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Domestic Relations
Divorce, child custody, support, marriage and adoption lie at the heart of our domestic relations practice. With decades of experience across Maryland, D.C. and Virginia, we guide clients through emotionally charged situations—whether negotiation, mediation, collaborative law or litigation. We listen first, protect your rights, and work toward a fresh start for you and your family.
Lawyer Spotlight
Evan St. John
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Evan St. John is a shareholder at Bean, Kinney & Korman focusing his practice on corporate and business law to include corporate formation and governance, mergers & acquisitions,...
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News & Highlights
Virginia Court Clarifies the Rules on Noncompetes and Nonsolicitation Agreements for Nonexempt Employees
On January 27, 2026, the Virginia Court of Appeals issued a pivotal decision interpreting Virginia’s increasingly restrictive approach to employee noncompetition agreements. In Sentry Force Security, LLC v. Barrera, the court resolved a question that had been looming since Virginia first began limiting noncompetes for lower‑paid workers: how far those restrictions extend to customer and employee non-solicitation agreements. For employers… Read more
When an EEOC Charge Lands: Essential Steps Employers Must Take
Few workplace events generate as much consternation for employers as receiving notice that an employee or former employee has filed a charge of discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). While the arrival of a charge can set off alarm bells, it is important for employers to recognize that the charge is not a finding of wrongdoing. Instead, it… Read more
The AI Scare Trade Hits Commercial Real Estate: Separating Market Sentiment from Structural Reality
In the span of 48 hours this week, the three largest commercial real estate services firms in the world collectively lost tens of billions of dollars in market capitalization. CBRE Group saw its stock decline more than 20% over two trading sessions. JLL and Cushman & Wakefield each fell by double digits. By Wednesday afternoon, the sell-off had spread to… Read more
When One Employment Agreement No Longer Works: Navigating Non-Compete Risk in the DMV’s Multi-Jurisdiction Workforce
Many employers have historically treated restrictive covenant agreements as standardized documents, developed once, applied to employees nationwide, and updated only periodically. That approach is becoming increasingly obsolete, particularly in the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia (DMV) region. Recent legislative changes across these neighboring jurisdictions have reshaped how non-compete agreements operate and, in many cases, whether they can be enforced at… Read more
Are Conversations with Artificial Intelligence (AI) Discoverable in Litigation? Lessons from United States v. Heppner
Clients and lawyers alike are increasingly using generative artificial intelligence tools to organize facts, explore legal theories, and draft narrative summaries. But a recent court ruling calls into question whether conversations with AI should be protected in litigation, or whether they are fair game in discovery. This article will briefly explore the typical scope of discovery, documents that are considered… Read more
Why Board Members Must Review and Understand Form 990
For many nonprofit organizations, the annual Form 990 is treated as a routine accounting exercise. It is prepared by staff or outside advisors, perhaps reviewed briefly (if at all), and hopefully filed to satisfy minimum IRS requirements. In practice, however, Form 990 functions as something far more consequential for nonprofits. It is a public-facing document that shapes how regulators, donors,… Read more
What is Worrying Our Nonprofit Clients – Part 1: Repetitive Risk Issues
We have spent an intense year helping our nonprofit clients through a wide variety of threats and risks. During that time, we have seen and heard many repetitive concerns and worries expressed across a wide variety of organizations. Rather than siloing this information, we wanted to start a conversation around sharing best practices and approaches to what appears to be… Read more
Paid Sick Leave Is Back on the Table: What Virginia’s New Proposal Would Change and Why It Matters
Paid sick leave legislation has reemerged in Richmond as a focal point of employment law reforms in Virginia that have been going on since 2020. Current proposed legislation would create paid sick leave obligations for employers that extend well beyond the narrow sector-specific mandate now in place, bringing Virginia closer to the employee paid sick leave benefits adopted in a… Read more
FLSA Misclassification is a High‑Stakes Compliance Risk for Employers
For many businesses, classifying employees as “exempt” under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) can feel routine—almost administrative. Yet this single decision often carries with it significant legal and financial consequences. When an employee is treated as exempt from overtime but does not actually meet the FLSA’s strict exemption criteria, as discussed below, the misclassification can expose the employer to… Read more
Protecting Owners from Unlicensed Contractors
Selecting a contractor is one of the most consequential decisions an owner or developer makes during a construction project. Whether the work involves a residential renovation, a commercial tenant build-out, or a larger development effort, owners reasonably expect that contractors performing the work are properly licensed, insured, and qualified. Unfortunately, and despite the best intent from contractors, these safeguards often… Read more
