Jan I. Berlage
Attorney Profile
Top Rated Business Litigation Attorney in Baltimore, MD
Baltimore, MD 21201
- Business Litigation (30%),
- Intellectual Property Litigation (30%),
- Bankruptcy: Business (20%),
- Intellectual Property (10%),
- Appellate (10%)
Jan Berlage’s practice focuses on general business litigation, ranging from commercial litigation to bankruptcy to intellectual property. Jan has extensive experience in trials, arbitrations, mediations, and administrative hearings, including arguments before the Maryland Court of Appeals and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. He has secured major jury verdicts and large settlements for both businesses and individuals, including $1.6 million and $900K compensatory damages jury verdicts for two of his copyright clients and a nearly $1 million settlement for a surviving heir in a wrongful death lawsuit. He has also successfully defended against multimillion dollar claims in both state and federal court.
Prior to private practice, Jan served as law clerk to the Honorable E. Stephen Derby, U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland. He has taught pretrial litigation practice at the University of Maryland School of Law, served on the Board of Governors for the Maryland State Bar Association and the United States Commission on Civil Rights, Maryland State Action Committee, and is a co-author of the books, Judgment Avoidance: Exemptions and Lien Stripping, and Maryland Equine Law: A Legal Guide to Horse Ownership and Activities. He is a fellow of both the American and the Maryland State Bar Foundations, presents regularly at CLE courses, and has chaired numerous committees at both the national and state level. Based on his experience and client reviews, AVVO ranks Jan as “superb” with a perfect 10 rating, is a 2014 recipient of the National Academy for Bankruptcy Attorneys Nationally Ranked Top 10 Attorney Award, and raised to Litigation Counsel of America. Jan along with his partners were the 2013 and 2014 Editor’s Choice recipients of Corporate INTL’s Commercial Dispute Resolution Law Firm of the Year Award in Maryland and have been selected as a Fortune 500 Go-To Law Firm for more than five years. Jan also received The Bar Association of Baltimore City Senior Legal Services Volunteer of the Year Award for 2019.
- 30%Business Litigation
- 30%Intellectual Property Litigation
- 20%Bankruptcy: Business
- 10%Intellectual Property
- 10%Appellate
Trade Secret, Non-Compete Agreements, Bankruptcy Law, Copyrights, Trademarks, Intellectual Property Law, Appeals
Selections
Super Lawyers: 2015 - 2021
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Additional Sources of Information About Jan I. Berlage
About Jan Berlage
Admitted: 2002, Maryland
Professional Webpage: http://www.ghsllp.com/jan-berlage.php
Honors/Awards:
- Elected to the American Bar Foundation as a Fellow, 2007
- Elected into the Jeferson Literary and Debate Society 1992
- Maryland Military Department; Maryland Defense Force Achievement Award, Maryland Defense Force Achievement Ribbon, Maryland Military Department, 2012
- Elected to Phi Beta Kappa from Wesleyan University, 1992
- The Litigation Counsel of America is an invitation-only trial lawyer honorary society established to reflect the new face of the American bar. Membership is limited to 3,500 Fellows, representing less than one-half of one percent of American lawyers. , Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America, 2018
- Elected as a Life Member to the Maryland Bar Foundation, 2006
- Who's Who in American Law 1998 to present
- The State of Maryland State Service Medal (formerly the Maryland National Guard State Service Medal) is an award bestowed on those who have served five years continuously in any branch of the Maryland Military Department., Maryland State Service Award, Maryland Military Department, 2012
Bar/Professional Activity:
- Member, New York Bar Association Commercial Law and Federal Litigation Section's Intellectual Property Subcommittee 1998-2001
- Co-chair, Connecticut Bar Association Young Lawyers Section's Commercial Litigation and Bankruptcy Committee 1997-2000
- Secretary, Maryland State Bar Association, Agriculture Law Section, 2015
- District of Columbia Bar, 2002
- Chair, Maryland State Bar Association Agriculture Section, 2017
- Board of Governors, Maryland State Bar Association 2005-2007
- Chair, American Bar Association Young Lawyers Section's Individual Rights and Responsibility Committee 2001-2002
- Member, United Oxford/Cambridge University Club
- Secretary, Maryland State Bar Association, Intellectual Property Section, 2015
- New York Bar, 1996
- Pennsylvania Bar Association, 2016
- Chair, Maryland State Bar Association's Animal Law Section , 2010
- Fellow, American Bar Foundation, 2007
- Chair, American Bar Association Young Lawyers Section's Ethics and Professional Responsibility Committee 2005-2006
- Lifetime Member, University of Oxford Legal Society
- Secretary, Maryland State Bar Association, Intellectual Property Section, 2014
- Connecticut Bar Association, 1995
- Pennsylvania Bar, 2016
- Maryland Bar, 2002
- Life Fellow, Maryland Bar Foundation, 2006
- Chair, American Bar Association Young Lawyers Section's Bankruptcy Committee 2003-2005
Pro bono/Community Service:
- Lt. Colonel, Maryland Defense Force
- Board member/advisory board member to the Graham Equestrian Center
- Member, North American Securities Administration Association Task Force 1994
- Author and speaker for MVLS
- General Counsel, Secretary, Board Member to Heroes-Helping Heroes 2004 to present
- Judge, Avon (CT) Zoning Board of Appeals 1999-2001
- Deacon, Avon Congregational Church, 1998
- Deacon, Avon (CT) Congregational Church 1998 to 2001
- Member, United States Commission on Civil Rights, Maryland State Advisory Committee 2011 to 2012
- Advisory Counsel, AIMS -- American Initiatives for Military Support, 2014
Scholarly Lectures/Writings:
- Author/Speaker, Collection law Start to Finish, NBI, 2010
- This book examines exemptions and lien avoidance in Maryland., Co-Author, Judgment Avoidance: Exemptions and Lien Stripping What Every Maryland Attorney Should Know, Maryland State Bar Association, 2020
- Speaker, Negotiating Indemnification, reps, Warranties and More In Business Contracts, National Business Institute, NBI, 2017
- Speaker, Police Liability Claims from Start to Finish, National Business Institute, NBI, 2016
- Author/Speaker, Consumer Bankruptcy in Maryland, NBI, 2009
- Author/Speaker, Advanced Collection Practices: FDCPA, NBI, 2007
- Author/Speaker, Understanding Federal Courts: Federal Civil Procedure, NBI, 2006
- Speaker, Multi-Jurisdiction Practice: What Every Lawyer Needs to Know, ABA Annual Meeting in Hawaii, 2006
- Speaker, ABA Young Lawyers, 2005
- Speaker, Bankruptcy in Maryland: Preferences and Fraudulent Conveyances, Lorman, 2004
- Author/Speaker, Advanced Collection Strategies, NBI, 2012
- Author/Speaker, Nuts and Bolts of Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service, 2012
- Author/Speaker, Nuts and Bolts of Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, 2011
- Presented to bankruptcy lecture to S.I.G.M.A. Exchange, Finance, Credit and Collection Share Group Meeting, Speaker, What Every Businessperson should Know About Bankruptcy, Credit And Collection Share Group Meeting, Finance, S.I.G.M.A. Exchange, 2014
- Presented seminar on Maryland foreclosures and workouts, Author/Speaker, Maryland Foreclosures & Workouts, NBI, 2014
- Lectured on successfully locating assets and the FDCPA/MDCPA, Author/Speaker, 2014 Guide to Collection Law, NBI, 2014
- Presented at MSBA Animal Law Section 5th Annual Symposium, Speaker, Keeping Your Farm Safe: How Contract Law, Tort Liability and Financial Restructuring Impact the Horse Industry and Animal Law In General, MSBA Animal Law Section, 2014
- Presented at the Graham Equestrian Center's Annual Day of the Horse, Speaker, Maryland Horse Law, Graham Equestrian Center, 2011
- Spoke to the Central Maryland Saddle Club July Membership Meeting about equine law issues, Speaker, Maryland Horse Law, Central Maryland Saddle Club July Membership Meeting, 2011
- Presented at NBI's Real Estate Foreclosure: A Step-by-Step Workshop, Author/Speaker, How Bankruptcy Changes the Landscape, NBI, 2013
- Presented at NBI's Chapter 7 and 13 Bankruptcy: Line-by-Line Workshop, Author/Speaker, Consumer Bankruptcy Fundamentals, NBI, 2013
- Speaker, Dirty Litigation Tactics: How to Deal With the "Rambo" Litigator, National Business Institute, 2015
- Speaker, Individual Chapter 11 Plan Confirmations, Bankruptcy Bar Association: Spring Break, 2015
- Moderator, Maryland Equine Law and Public Access to Public Lands and Riding, Third Maryland Horse Forum, Maryland Horse Industry Board, 2014
- Speaker, Dirty Litigation Tactics: How to Deal with the "Rambo Litigator", NBI, 2015
- Speaker, Best Practices for Equine Law Related Activities, PATH International Region 2 Conference, PATH International, 2016
- Speaker, Advance Collection Law Challenges and Recovery Techniques, NBI, 2016
- MACPA Forensic Valuation Mock Trial, Panelist, Speaker, The Maryland Association Of CPAs, 2016
- Hearsay, Email, Business Records and Social Media -- In the Trenches: Top Hearsay Pitfalls Made by Trial Attorneys, Speaker, NBI, 2016
- Co-Author, Maryland Equine Law: A Legal Guide to Horse Ownership & Activities, Legal, 2011
- Keeping the Farm: Issues Related to Divorce, Bankruptcy and Other Issues, Speaker, MSBA Annual Meeting, Maryland State Bar Association, 2016
- Author, A Clear Message Regarding Service of Process on Joint Ventures & Joint Enterprises: Ryan Contracting, Inc. v. JAG Investments & Mellett v. Fairview Health Services, William Mitchell Law Review, 2002
- Best Practices for Equine Law Related Activities, Speaker, PATH International, 2016
- Author/Speaker, Bankruptcy Litigation 101, NBI, 2011
- Police Liability Claims from Start to Finish: Ethical Considerations in Police Liability Cases, Speaker, NBI, 2016
- Author/Speaker, Business Contracts A to Z: Preparing Contracts with an Eye Towards Litigation, NBI, 2011
- Speaker, Getting Emails, Texts and Social Media Posts Admitted: Advanced Evidence How To's, National Business Institute, NBI, 2018
- Author/Speaker, Consumer Bankruptcy: Chapters 7 and 13, NBI, 2011
- Speaker, Voir Dire Questions and Effective Use of Challenges, National Business Institute, NBI, 2018
- Author/Speaker, Consumer Bankruptcy, NBI, 2010
- Speaker, Determining Admissibility & Authentication of Social Media, National Business Institute, NBI, 2017
Verdicts/Settlements:
- UNDER A FOOT PLANT CO. v. EXTERIOR DESIGN, Inc., $900K actual damages and $300K statutory damages jury verdict in favor of Plaintiff, 2017
- ANDREW PAUL LEONARD v. STEMTECH HEALTH SCIENCES, INC. Outcome: $1.6 Million jury verdict in favor of Plaintiff Andrew Leonard, 2013
Other Outstanding Achievements:
- The Bar Association of Baltimore City Senior Legal Services Volunteer of the Year Award, 2019
- Law Clerk to the Honorable E. Stephen Derby, Bankruptcy Judge, U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland, 1995
- Adjunct Professor, University of Maryland Law School, 2005
Educational Background:
- Executive Editor, Journal of Law & Politics, University of Virginia School of Law, 1994
- Wesleyan University, Honors, Phi Beta Kappa, 1992
- St. Catherine's College, Oxford University, 1992
Jan I. Berlage:
Last Updated: 8/25/2020