Josephine Bahn focuses her practice on commercial litigation and construction law, representing real estate developers, project owners, contractors and design professionals in state and federal courts, administrative forums and arbitration panels.

Before joining the firm, she served as a senior attorney in the enforcement section of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, managing enforcement litigation involving consumer protection and fraud matters and advising the FDIC chairman on diversity and inclusion. She previously clerked for the Hon. Joel H. Slomsky of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania during the 2016-17 term.

As chair and CEO of Womble Bond Dickinson (US), Merrick Benn leads the firm’s governing board and co-chairs its global board, overseeing strategy, operations and international collaboration. Since joining the firm in 2009, Benn has held numerous leadership roles, including vice chair and member of the executive and management committees, with a focus on consensus-building and organizational growth.

In his legal practice, he advises clients in the equipment finance industry on complex transactions, risk management and portfolio acquisitions, drawing on more than three decades of experience across diverse asset classes. An active member of leading industry associations, Benn has been named to The Daily Record’s Business Law Power List and recognized as an Influential Marylander.

What is the biggest challenge facing your industry today?

One of the biggest challenges is making sure that growth doesn’t come at the expense of culture. The market is moving fast — clients expect more, the competition for talent is intense, and there’s constant pressure to scale. But I’ve seen what happens when firms chase growth for its own sake and lose sight of the people doing the work. At Womble, we’ve been very deliberate about growing in a way that reinforces our culture rather than dilutes it. That’s harder than it sounds, and it’s something I think about every day.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?

The best advice I’ve ever received was to invest in people early and generously. Careers are built over decades, not quarters, and the relationships you take the time to nurture will ultimately define both your reputation and your impact.

How do you define success?

Success, to me, starts with balance. You can build a great firm and do exceptional work for clients, but if the people doing that work are burning out to get there, it’s not sustainable — and it’s not success. I’ve always believed that the people who perform at the highest level are the ones who have a full life outside the office. As a leader, that’s something I think about every day — how to build a culture where people can do the best work of their careers without losing sight of the things that matter most to them.

A nationally recognized corporate attorney, Bill Carlson serves as president of his firm and chair of its Corporate & Securities Law group, advising private and public companies, governments, nonprofits and individuals on governance, mergers and acquisitions, capital raising and securities law compliance. He acts as outside general counsel for several companies and has served as independent counsel to special committees and boards of real estate investment trusts and other public corporations.

Since 2015, Carlson has chaired the Maryland State Bar Association’s Committee on Corporation Law, testifying before legislative committees more than 30 times and serving as an expert witness on director conduct. He earned his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law in 1983 and his Bachelor of Arts from Johns Hopkins University in 1979.

A nationally recognized leader in commercial real estate and structured finance litigation, Gregory Cross serves as partner-in-charge of Venable’s Baltimore office and sits on the firm’s management board as lead director. He chairs both the Bankruptcy and Creditors’ Rights Group and the firm’s Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities Practice.

Cross has served as lead counsel for the largest CMBS workout in U.S. history and has tried cases of first impression for the industry in courts across the country, including the U.S. Supreme Court. He frequently lectures and leads initiatives in the securitization industry.

Thomas Dame began his legal career at Gallagher LLP in 1990 and has remained at the firm ever since, rising to managing partner. A member of the firm’s health law and litigation practice groups, he focuses on healthcare disputes and commercial litigation, advising hospitals, nursing homes, physicians and other health care providers on litigation, regulatory compliance and health planning matters, including certificate of need proceedings.

He serves on the boards of Cristo Rey Jesuit High School and the Baltimore School for the Arts and is president of the Baltimore School for the Arts Foundation.

What is the biggest challenge facing your industry today?

I believe the biggest challenge facing law firms today is ensuring artificial intelligence tools are integrated effectively into client service. The advancement of AI is occurring rapidly. The most successful lawyers of the future will be those who adapt and combine AI with their own judgment and creativity to benefit clients.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?

Almost 2,000 years ago, Roman emperor and stoic Marcus Aurelius wrote in his journal: “That which is not good for the beehive cannot be good for the bees.” This ancient advice remains compelling today. People prosper when they are part of thriving communities, where they live and where they work, which is why we should work to lift up others and be strong together. More simply and directly: Love your neighbor.

How do you define success?

In my field, I define success as being trusted to help others solve their most troubling problems and achieve their most important goals.