TERRY AREY works as an assistant to Attorneys Ed Lowry and David Thomas, who specialize in commercial and business law. She helps to organize internal office functions, as well as offering support for legal association meetings and conventions. She started working for MichieHamlett in 1999.

MATTHEW J. BALDWIN is a paralegal for the commercial group of MichieHamlett. He earned his B.A. from the University of Virginia in 2004, and has worked with the firm since then. Matt works primarily with Attorney Garrett Smith on consumer fraud cases, as well as other commercial and business cases.

Under Garrett’s supervision, Matt assists in many aspects of representation, from conducting intake calls and conferences, to interviewing witnesses, to preparing court filings and discovery papers, to working with court clerks, and to researching and organizing evidence.

Matt has worked on a number of important cases, including the following:

In Polacsek v. Debticated Consumer Counseling, et al. Case No. 2004-cv-00631 (D. Maryland) MichieHamlett represented a class of approximately 500,000 victims of a fraudulent credit counseling scheme. The class members were deceived by AmeriDebt, which was then one of the nations’ largest credit counseling firms. It and related non-profits falsely claimed that they were non-profit and tax exempt organizations, while their founder received tens of millions of dollars traceable to the false non-profits. The trial court decided that the Credit Repair Organizations Act allowed the plaintiffs to pursue claims against the founder personally. Polacsek v. Debticated Consumer Counseling, 413 F. Supp. 2d 539 (D. Md. 2005). In 2006, we obtained a $35 million settlement from the founder for violations of that law.

In Zimmerman v. Cambridge Credit Corp., et al., Case No. 2003-cv-30261 (D. Massachusetts) MichieHamlett represented a class of approximately 225,000 victims of a fraudulent credit counseling scheme that centered on another family of false non-profit credit counseling organizations. In 2009, the court entered judgments of over $250,000,000 against corporate and individual defendants. The case made new law when the First Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston agreed that the Plaintiffs could look behind the initial IRS determination that the defendant companies were non-profits. Zimmerman v. Cambridge Credit Counseling Corp. 409 F.3d 473 (1st Cir, 2005). The judgment is under appeal.

BILLIE DISMER has been with the firm since 1986, and provides services in connection with tax matters. As an enrolled agent, she represents clients in Internal Revenue Service and Virginia Department of Taxation tax audits, and IRS and Virginia Department of Taxation Collection matters. She also assists clients with various bookkeeping and accounting matters. Previously, she worked for the Internal Revenue Service for 14 years, as a tax auditor, a reviewer on the technical review staff, and as an appeals officer. She has worked as a staff accountant for certified public accounting firms as well.

Education:

• Queens College (Charlotte, NC), B.A. 1969
• Internal Revenue Service Basic Tax Auditor Training
• Internal Revenue Service Advanced Tax Auditor Training
• Internal Revenue Service Employment Tax Specialist Training
• Internal Revenue Service Appeals Officer Training

Rob finishing one of his many ocean swim races. This one was in southern New Jersey.

ROBERT N. JONES joined MichieHamlett in 2001, before that, Rob worked for six years as a Senior Paralegal at a prestigious securities litigation defense firm, which represented a number of the largest brokerage houses in customer disputes. Having switched sides to the representation of the investor, Rob primarily utilizes his experience and knowledge analyzing claims and damages, as well as managing the firm's securities arbitration case load.

When he is not working at the firm, Rob spends much of his free time training for and competing in long distance, open water swims and triathlons. Rob is also an avid art collector and recognized art critic.

Education:

• University of Texas at Austin (B.A. in Art History, 1988)
• Harvard University Extension School (Grad. Cert. in Museum Administration, 1990)