Don is a principal in Ober|Kaler where he is chair of the firm's Private Wealth Services Section. For many years Don's practice has focused on assisting in the structuring of sophisticated transactions designed to provide innovative solutions to the tax and non-tax problems associated with the transmission of wealth. Often this planning is done as part of the client's overall business plan, as he works extensively with business owners in structuring arrangements that address their unique planning concerns. Effective uses are made of deferred compensation, stock purchase agreements, family partnerships, gifts to charities-both present and deferred and innovative uses of life insurance.

A significant portion of Don's practice is devoted to all phases of charitable planning in which he represents both individual donors as well as charities. Planning transactions span the spectrum from basic planning considerations to sophisticated charitable transactions, including the use of private foundations and deferred giving techniques.

Don also provides litigation support in contested estate matters, will and trust construction and tax controversies relating to estate tax and gift tax matters.

Court of Appeals of Maryland

Georgetown University (in Taxation), LL.M., 1980

University of Maryland School of Law, J.D., with honor, 1973

Wheaton College, A.B., 1968

American Bar Association

Baltimore Estate Planning Council

Past President

Past Director

Maryland State Bar Association

Estate and Trust Law Section

Executive Committee, 1988-2000

Chair, 2000

Review of Maryland Laws

Member, Advisory Board

St. Paul School for Girls

Development Committee, Past Member

University of Baltimore School of Law

Adjunct Professor, Graduate Tax Program, 1990-1993

Walters Art Gallery

Development Committee, Past Member

Fellow, American College of Trust and Estate Counsel

Listed since 1993 in The Best Lawyers in America, Estates and Trusts category (Woodward/White, Inc.)

Listed in Maryland Super Lawyers for Estates Planning & Probate, 2007, 2008; "Top 50 Lawyers," 2007

Listed in The Best of U.S., Trust and Estate category

Author, "Charitable Remainder Trusts-Comeback Player of the Year," University of Miami Institute on Estate Planning, 1992

Author, "Combining Charitable Remainder and Insurance Trusts," Estate Planning, 1990