Zuckerman Spaeder LLP

On Wednesday, September 18, Zuckerman Spaeder LLP partner William B. Schultz will be speaking at Georgetown University Law Center's O'Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law Colloquium Series. This discussion series aims to engage Georgetown Law students and faculty with leading scholars and policymakers in enriching dialogue surrounding current and pressing national and global health law, policy, and governance issues. Bill will join fellow panelists to explore the latest developments, challenges, and opportunities in regulatory practices for the FDA and other scientific federal agencies. #healthlaw #FDA #foodanddruglaw

Next week, Mental Health America will host its annual conference in Washington, DC. The event draws thousands of providers, government officials, media, and mental health advocates to discuss the current mental health care landscape and how to create equitable access for those in need. To kick off the Affiliate Day on Wednesday, September 18, Partner D. Brian Hufford will participate in the keynote panel, “Making Health Coverage Work for Us: Encouraging News on the Road to Full Access to Care.” Brian and fellow panelists, Joe Feldman, President of Cover My Mental Health; Lisa M. Gomez, Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration; and Tim Clement, Vice President of Federal Government Affairs for MHA, will discuss innovative ways communities advocate and implement policy changes to support equitable access to mental health care and services. Nora Fleming, Associate Director at The Carter Center, will moderate the panel. On September 18, 5:15 pm - 7:15 pm, Zuckerman Spaeder LLP’s Commercial Health Insurance Disputes Practice will be holding a reception at a nearby restaurant. If you are interested in joining, please contact @Dee Wong at dywong@zuckerman.com for more details.

Zuckerman Spaeder LLP is proud to congratulate former partner Adam B. Abelson on his confirmation to serve as a District Judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. Judge Abelson was nominated to this post by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. in May and confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Tuesday. Judge Abelson served as a partner at Zuckerman Spaeder before being appointed to serve as a Magistrate Judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland in the fall of 2023. Martin Himeles, Baltimore office managing partner, reflected, “I have known and worked closely with Judge Abelson for more than a decade, and his intellect, experience, fair-mindedness, and human decency, among other qualities, will make him a superb U.S. District Judge. His experience in private practice was remarkably broad, encompassing varied criminal and civil litigation as well as government investigations. I am confident that he will have no difficulty handling any matter that might appear on the diverse docket of a district judge.” "Throughout our time working together, Judge Abelson demonstrated exceptional legal acumen, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to doing the right thing,” said partner Catherine (Kate) Duval. “He has a deep grasp of the law and complex issues, which he balances with fairness and compassion. I know Judge Abelson will continue his public service with distinction and honor in this new role. This is a tremendous achievement, and I am confident his colleagues and the people who appear before him will greatly benefit from his wisdom, intellect, and fundamental decency." #alumZS

In a recent article published on Zuckerman Spaeder LLP’s blog, attorney David Reiser discusses how dated Supreme Court decisions have entrenched legal barriers to holding law enforcement accountable for mistaken-identity arrests. These rulings, combined with qualified immunity, make it nearly impossible for wrongly arrested individuals to challenge their detentions. Read the post on #InsightZS: https://lnkd.in/ee3uNh8G. #SCOTUS #mistakenidentity #constitutionalrights

The Appellate Court of Maryland largely upheld a finding that the Calvert County Sheriff's Office violated the law by requiring exorbitant fees as part of a records request made by the ACLU of Maryland. The decision from last week is expected to make it far easier for public interest organizations to obtain critical information from Maryland state government. The appeal was led by Samantha Miller Kavanagh, with support from partner Bill Murphy and ACLU attorneys Debbie Jeon and Dara Johnson. The case is Sheriff Ricky Cox v. American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland. Read more: https://lnkd.in/e69PPvKw

On behalf of our client, the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, and ten other prominent public health, medical, and community organizations, Zuckerman Spaeder LLP filed an amicus brief supporting the Food and Drug Administration in asking the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals decision regarding flavored e-cigarettes. Amici explain why allowing the decision in Food and Drug Administration v. Wages and White Lion Investments, LLC, d/b/a Triton Distribution to stand would undermine FDA’s ability to protect young people from the health harms of flavored e-cigarettes. The amicus brief was prepared by firm attorneys William B. Schultz, who previously served as General Counsel at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Deputy Commissioner for Policy at FDA, Andrew N. Goldfarb, and Trillium Chang. https://lnkd.in/gwfAtEQg #FDA #foodanddruglaw #SupremeCourt

Zuckerman Spaeder LLP is proud to announce that Best Lawyers has recognized 33 firm attorneys in the 2025 edition of The Best Lawyers in America® and seven attorneys on The Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America list. Congratulations to Jack Fernandez, Martin Himeles, and William Murphy, who were honored with “Lawyers of the Year” awards, and Devon Galloway, Anthony Ruiz, Nick DiCarlo, Chris MacColl, Ezra B. Marcus, Ariella Muller, and Ivano Ventresca, who were included in the fifth edition of The Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America. Zuckerman Spaeder attorneys are recognized in 18 categories, including 26 attorneys in litigation categories, 24 attorneys in Criminal Defense: White-Collar, and eight attorneys in Bet-the-Company Litigation. #bestlawyers #litigation #whitecollardefense #healthcarelaw #celebrateZS

In the latest #InsightZS blog post, Zuckerman Spaeder LLP attorneys Bryan Thomson and Martin Himeles analyze the effects of the Supreme Court’s 2013 decision ending the “preclearance” requirement for new voting standards, practices, and procedures in states with a history of discriminatory voting practices. https://lnkd.in/eMXet6-2 #VotingRights #Voting #SCOTUS

Zuckerman Spaeder LLP attorneys Aitan Goelman and Chris MacColl were included among The American Lawyer’s “Litigator of the Week Runners-Up and Shout-Outs” for the settlement the team secured on behalf of former FBI Special Agent Peter Strzok. The settlement, in which the government agrees to pay Mr. Strzok $1.2 million, resolves the allegation that the DOJ violated the Privacy Act and excludes from its terms Plaintiff’s claims that he was unlawfully removed from the FBI in violation of his rights under the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment and in violation of the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment. Zuckerman Spaeder will continue to pursue First Amendment and due process claims for Mr. Strzok’s reinstatement, back pay, and other equitable relief – each of which was identified in his 2019 lawsuit. #PrivacyAct #litigation #DOJ #FBI #FreeSpeech #DueProcess

On Friday, on behalf of former FBI Special Agent Peter Strzok, Zuckerman Spaeder LLP finalized a settlement with the DOJ over claims that DOJ violated Mr. Strzok’s privacy rights. Mr. Strzok was terminated by the FBI in 2018 after his private text exchanges were made public. The settlement resolves the allegation that the DOJ violated the Privacy Act when it publicly released Mr. Strzok's private text messages, which were critical of then-presidential candidate, Donald Trump. The settlement, in which the government agrees to pay Mr. Strzok $1.2 million, excludes from its terms Plaintiff’s claims that he was unlawfully removed from the FBI in violation of his rights under the Free Speech Clause of the First Amendment and in violation of the Due Process Clause of the Fifth Amendment. Zuckerman Spaeder will continue to pursue First Amendment and due process claims for Mr. Strzok’s reinstatement, back pay, and other equitable relief – each of which was identified in his 2019 lawsuit. Mr. Strzok is represented by Zuckerman Spaeder attorneys Aitan Goelman and Chris MacColl, along with Heller, Huron, Chertkof & Salzman, Pllc partner Rick Salzman. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eUtnQAGA #litigation #DOJ #PrivacyAct