Legal Services & Lawyers

I am a driven attorney who learns quickly, understands clients' goals to achieve efficient results, and is eager to continue growing professionally. I endeavor to solve clients' problems, preferably by counseling them to improve profitability through innovative solutions and reduce legal and regulatory risks, but also through cost-effective litigation when necessary. Outside of work, I strive to improve my community through leadership in various activities and bringing ideas to life. I enjoy getting the most out of life by being active professionally, in my community, and with my family, committed to achieving success in each, balancing all.

Recommendations For Justin
"Justin is above all, a quality individual with a strong work ethic. As an associate, I found him to be quite intuitive and a very strong researcher. Justin was very creative in his research; often finding other approaches not previously thought of when the assignment was provided. He would quickly get the answers to the questions posed and would also provide the contrary arguments that one could expect. He is very efficient and his written work was of the highest quality." Partner, Whitney & Bogris, LLP

"Justin was one of the most dedicated and talented interns I worked with during my clerkship. Not only was he able to quickly identify and address the key issues in the cases on which he worked, but also he writes quickly and clearly. In essence, he required little supervision and his work needed few revisions. Having already mastered several of the attributes of a seasoned attorney, Justin has a promising career ahead of him and it was a pleasure working with him." Law Clerk , U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland

Mr. Rowan concentrates his practice in the areas of litigation and labor/employment law, primarily representing commercial and business clients. His litigation practice focuses the representation of business clients in both state and federal courts, including bankruptcy courts, in Maryland, Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia. His practice includes handling complex commercial and class action matters through all stages of litigation, including appeals.

With regard to labor and employment law, Mr. Rowan focuses his practice on the representation of both public and private sector employers in union and nonunion environments. His experience includes litigation of employment discrimination actions (including Title VII and ADA cases), FMLA and FLSA matters. Mr. Rowan also litigates and advises clients concerning common law employment issues such as wrongful discharge, non-competition/non-solicitation agreements and trade secret issues.

Prior to joining Shumaker Williams, Mr. Rowan was an attorney in a civil litigation practice in the Baltimore area. His prior experience includes commercial litigation and class-action matters, personal injury, product liability, premises liability, and toxic-tort matters.

Before entering private practice, Mr. Rowan was the law clerk to the Honorable Judge Ronald A. Silkworth in the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County.

Mr. Rowan is licensed to practice in Maryland, Pennsylvania, District of Columbia, New Jersey, and the United States District Courts for the District of Maryland, District of Columbia, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Middle District of Pennsylvania and Western District of Pennsylvania. He is a member of the Maryland Bar Association, District of Columbia Bar Association, Pennsylvania Bar Association and the Baltimore County Bar Association.

Mr. Rowan earned his law degree from the University of Maryland in 1998 and his B.A. from Saint Joseph’s University in 1993. While at the University of Maryland, Mr. Rowan was an associate editor of The Business Lawyer and interned with the Enforcement Division of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

Michelle Davy, Esquire is the Principal and Managing Attorney of The Davy Law Firm Inc.

A 1988 graduate of the Georgetown University Law Center, Ms. Davy has focused her practice in the areas of Bankruptcy and Debt Relief/Collection, Small Businesses, Family, Matrimonial and Employment law counseling, representation and litigation in the Maryland and District of Columbia metropolitan area courts since 1990.

During her 18 year career, Ms. Davy has served in both the private and public sectors, representing a wide variety of litigants in complex and sensitive matters, from both the plaintiff and defense posture. She has served as an Assistant Attorney General for the D.C. government, Counsel and Attorney-Advisor with the federal government, and as a Senior Associate and Principal in Washington, D.C. area law firms.

Ms. Davy is a member of the state and federal courts of Maryland, the District of Columbia and Pennsylvania, and the United States Supreme Court, the Maryland State Bar Association and the American Bar Association.

The proud mother of two, Ms. Davy is highly experienced in managing and resolving the various legal problems that can affect families and small businesses, and devoted to providing her clients with the aggressive, expert and comprehensive legal services they need and deserve.

Call Attorney Davy at (240) 744-4636 for caring and prompt legal help with your debt, small business, family or employment matter today.

Joyce Smithey focuses her practice primarily in the area of employment law. Ms. Smithey regularly advises employers and employees on matters of discrimination, affirmative action, wage and hour issues, restrictive covenants, and sexual harassment. In addition to handling employment litigation, Ms. Smithey assists employers and employees with employment law compliance, drafting employee handbooks, and providing on-site training sessions to managers and employees on employment law topics. Ms. Smithey has represented clients in state and federal courts, and before the Department of Labor, the Department of Employee Security, the Commission on Human Relations, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. She has handled numerous jury trials, appellate oral arguments, bench trials, motion hearings, equity petitions, and damages hearings.

Ms. Smithey has taught seminars and law school courses on employment law topics, including restrictive covenants, employee handbooks, hiring and interviewing practices, discrimination, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family Medical Leave Act, and employee evaluations. She has also published extensively on employment law and civil litigation.

Ms. Smithey is a member of the Labor and Employment Law Sections of the Maryland State Bar Association, the District of Columbia Bar Association, the Federal Bar Association, and the American Bar Association, and she is a member of the Women’s Bar Association of Maryland, the National Employment Lawyers Association, and the Maryland Employment Lawyers Association. Ms. Smithey also does extensive pro bono work in the area of employment law, including serving on the Employment Law Hotline for the Women’s Law Center and teaching in the Workplace Street Law Program. She has also authored amicus briefs for the National Employment Lawyers Association. She has served her community as a member of the Executive Committee of the Pepperdine University Washington D.C. Waves, a mentor for the Pepperdine University Washington D.C. Internship Program, a member of the Board of Trustees for Dress for Success New Hampshire, a member of the Board of Directors for the New Hampshire Safety and Health Council, and a volunteer tutor for the Central Area Youth Association. She currently serves as an officer on the Board of Directors for the Bay Hills Community Association.

Ms. Smithey received her Juris Doctor from Boston University School of Law where she researched and authored “Housing Discrimination Against People with Mental Disabilities: How does the Fair Housing Amendment Act of 1988 Help Implement the Goals of Deinstitutionalization?” Ms. Smithey received her Bachelor of Arts from Pepperdine University. She is admitted to practice in Maryland, the District of Columbia, and New Hampshire. Prior to becoming a partner at Rifkin, Livingston, Levitan, & Silver, LLC, Ms. Smithey practiced at Gorman & Williams in Baltimore, Maryland and Upton & Hatfield, LLP, one of the largest and most respected firms in New Hampshire.