Washington DC Office
- Kathy Bailey, Principal
- E. Lindsey Maxwell II, Shareholder
- James T. Pitts, Shareholder
- Michelle Bergman, Associate
- Kwame Acquaah, Of Counsel
- Josh Gerben, Of Counsel
- José Cáceres, Business Development Coordinator
- Veronika Gawel, Executive Assistant
- Steven A. Wright, Legal Assistant
San Diego Office
Boulder County Office
Attorneys
Kathy Bailey, Principal
For over 10 years, Kathy Bailey has guided Bailey Law Group toward success. As founder and Principal she offers her expertise and singular understanding on legal matters to clients and associates alike. Her five primary practice areas include civil litigation; employment law; general business law and counseling; commercial real estate; and environmental matters. Her peers have recognized her with the Martindale Hubbell AV® rating and a listing in Washington DC Super Lawyers® magazine as one of DC Metro Area top lawyers for 2008 for Civil Litigation Defense.
Since its inception in 1998, Bailey Law Group has represented a broad client base comprised of individuals, small businesses, non-profit organizations and multinational corporations with equal interest.
Kathy is recognized for her efficacy as a staunch advocate and principled litigator. In the last 10 years she has served as lead counsel or co-counsel in decisive litigation matters including: Representation of an insured in the only post- 9/11 business interruption claim to survive a motion for summary judgment by the insurance company and recovery of $3 million on an employment contract, among the largest jury verdicts on a contract in federal court in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Along with two of our affiliates, she represented over 200 town residents whose homes were purchased by a utility in the first settlement of its kind; and represented a heliport owner in a 5th Amendment takings claim when the owner was forced to close after 9/11. She has also been part of internal investigations conducted in response to allegations of criminal activity; due diligence for international mergers and acquisitions; and development of corporate compliance programs. Her experience also includes advising a multi-national corporation on a variety of personnel issues involving OFCCP reporting requirements and immigration matters.
Prior to founding Bailey Law Group, Kathy represented a wide range of companies and trade associations at Chadbourne and Parke. She has also represented the chemical manufacturing industry and the automobile manufacturing industry in the legal departments of their respective trade associations. She was a key industry representative in the 1990 Clean Air Act amendments.
Kathy is the President of the 2008 Class of Fellows of the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania and is a graduate of the FBI Citizens' Academy Program, where she is co-chair of the Washington, D.C. Alumni Association Membership Committee. She is co-chair of the Lawyers Committee of the Shakespeare Theatre and has recently been accepted into the Class of 2010 for Leadership Greater Washington. Kathy is certified as a life member of both the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. She is a Fellow with the Litigation Counsel of America and was recently recognized by Washington SmartCEO.com’s reader survey as a go-to advisor in civil litigation and transactional law.
Kathy Bailey Named Fellow of Litigation Counsel of America
SmartCEO.com Legal Elite Readers Poll 2009
Kathy Bailey Named to Million Dollar Advocates Forum and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum
Kathy Bailey Named in Washington DC Super Lawyers®
BS, MS, Biology, the University of Houston
JD, American University Washington College of Law
Admitted to Practice: District of Columbia, New York and Pennsylvania; U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, District of Maryland, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Eastern District of New York, Southern District of New York and the Court of Claims; United States Supreme Court, Federal Circuit, District of Columbia Circuit and the 6th Circuit
EMAIL: kbailey@baileylawgroup.com
V-Card: Kathy Bailey
George R. Gonzalez, Shareholder
George R. Gonzalez is Shareholder with our San Diego office. Prior to joining Bailey Law Group, he was head of the International Practice Group for Solomon Ward Seidenwurm & Smith LLP. As an authority on international business and transactions law, much of his work has focused on Latin America and the Pacific Rim countries. Fully fluent in Spanish, George has particularly extensive experience working on large-scale, complex projects in Mexico.
His central practice areas lie in international trade and joint ventures, energy projects, and dispute resolution. George’s work in business and trade development deals in Mexico are at the cutting edge of that country’s most prominent and immediate challenges.
As the former head of the Latin American Practice Group of the International Department of McKenna & Cuneo, and as Senior Staff Attorney at Solar Turbines Incorporated, he is currently managing legal affairs arising under Mexico’s participation with the Kyoto Initiative and its endeavor to develop wind power as a viable alternative energy source. He also serves as counsel on major projects supporting the retrofitting and rebuilding of Mexico’s penitentiary systems. Recently, he has been advising a series of ventures aimed at boosting Mexico’s manufacturing capacity and facilitating the development of Mexico’s international trade base. Beyond trade and manufacturing, George has comprehensive experience in real estate acquisition and development in Mexico, including hotels and resorts.
George’s practice experience spans more than three decades. He has authored several publications, most recently, Overview of Mexico’s Environmental Law, Inter-American Trade and Investment Law (1999). George’s professional affiliations include the American Bar Association; the California Minority Counsel Program; the California State Bar Association; the Hispanic National Bar Association; the International Bar Association; and the San Diego County Bar Association.
BA, Political Science and History, University of California at Los Angeles
JD, University of California at Los Angeles
Admitted to Practice: California; U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, Central District of California, Eastern District of California
EMAIL: ggonzalez@baileylawgroup.com
V-Card: George Gonzalez
E. Lindsey Maxwell II, Shareholder
Lindsey Maxwell brings an extensive range of experience in business, politics, finance and law to any business team. His diverse skills will strengthen a company’s comprehensive approach to providing clients with effective and innovative solutions.
As the founder of Perennial Sports and Entertainment, Lindsey brought asuccessful operation from a dream to a reality. In the course of his 3 year tenure, Perennial has become a nationally recognized leader in sports management and representation. Lindsey joined Perennial from the law firm of Beins, Axelrod & Kraft. While there he formed and managed the firm’s successful sports and entertainment division. He also developed a reputation as a fierce litigator while representing labor unions from both the public and private sector.
In 2000, Lindsey served as a legislative aide in the New Jersey state legislature. His work included assisting the Chief Legislative Counsel on special projects, including education reform, redistricting, and the now-famous Megan’s Law, which alerts families to the presence of convicted child sex offenders in the community. He also served as the Special Aide for the New Jersey Black and Latino Legislative Caucus.
Earlier in his career, Lindsey worked for the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland. He first supervised the Fiscal Securities Department, and oversaw one of the five national savings bond printing operations. He later served as a Senior Bank Examiner responsible for the overall safety and soundness of numerous bank holding companies and state member banks in the 4th Federal Reserve District.
Lindsey graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 1992 with a B.A. in Legal Studies and a minor in African-American studies. As an undergraduate, he was a member of the nationally ranked Pitt football and track teams. He turned down a career as a pro football player in Canada to pursue his professional and educational goals. Lindsey received his Juris Doctor from the University Of Akron School Of Law in 2002, where he competed as a member of the nationally recognized moot court team.
Lindsey has lectured to numerous groups such as the Tavis Smiley Foundation, the American Association of School Counselors, the Teamsters National Black Caucus, the D.C. Public Schools and Fairfax County Public Schools. He also speaks annually for the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition’s Conference. He is a board member of the NBA Referees Foundation; a charitable organization of the NBA Referees which he helped found in 2006 that spearheads the many charitable efforts of the referees of the NBA.
He is a native of Upper Montclair, New Jersey and currently resides in Alexandria, Virginia with his wife Letty and their 17 year old son, Elbert III.
BA, Legal Studies, University of Pittsburgh
JD, University of AkronAdmitted to Practice: District of Columbia; U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia Circuit
EMAIL: lmaxwell@baileylawgroup.com
V-Card: Lindsey Maxwell
James T. Pitts, Shareholder
James T. Pitts (“Jim”) is a shareholder in our Washington, D.C. office. He concentrates primarily on legislative and regulatory matters involving transportation, banking and securities. Jim came to Washington in 1981 to serve in a senior career position at the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, US Treasury Department. While there, he received an award as a Legis Fellow and served on the staff of the House Commerce, Consumer and Monetary Affairs Subcommittee during its hearings into financial institutions modernization and reform. Jim was also detailed by the Treasury Department to the District of Columbia government to assist it in establishing its first bank regulatory scheme. He served as the first general counsel to the D.C. Office of Banking and Financial Institutions. Since leaving the government, he has represented banks and bank holding companies, as well as individual officers and directors, who find themselves adverse to their primary federal regulators. He has also advanced client interests on the Hill, both before authorizing and appropriating committees of congress and has represented witnesses who have been required to testify during congressional investigations and inquiries.
While in private practice, Jim developed another expertise, this being in the transportation area. He has appeared before the Department of Transportation and its constituent agencies relating to surface as well as air transportation issues. He has represented real estate developers who wished to construct buildings or transmission towers in close proximity to approach and departure flight paths of airports; land fill operators who needed assistance in developing plans to mitigate wildlife dangers posed to aircraft landings and departures; and, airlines who challenged construction projects on airport property. In the surface transportation arena, Jim has represented motor vehicle and parts manufacturers in connection with safety recalls; importers of non US manufactured vehicles in safety certification issues; commercial vehicle manufacturers and operators relating to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act; and, manufacturers and operators who were the subjects of investigations before the National Transportation Safety Board.
In addition to the above, Jim has represented foreign governments, particularly in their efforts to convince US industry to develop projects in the foreign country.
Jim’s prior experience includes five years as the assistant director of the Securities and Corporate Practices Division of the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, US Treasury Department, and four years as chief counsel in the Arkansas Securities Department, where he also served as the Securities Commissioner (acting) for Arkansas under then governor Bill Clinton.
BA, History and Political Science, Hendrix College
JD, University of Arkansas, comments editor, Arkansas Law Review, 1973
LL.M., Georgetown UniversityAdmitted to Practice: District of Columbia, Arkansas
EMAIL: jpitts@baileylawgroup.com
V-Card: James T. Pitts
Michelle Bergman, Associate
Michelle Bergman is an Associate in the firm’s Litigation Practice Group where her primary focus is on commercial and business tort litigation. Michelle assists individual and corporate clients on matters involving tort and contract claims, federal and state consumer protection actions, insurance coverage, and property disputes. She also represents clients in matters involved with state and local environmental regulation, and has worked on pro bono matters dealing with the D.C. Housing Authority and the Housing Choice Voucher Program.
In 2003, Michelle was named J. Peter Schmitz Fellow after her clerkship at the Washington University Interdisciplinary Environmental Clinic. At the Interdisciplinary Environmental Clinic, she worked with the clinic staff and public interest clients in challenging a proposed cement plant and limestone quarry in Ste. Genevieve County, Missouri, by focusing on legal issues implicating the National Environmental Policy Act and the Clean Air Act.
In 2004, Michelle clerked at the Oakland Regional Office of Earthjustice, where she represented clients to ensure that federal and state statutes for clean air were enforced in California’s Central Valley.
Michelle recently undertook a temporary assignment as Special Assistant Attorney General at the Office of the Attorney General of the District of Columbia, Public Safety Division, Juvenile Section. During her tenure, Michelle participated in neglect proceedings and prosecuted juvenile offenders on behalf of the District of Columbia. Her caseload included destruction of property, traffic violations, auto theft, assault, theft, drug and weapons possession.
Michelle is an active member of the Women’s Bar Association and the American Bar Association. She volunteers her time to support the Shakespeare Theatre Company, Miriam's Kitchen and the Women's Bar Association of the District of Columbia.
BS, Biology, University of Maryland
JD, Washington University in St. Louis
Admitted to Practice: Maryland and District of Columbia; U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and the District of Maryland
EMAIL: mbergman@baileylawgroup.com
V-Card: Michelle Bergman
Maria E. Gastelum, Associate
Maria Gastelum is an associate with our San Diego office. She has been working with George Gonzalez since 1997 and is a member of the International Department.
Maria has represented multiple trans-national clients from both the U.S. and Mexico with cross-border interests. Among her areas of expertise are corporate governance, environmental compliance, immigration issues, import-export, employment matters, distribution and franchise agreements, licensing for different activities including use of natural resources for research, and negotiating agreements with ejidos and Mexican cooperatives for various business ventures. She has conducted due diligence review of real estate, corporate and other compliance matters for transactions in Mexico. She has also assisted U.S. and foreign clients involved in government procurement contracts in Mexico to insure compliance with relevant Mexican laws and regulations.
Maria has acted as expert witness in Mexican law before California legal proceedings regarding real estate and civil status law issues. She has extensive experience with international treaties that govern letters rogatory, legalization, uniformity of powers of attorney and others. Maria has supervised to a successful conclusion multiple litigation proceedings in Mexico on behalf of both Mexican and non-Mexican clients.
Maria has coauthored several articles with George Gonzalez, most recently, “Doing Business with Ejidos in Mexico (2007).” She has also lectured on topics including the distinction between notaries in the U.S. and Mexico, international financing, and intellectual property law.
LL.B., Universidad de Monterrey, N.L., Mexico
Admitted to Practice: Mexico, California; U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California
EMAIL: mgastelum@baileylawgroup.com
V-Card: Maria E. Gastelum
Anne Harmon, Associate
Anne Harmon joined Bailey Law Group as an Associate in 2003. Her practice focuses on commercial leasing in the transportation industry where she has extensive experience representing landlords and tenants in the negotiation, drafting and review of leases and related contracts for retail stores and food and beverage concessions in airports and toll roads throughout the United States and Canada. She also practices Hospitality Law.
Prior to her tenure at Bailey Law Group, Anne was in private practice in Boulder, Colorado, specializing in family law with additional practice experience in the areas of employment discrimination, landlord-tenant disputes and estate planning.
Anne graduated from Indiana University with a B.S. in Public Affairs and an emphasis in Public Sector Management after which she worked for CBS Records in New York City. She earned her J.D. from the University of Colorado School of Law in 1992 and during her time there was the recipient of a Bernard J. Seeman Scholarship, was active in the Women’s Law Caucus and held a water rights law clerkship in Denver.
Anne has volunteered extensively, doing pro bono work through Boulder County Legal Services, serving as a member and President of the Board of Directors of The Counseling Center in Boulder, teaching English as a Second Language in Boulder County and assisting in the Prince Georges County School District in Maryland. She has also volunteered for the “Shakespearience” children’s education program at the Washington Shakespeare Theatre and for Miriam’s Kitchen “100 Bowls” fundraiser for the homeless in Washington. Her current volunteer efforts focus on guiding weekly reading and writing groups for elementary school students in the Boulder Valley School District.
BS, Public Affairs, Indiana University
JD, University of Colorado School of Law
Admitted to Practice: District of Columbia, Colorado
EMAIL: aharmon@baileylawgroup.com
V-Card: Anne Harmon
Kwame Acquaah, Of Counsel
Kwame Acquaah advises clients on a broad range of domestic and international business matters and on non-profit law.
Kwame has represented businesses and entrepreneurs on commercial real estate matters, contracts, joint ventures, strategic partnering and alliances, corporate organization and governance, financing, purchase and sale of businesses and workplace legal issues. He has also counseled clients on international commercial agreements, employment immigration, import-export matters, licensing, distributorships, investments and other international business transactions.
In addition to Washington, D.C., Kwame has practiced law in New York, Virginia and Ghana. He previously worked with various agencies of the United Nations, including United Nations Centre for Transnational Corporations, United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, United Nations Industrial Organization and for many regional intergovernmental organizations including the African Development Bank. In his work with international organizations, he counseled government agencies in various countries on all aspects of corporate and commercial law, as well as on policy, legal, regulatory and institutional arrangements affecting trade and investment. He has designed and drafted legal instruments and documents for many countries and trained company executives and public officials on negotiating with multinational corporations.
Kwame has represented clients in the US and in over 65 other countries during a career spanning over 30 years.
Kwame is a member of The Association of the Bar of the City of New York and the American Bar Association. Kwame has lectured and written on law, business, public policy and international affairs. He is the author of International Regulation of Transnational Corporations: The New Reality. (New York: Praeger).
Ph.D., (Management), New York University, New York
LL.M., Temple University, Philadelphia, PA
LL.B., (Hons.) University of Ghana
Admitted to Practice: New York, the District of Columbia, Virginia, and Ghana; U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, Maryland, and the Eastern District of Virginia, U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and the U.S. Court of International Trade
EMAIL: kacquaah@baileylawgroup.com
V-Card: Kwame Acquaah
Michael F. Brown, Of Counsel
Michael Brown is Of Counsel to the firm, located in our San Diego office. Michael specializes in federal/state securities law, broker-dealer regulation, formation and compliance (supervision, policies and procedures, etc.) white collar defense, public and private company finance, reporting and Sarbanes-Oxley, FINRA and SEC regulations, securities industry custom and practice, arbitrations (both investor and broker-dealer defense), defense of administrative and regulatory actions. He has testified as an expert on these and other matters in arbitrations on behalf of investors and regulated broker-dealers and has lectured around the country on the markets, compliance, damages and related securities industry issues.
Michael is uniquely qualified to handle these and related matters as he has served as Trial Attorney for the Division of Enforcement of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission; General Counsel for three, full service nationwide securities broker-dealers; Financial Advisor for a major wire house; and serving as an attorney in private practice, specializing in securities law and regulations. He has held the series 7, 63, 65 and 6 licenses.
BS, Political Science, Arizona State University
JD, University of San Diego, California, member and staff writer, Law Review, 1978
Admitted to Practice: California; U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, Eastern District of California and Northern District of California
EMAIL: mbrown@baileylawgroup.com
V-Card: Michael F. Brown
Josh Gerben, Of Counsel
Josh Gerben is an member of the firm’s Real Estate, Business and Hospitality Law Practice Groups. Josh has represented clients ranging from large corporations to sole proprietors. His practice focuses on negotiating and drafting contracts for commercial real estate transactions, working with both landlords and tenants. In addition, Josh negotiates and prepares contracts for clients on a wide range of business related matters such as asset purchase agreements, confidentiality agreements and employment contracts. He also consults with clients in developing marketing plans to ensure their trademark rights are protected in the marketplace.
Furthermore, Josh participates in the firm’s litigation practice. Specifically, he has worked on cases involving environmental law, insurance disputes, nuisance claims, breach of contract actions, and trademark disputes. Prior to joining Bailey Law Group, he served as a judicial intern to the Honorable Reggie B. Walton of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia.
In the community, Josh is active in the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Arthritis Foundation. Additionally, he volunteers time organizing a yearly fundraiser event for Miriam’s Kitchen.
BBA, Business Administration, George Washington University
JD, American University Washington College of Law, cum laude
Admitted to Practice: Virginia, District of Columbia
EMAIL: jgerben@baileylawgroup.com
V-Card: Joshua M. Gerben
Staff
José Cáceres,
Business Development Coordinator
EMAIL: jcaceres@baileylawgroup.com
V-Card: Jose Caceres
Veronika Gawel,
Executive Assistant
EMAIL: vgawel@baileylawgroup.com
V-Card: Veronika Gawel
Steven A. Wright,
Legal Assistant
EMAIL: swright@baileylawgroup.com
V-Card: Steven Wright
