Professional Notices technology companies in Virginia, Maryland, and D.C. with a selective focus on non-compete litigation, and has client meeting locations in Fairfax, Reston, and Washington, D.C. Pender & Coward donated and planted 130 trees in Hampton Roads to cel-ebrate its 130th anniversary in part-nership with the cities of Norfolk and Suffolk and the Elizabeth River Trail Foundation. Approximately 40 lawyers and legal professionals planted trees in three different areas. Attorney Jim Lang led an educational program for second graders about the tree planting at an el-ementary school in Norfolk in conjunc-tion with the environmental project. Barry Bretschneider , a patent attorney specializ-ing in patent litigation and prosecution and inter partes patent matters before the USPTO, including interfer-Bretschneider ences, reexaminations and IPR/CBM/PGR and derivation proceed-ings, has joined the Falls Church office of Whiteford, Taylor & Preston LLP as senior counsel. Bretschneider’s clients span diverse industries, ranging from aircraft, pharmaceuticals, and electron-ics to hobby crafts and cutting tools. Global firm Reed Smith has elected Jeffrey S. Palmore , previously counsel, to part-ner in the Global Regulatory Enforcement Practice of Palmore the firm’s Richmond office. Palmore is a member of the Virginia Government Relations Team and has been involved with Virginia policy and politics for two decades. He has served as a top advisor to a governor, attorney general, members of Congress, and candidates for state-wide office. Katie Lipp , an employment and business attorney for technology companies, is pleased to announce the launch of her new practice, The Lipp Law Firm, PC. Lipp Law serves 56 Cassandra E. Sheehan has also joined Pesner Altmiller Melnick & DeMers in Tysons Corner as an asso-ciate practicing in the firm’s Sheehan civil litigation department, with a focus on family law, community associations, landlord tenant, and busi-ness disputes. Selzer Gurvitch Rabin Wertheimer & Polott, P.C. has added Brad M. Dashoff as a partner. Dashoff represents own-Dashoff ers and developers in multi-parcel mixed-use development projects, as well as sponsors and inves-tors in creating real estate investment funds. He was a contributing author in the Real Estate Closing Deskbook and a co-author of Commercial Real Estate Transactions: A Survival Guide . Gentry Locke has added two new associates to its Roanoke office, Abby Broughton joins the plaintiff ’s practice and Christina Hubbard joins the busi-ness litigation practice. Broughton has expe-rience conducting research and drafting memoranda on legal issues related to med-ical malpractice, personal Broughton injuries, product liability claims, governmental immunity, limits on liability, and the admissibility of expert testimony. Broughton previously served as a legislative intern to Delegate Greg Habeeb in the Virginia House of Delegates. Before joining Gentry Locke, Hubbard worked as a summer associate with an AmLaw 100 firm in their Frankfurt, Germany Hubbard office, working on matters related to banking & finance, mergers & acquisitions, and intellectual prop-erty. Hubbard also interned with the in-house legal department of a Fortune 500 company, where she advocated in mediation, negotiated contracts, and pursued various litigation matters. She is fluent in German and Greek. www.vsb.org Shannon Mullins & Wright LLP has formally opened in Alexandria. The firm provides comprehensive legal advice and practical solutions across a broad spec-trum of practice areas, including: Design Professional, Real Estate, Litigation, Land Use, Estate & Trust, Tax, Business, Construction Law and more. The Hon. George Varoutsos has received the annual William L. Winston Award from the Board of Directors of the Arlington County Varoutsos Bar Foundation. The award is given annually to a member of the Northern Virginia community who has promoted democratic ideals and advancement of the rule of law through long-standing public service. Judge Varoutsos spearheaded the use of special volunteer court appointed advocates to represent children who are caught up in child custody disputes, abusive or neglectful families, or juve-nile delinquency. Heather R. Steele has joined Pesner Altmiller Melnick & DeMers in Tysons Corner as a partner practicing in the firm’s civil Steele litigation department, with a focus on community association law, business disputes, and landlord-tenant matters. With the addition of Steele’s practice which has grown to serve clients located in Prince William County and surrounding areas, the firm will add a Manassas office helmed by Steele to its existing Tysons office. Lipp VIRGINIA LAWYER | February 2020 | Vol. 68