
Richard Sternberg
Metropolitan Washington Law Consortium, PLLCThe Law Offices of Richard S. Sternberg is dedicated to the principle that bigger is not always better. Instead, it rests on a tradition that actually antedates the rise of the “mega-firm”-the solo practice. Emulating a country lawyer in a big-city environment allows Mr. Sternberg to provide more individualized service to his clients, and, at the same time, pursue more collegial relations with other members of the Bar. Since 1984, Mr. Sternberg has dedicated his practice to representing individuals and smaller businesses. For those corporate clients who have larger needs, he is affiliated with the Metropolitan Washington Law Consortium, PLLC. The larger affiliation allows you to benefit from a close relationship with your lawyer, but it allows easy connection to specific expertise and more economic approaches to handling easier day-to-day matters requiring competence with a lighter hand on the billing rates. If your matter requires multiple areas of practice and a limited practice, such as tax or immigration law, Mr. Sternberg can get you to the lawyers he knows to be the best through MWLC.
- Real Estate Law
- Commercial Real Estate, Condominiums, Easements, Eminent Domain, Homeowners Association, Land Use & Zoning, Mortgages, Neighbor Disputes, Residential Real Estate, Water Law
- International Law
- Human Rights, Imports & Exports
- Probate
- Probate Administration, Probate Litigation, Will Contests
- Business Law
- Business Contracts, Business Dissolution, Business Finance, Business Formation, Business Litigation, Franchising, Mergers & Acquisitions, Partnership & Shareholder Disputes
- Estate Planning
- Guardianship & Conservatorship Estate Administration, Health Care Directives, Trusts, Wills
- Credit Cards Accepted
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Contingent Fees
Contingency fees available in accident cases and, even, some international, real estate, and probate matters. -
Rates, Retainers and Additional Information
Even in business matters, ask about the 50/50 program for discounted legal fee rates as low as $150/hour.
- District of Columbia
- District of Columbia Bar
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- Maryland
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- Virginia
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- 4th Circuit
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- D.C. Circuit
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- Federal Circuit
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- U.S. Supreme Court
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- English: Spoken, Written
- English: Spoken, Written
- Managing Principal/CEO
- Metropolitan Washington Law Consortium, PLLC
- - Current
- Managing principal/CEO
- Lawyer
- Law Offices of Richard S. Sternberg
- - Current
- I've practiced as a solo from the beginning and will until the end. Sometimes, there have been some very talented lawyers around me, as well.
- Member, rising to CEO
- The Washington Law Group, P.C.
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- Center for International Legal Studies
- Honorary Fellow (2002) | International Business Law
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- Republished in Kitzbuehel, Luxembourg, NY, and Baltimore
- Honors: Honorary Fellow
- Activities: Delivered paper: "Securing Investments from Foreign Sovereigns— Protecting Foreign Assets Using U.S. Law"
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- Georgetown University
- J.D. (1983) | Law
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- Honors: cum laude
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- University of Pennsylvania
- M.A. (1977) | American Political Science
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- Honors: magna cum laude
- Activities: Pi Sigma Alpha, University Television, concurrent B.A.-M.A. in four years.
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- University of Pennsylvania
- B.A. (1977) | Political Science
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- Honors: magna cum laude, honors in major.
- Activities: Pi Sigma Alpha, University Television, Combined B.A.-M.A. in 4 years magna cum laude.
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- 10.0 Superb
- Avvo.com
- Hon. Fellow
- Center for International Legal Studies, Austria
- Best Lawyers in Virginia
- Virginia Business Magazine
- AV Rating
- Martindale-Hubbell
- Virginia State Bar
- Member
- - Current
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- District of Columbia Bar
- Member
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- Maryland State Bar
- Chairman, International Law Committee
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- “Securing Investments from Foreign Sovereigns—Protecting Foreign Assets Using U.S. Law.”
- Republished in Kitzbuehel, Luxembourg, NY, and Baltimore
- “The Jewish Roots of English Property Law.”
- The Conveyancer & Property Lawyer, Issue 1 (2016)
- Collections 101 for Campaign Professionals
- Campaigns and Elections, February, 2007
- “Third World Government Contracting.” November-December, 2005.
- l.i.n.k, issue 30,
- "Trade"
- International Business Law Bulletin, March-April, 2003
- International Commercial Transactions, Continuing Legal Education (MICPEL), Columbia, Maryland
- Maryland State Bar Association
- Reviewed international commercial transaction issues with a panel of other international law practitioners.
- Website
- Mr. Sternberg's Web Site
- Q. How can our shelter obtain legal ownership of a dog from an incarcerated owner in Virginia?
- A: Perhaps there is some statute that helps, but I have never heard of one. A dog is property in most states, including the Commonwealth. An incarcerated individual doesn't lose their property without due process of law. The easiest answer is to ask her to sign over the dog as a gift, and, a tougher alternative is to bring it up to her attorney or find some way to get it before a judge when she is next up for a review of her pre-trial detention. A call to her lawyer might help, but that's going to be tough if the lawyer is appointed.
- Q. Can my mom buy a house in MD, but put only my name on the title?
- A: It sounds right, but you would be well served to plan her estate at once instead of piecemeal. For example, you write of a Maryland house, but the question is posted from DC. The state estate and inheritance tax is different in those two places. And, Ms. Whitehurst is correct that a trust does this better and more safely, and you are potentially exposing yourself to Medicaid issues. Also, if she buys you a house, it is your house. What she gave you was the money. A legal consult might save you a lot of money down the road.
- Q. Am I responsible for maintaining a co-owner's property with sanitation issues?
- A: While actual responsibility may depend on the words on the title and the agreements between the co-owners, as to anyone outside the co-owners, it is very likely that every owner is jointly and severally liable for any illegal and unhealthy emission from your property. Further, it is reasonable to assume that an enforcement action by a health department or building inspector could involve condemning the entire property and rectifying the sanitation issue with a lien on the property. It is time for you to get to a local lawyer and determine who is responsible and how it is going to be fixed.