Gimmel, Weiman, Ersek, Blomberg & Lewis, P.A.

GWEBL Family News

staff — Wed, 16 May 2012 12:54:15 +0000

Gimmel, Weiman is not only proud of its attorneys and support staff, but we are also quite proud of the success of our children. Joe Lewis, the son of partner Paul Lewis, was recently appointed Vice President of Programming for Amazon as it plans to stream original television programming to the public. As recently reported by CNN, Fortune, and Money, “…Amazon’s TV push will be led by Joe Lewis, a Hollywood veteran whose previous experience includes stints as Director of Production at 20^th Century Fox (NWS), Manager of Development at Comedy Central, and CEO of the cloud-based TV network Bark Industries. At Comedy Central, he was an executive in charge of the production of Tosh.0, a series hosted by comedian Daniel Tosh that melds viral web videos with popular culture commentary. Congratulations to Joe on his new endeavor.

The Importance of Checking Beneficiary Designations

staff — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 12:12:08 +0000

GWEB would like to remind you to check beneficiary designations on your assets on an annual basis, when you have major life changes or when making changes to your estate plan. It is important to remember that jointly titled assets, beneficiary designated assets and accounts which are payable on death or transfer on death (POD/TOD) pass directly to the joint owner or beneficiary outside and separate from the Last Will & Testament. These assets are “non-probate” assets, meaning they do not go through the probate process and are not subject to direction in the Last Will & Testament. Some individuals mistakenly assume that the Will automatically overrides the valid beneficiary designations. It is actually the opposite. A meticulously drawn up Will which carries out your wishes for a particular distribution of property can be undone by your beneficiary designations. Make sure that the choices that you have made with respect to the jointly owned or beneficiary property work in conjunction with your Will and your overall estate plan. For more information on this topic, please contact our office and we will be happy to assist you.

5th Annual “Grow Your Business” Seminar & Expo

staff — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 19:15:39 +0000

The Firm will be participating in the 5th Annual “Grow Your Business” Seminar & Expo presented by the Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce. This year’s Seminar features Amy Nichols, Chief Executive Officer of Dogtopia, & Haley Firetti, Business Development Specialist at WJLA-TV ABC 7. Jerry Gimmel and Steve Blomberg will be at the Expo and available for questions and discussion. Registration is required at the Chamber website (www.ggchamber.org).

Jerry Gimmel and Steve Blomberg – 2012 Super Lawyers

staff — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 14:40:57 +0000

GWEBLAW Partners Jerry Gimmel and Steve Blomberg once again have been honored as Super Lawyers in Maryland for 2012. The Super Lawyers publication is based on the recommendations and votes of attorneys statewide and recognizes those attorneys that are in the top of their field. Jerry has been recognized in the field of Estate Planning every year since 2007. Steve has also been consistently recognized in the fields of Corporate Law and Business Litigation since 2007. The Firm congratulates Jerry and Steve!

Karen Alegi Named as Rising Star in Maryland Super Lawyers

staff — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:55:01 +0000

GWEBLAW attorney Karen Hulme Alegi has been honored as Rising Star in the area of Family Law by Maryland’s Super Lawyers for 2012. The Super Lawyers publication is based on peer nominations and the professional achievement of attorneys statewide and recognizes those attorneys that are in the top of their field. Before an attorney can qualify as a Rising Star he or she must be evaluated by two independent panels as being among the top 5% of attorneys in the entire state in that attorney’s main area of practice. The Rising Stars category is their listing of lawyers who are 40 years old and younger, or who have been in practice 10 or fewer years and have demonstrated superior legal skills. The Firm congratulates Karen on this recognition!

Happy Holidays!

staff — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 20:24:24 +0000

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM

THE ATTORNEYS AND STAFF AT

GWEB!

GWEB Seminars in the Community

staff — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 16:07:08 +0000

GWEB’s Estate Planning attorneys frequently present seminars in the community. These informative seminars cover such topics as the difference between probate and non-probate property, the different types of estate planning documentation, the importance of reviewing asset beneficiary designations, introduction to tax planning, and more. Jerry Gimmel recently presented at the Rosborough Center at Asbury Methodist Village with Nick Serenyi, CFP, of Smith Barney and Doug Myers, President and CEO of the Asbury Foundation. The topic was “Your Year-End Estate and Financial Check-Up Seminar”. Please contact GWEB if you would like more information about having one of our attorneys present at your next community event.

Happy Thanksgiving

staff — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 15:08:45 +0000

It is that time of the year when we bring to mind that for which we are grateful. Here at GWEB, we are thankful that the past year was a good one for our firm, that we have a wonderful, loyal and top-notch staff, and most of all we are thankful that our clients have chosen to place their trust in our firm and in our work. We wish all of our clients, colleagues, families and friends a Happy Thanksgiving. Rest, enjoy and be safe!

Business Interests and Divorce

staff — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 15:42:00 +0000

Karen Hulme Alegi attended the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) 16^th Annual Symposium held in Columbia Maryland on Veterans Day. The focus of the symposium this year was business valuations and other financial issues in divorce. The nationally renowned speakers discussed methods for analyzing business valuation reports including tips for cross examination of your opposing valuation expert. In addition, a panel of Maryland judges, including Montgomery County’s Judge Louise Scrivener, answered questions from attendees about the judge’s experience and preferences with respect to business valuations. Keep in mind that any interest in a business, whether a sole proprietorship or a public company, is a relevant consideration in divorce. It is critical to know what the business interest is worth whether you are the spouse that owns the interest or not. The attorneys at GWEBLAW have represented numerous clients with business interests in the context of a divorce and are available to discuss any questions you may have on this topic.

Maryland Tightens Up No-Texting Law

staff — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:56:08 +0000

Effective October 1, 2011 Maryland has modified the law prohibiting texting while driving. Last year the legislature made it illegal to text while you were driving an automobile; however, it was classified as a “secondary” offense and no points were attached. Under the new law, texting while operating a motor vehicle, as well as reading a text while driving, is a primary offense. This means that an officer can cite you if he or she merely sees you texting. In addition, you are subject to receiving one point on your driver’s license. Two exceptions have been carved out. Specifically, you can text if you are operating a GPS application or if you are calling 911.

The question remains whether the Police will issue tickets while you are stopped at a traffic light. Under a strict interpretation you are in violation of the law by doing so. Questions surrounding proof of texting while driving as opposed to using a smart phone for other purposes such as music or apps will undoubtedly soon be litigated in Traffic Court.