Chartwell Law is proud to announce a significant expansion of its national team in 2025 with the addition of more than 20 attorneys and nearly 25 support professionals. Some will join existing Chartwell offices, while others will help establish new locations for the firm. This strategic growth brings Chartwell’s attorney headcount to nearly 300.
Many of the new attorneys join Chartwell from two highly-respected litigation firms and will be practicing in the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, and New York. To accommodate this growth, Chartwell has opened new offices in Annapolis, Maryland; Parsippany, New Jersey; and Washington, D.C. These new locations, along with the attorneys joining Chartwell’s existing offices in Baltimore, New York and Philadelphia, further expand the firm's footprint in the heart of the Mid-Atlantic region. In addition to strengthening Chartwell’s presence, this integration deepens the firm's capabilities in key practice areas, including premises liability, construction defect, products liability, and retail, restaurant and hospitality defense.
“This is a transformative moment for our firm,” said Charles Barreras, one of Chartwell’s founding partners and the firm’s spokesperson. “We’re excited to welcome this highly experienced group of attorneys and staff who not only bring exceptional talent, but also align with our collaborative culture and client-centered values.”
Meet Our New Partners
The following attorneys have joined Chartwell as partners since the start of the year, each bringing deep experience and strong reputations in their respective practice areas:
- Justin Cuniff, Annapolis - Justin brings over 15 years of experience in civil litigation, including product liability, construction, transportation, and premises liability matters. He is particularly focused on advising national clients in the retail, restaurant, and hospitality industries on risk management and loss prevention strategies.
- Jason Engel, Annapolis - Jason has nearly two decades of experience representing clients in transportation, construction, employment, and product liability matters. A highly-skilled trial attorney, Jason has led countless depositions, motions, trials, and arbitrations across multiple jurisdictions.
- Carlos "Andy" Uria, Annapolis - Andy brings significant experience defending businesses in premises liability, transportation, and commercial disputes. His background includes serving as a judicial law clerk and practicing at an international law firm, where he focused on consumer financial services litigation.
- Michael Cuches, Annapolis - Michael is a skilled trial attorney who has taken 50 jury trials to verdict. With a background in both civil and criminal litigation, he brings deep trial strategy experience to cases involving premises liability, transportation, construction defects, and hospitality industry claims.
- Steven Pardalis, Parsippany - Steven brings broad civil litigation experience with a focus on general liability, transportation, construction defect, and insurance coverage disputes. Known for his pragmatic approach, Steve has represented both insured and self-insured clients in complex, multi-party matters.
- Keith Raven, New York - Keith joins Chartwell with more than 40 years of litigation and trial experience across personal injury defense, complex commercial disputes, and products liability. He has secured significant defense and plaintiff verdicts in both state and federal courts, including multimillion-dollar outcomes.
- George Kolbe, New York - George is a seasoned litigator with a strong focus on premises, construction, transportation, and aviation-related claims. He has successfully defended high-exposure cases in both state and federal courts in New York and New Jersey.
- Kari Schultz, Charlotte - Kari brings more than two decades of experience in workers’ compensation litigation, including catastrophic injury claims and occupational disease matters. She regularly advises national and international clients and is highly regarded for her educational outreach in the field.
Highlights of this expansion include:
- Enhanced Trial Experience - Many of the attorneys who recently joined Chartwell have significant jury trial experience, reinforcing Chartwell’s reputation as a firm with a deep bench of courtroom-tested litigators.
- Industry Focus - With decades of experience representing national clients in the retail, restaurant, and hospitality sectors, the new team members significantly bolster Chartwell’s service offerings to businesses in these industries.
- Strategic Practice Growth - This move deepens the firm’s bench strength in high-demand areas such as construction defect, premises liability, and complex tort litigation.
This integration aligns with Chartwell’s vision for the future of legal services - one that values agility, shared knowledge, and diverse perspectives. The firm’s collaborative model, which favors teamwork and innovation over a traditional law firm hierarchy, provides an ideal environment for lateral attorneys to thrive and contribute meaningfully from day one.
As the legal profession evolves, Chartwell continues to position itself at the forefront - delivering value-driven, results-oriented representation to clients across the country.
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