preparation of wills and trusts; estate planning; and probate procedure and administration of trusts and estates of decedents, minors and incompetents. Lawyers and law professors are elected to be Fellows based on their outstanding reputation, exceptional skill, and substantial contributions to the field by lecturing, writing, teaching and participating in bar activities.
Paula Calimafde was elected a Fellow of the American College of Tax Counsel. The Fellows of the American College of Tax Counsel constitute an extraordinary group of America’s very best tax attorneys. Membership is reserved for those leaders who have made an exceptional contribution to their chosen profession. Fellows must be nominated for the honor of membership and must then undergo a rigorous screening process prior to being elected as Fellows of the College.
Paula Calimafde was elected a Fellow of the American College of Employee Benefits Counsel. The American College of Employee Benefits Counsel is dedicated to elevating the standards and advancing the public's understanding of the practice of employee benefits law. Fellows of the American College of Employee Benefits Counsel are selected by the College's Board of Governors from among employee benefits attorneys nominated for that honor and recommended for consideration by the Board's Membership Committee after considering the recommendations of regional screening committees.
Glenn Cooper was elected a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers. The American College of Trial Lawyers is an invitation only fellowship of exceptional trial lawyers of diverse backgrounds from the United States and Canada. The College thoroughly investigates each nominee for admission and selects only those who have demonstrated the very highest standards of trial advocacy, ethical conduct, integrity, professionalism and collegiality.
Glenn Cooper and Howard Soypher (former Principal) were elected Fellows of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. The Academy Fellows are highly skilled negotiators and litigators who represent individuals in all facets of family law. These areas include divorce, annulment, prenuptial agreements, postnuptial agreements, marital settlement agreements, child custody and visitation, business valuations, property valuations and division, alimony, child support and other family law issues.
Linda Schwartz was elected a Fellow of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers. The American College of Real Estate Lawyers is the premier organization of U.S. real estate lawyers. Admission is by invitation only after a rigorous screening process. ACREL's distinguished, nationally-known lawyers have been elected to fellowship for their outstanding legal ability, experience and high standards of professional and ethical conduct in the practice of real estate law.
Hope Eastman was elected a Fellow of The College of Labor and Employment Lawyers. In 2006, she served as President of The College. The College of Labor & Employment Lawyers is a non-profit professional association honoring the leading lawyers nationwide in the practice of Labor and Employment Law. Their Fellows are recognized as distinguished members of the labor and employment community who promote achievement, advancement and excellence in the practice by setting standards of professionalism and civility, by sharing their experience and knowledge and by acting as a resource for academia, the government, the judiciary and the community at large.
Bibi Berry (former Principal) received the President’s Citation for Outstanding Service from the Bar Association of Montgomery County. Jim Hammerschmidt previously won this award in 2008.
Glenn Cooper and Howard Soypher (former Principal) of the firm’s Family Law practice group were both named Washingtonian “Best Lawyers” for 2013. The list, published in the December 2013 issue, included both attorneys in the “Divorce & Family Law” category.
Presidential Title, a subsidiary of Paley Rothman that provides the full range of commercial and residential real estate settlement and title services, was included in a recent Washington Business Journal ranking of the D.C. area’s Top Title Companies.
Glenn Cooper has been named Best Lawyers’ “2014 DC Lawyer of the Year in Family Law.” Mr. Cooper, who has also been selected a “Super Lawyer” for each year of its existence and among Washingtonian Magazine’s “Top Divorce Attorneys” for the past six years, was chosen based on the results of an extensive survey consisting of close to three million evaluations by the country’s top attorneys.
Trish Weaver received the 2013 Professionalism Award from the Bar Association of Montgomery County (BAMC) in recognition of her exemplary conduct, long-standing service and extraordinary accomplishments in the legal profession.
Trish Weaver has been named one of “Maryland’s Top 100 Women–2012” in The Daily Record’s annual recognition of professional women making a positive impact through their accomplishments, leadership, community service and commitment to mentoring.
Paley Rothman was included in the December 2011 Fortune Magazine’s list of the country’s top-ranked law firms, based on Martindale-Hubbell’s Peer Review Ratings of those firms with the highest percentage of attorneys achieving an AV Preeminent rating.
Trish Weaver was named the winner of The Daily Record's "Leadership in Law" Award for 2011. This award is given in recognition of outstanding work done by members of the legal community throughout the state of Maryland who devote considerable time and energy to bettering the legal profession as well as the communities in which they live and work.
Paley Rothman recently received a Certificate of Recognition and Appreciation from Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett for its years of outstanding dedication, leadership and service to the Jewish community.
Jim Hammerschmidt received the “President’s Citation for Outstanding Service” at the 2008 Annual Meeting of the Bar Association of Montgomery County (BAMC).