Four Blankingship & Keith Partners Named 2018 "Lawyer of the Year" for Washington DC by Best Lawyers in America
Blankingship & Keith, PC is pleased to announce that Peter Everett (Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs), John Keith (Litigation - Trusts and Estates), Paul Terpak (Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law) and Mark Towery (Product Liability Litigation – Plaintiffs) have been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America as 2018 “Lawyers of the Year” in Washington, DC for their respective areas of practice.
In total, 17 Blankingship & Keith lawyers were named to The Best Lawyers in America© 2018 list. This is unique honor, with half of the firm’s lawyers being recognized by the publication, including:
A. Hugo Blankingship, Jr., Of Counsel, Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law, Litigation - Real Estate and Real Estate Law
John F. Cafferky, Principal, Education Law
William L. Carey, Principal, Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants
William H. Casterline, Jr., Principal, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization
David Rust Clarke, Principal, Family Law and Family Law Mediation
Richard Colten, Principal, Family Law
Thomas M. Cusick, Counsel, Family Law
Peter S. Everett, Principal, Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
David J. Gogal, Principal, Commercial Litigation and Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants
Sarah E. Hall, Senior Counsel, Land Use and Zoning Law
Chidi I. James, Principal, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs and Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs
John A.C. Keith, Principal, Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Legal Malpractice Law – Defendants, Litigation - Trusts and Estates, and Trusts and Estates
Elizabeth ("Betty Van") Morrogh, Principal, Trusts and Estates
Wm. Quinton Robinson, Principal, Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships) and Corporate Compliance Law
Robert J. Stoney, Principal, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs and Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs
Paul B. Terpak, Principal, Eminent Domain and Condemnation Law
Mark A. Towery, Principal, Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs and Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs
Lawyers of the Year:
Everett is a trial lawyer who devotes his practice to representing individuals injured by the reckless or careless acts of others including individuals seriously injured in motor vehicle collisions, with a special emphasis on tractor-trailer collisions; individuals who have suffered traumatic brain injuries resulting from accidents or negligence; victims of violent crimes in child care centers and due to the inadequate security of facilities; and individuals, and particularly children, injured as a result of defective conditions in buildings or real estate.
Keith is a co-founder of Blankingship & Keith. He has handled cases involving a variety of commercial disputes including business torts cases, fraud claims, real estate transactions and litigation, employment disputes, and partnership and corporate fights of various types. Keith also has represented fiduciaries and beneficiaries in will contests and other trust and estate litigation. An experienced mediator and arbitrator, Keith has represented countless clients in all types of alternate dispute resolution proceedings.
Terpak has handled hundreds of eminent domain (or condemnation) cases, including more than 50 trials before juries and commissioners in every jurisdiction in Northern Virginia. With his mentor, Hugo Blankingship, Terpak has obtained many of the largest condemnation awards in Virginia, including numerous multi-million dollar verdicts. He has handled many of the largest cases caused by the construction of the Wilson Bridge (including the taking of a high-rise residential tower and damage to two remaining towers), the Hot Lanes project on the Beltway, and the Metro in Tysons.
Towery represents victims of dangerous products and other negligence in Virginia’s state and federal courts, as well as in other jurisdictions. His cases primarily involve motor vehicle collisions, highway defects, dangerous conditions on premises, and product liability.
The "Lawyer of the Year" award reflects exceptionally high marks for talent, accomplishments and integrity. According to Best Lawyers, only a single lawyer in each practice area and designated metropolitan area receives this honor, which “makes the accolade particularly significant.” Lawyers chosen for the honor are selected based on particularly impressive voting averages received during the exhaustive peer-review assessments the publication conducts with thousands of leading lawyers annually. The “Lawyer of the Year” commendation testifies to the respect earned by these practitioners from leading lawyers in that same practice within each community.