Throughout his career, Dave Ross has tenaciously – and successfully – battled big, medium-sized, and small law firms in high-stakes litigation. Those lawsuits have included issues related to corporate shareholder disputes, breach of contract, unfair competition, unauthorized use of trade secrets, violations of non-compete provisions, antitrust, commercial fraud, tortious interference with contract, and franchising (among others). He also has handled employment matters involving claims of wrongful discharge, unlawful discrimination, sexual harassment, breach of fiduciary duties, breach of post-employment agreements, and non-payment of overtime wages.

Mr. Ross has significant experience providing non-litigation services as well. His transactional practice includes the review and negotiation of asset purchase/buy-sell agreements, franchise agreements, non-compete/non-disclosure contracts, employment-related agreements, and other contracts. He also works as an “outside general counsel” who provides day-to-day and as-needed advice to his business clients.

Indeed, Mr. Ross’s transactional and advisory work is informed by his experience as a trial lawyer. Having seen firsthand the ultimate consequences of many types of business actions and inactions, he is better able to foresee potential problems and therefore put his clients in a better position to either avoid liability or prevail in future lawsuits.

Mr. Ross is licensed to practice law in the state and federal courts of Maryland, Washington, D.C., and New Jersey. He served as Chair of the Maryland State Bar Association’s Franchise and Distribution Law Committee and as a member of a committee convened by the Maryland Securities Commissioner to examine possible changes to the administration of the Maryland Franchise Registration and Disclosure Law. Mr. Ross is also a member of the Bar Association of Montgomery County, Maryland.

REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS

• Represented lender in complex litigation arising from loan participation agreements.

  Represented lender in multiple commercial litigation matters involving joint real estate ventures.

  Representing mortgage lenders in fair lending investigations and enforcement actions.

  Litigating many partnership/corporate disputes, including but not limited to derivative actions involving alleged breaches of fiduciary duties.

  Represented entities, directors, and high-level employees in various lawsuits relating to management of not-for-profit entities.

  Handled franchise litigation matters in courts throughout the country against major franchisors.

  Represented franchisors before state administrative agencies due to alleged violations of registration and disclosure laws.

  Handled post-judgment discovery for lender.

  Handled employment law disputes relating to alleged discrimination, retaliation, breaches of fiduciary duties, and wage-and-hour violations.

NOTABLE RECENT VICTORY

• OverDrive v. The Open eBook Forum, 288 A.3d 305 (D.C. 2023) (D.C. Court of Appeals case in which Mr. Ross and co-counsel Benjamin Takis (Takis Nonprofit Law PLLC) successfully defended a trade association’s Board actions against a member organization’s challenge).

EDUCATION

• Washington College of Law (J.D. ,1997)

• Lafayette College (B.A., 1994)

 BAR ADMISSIONS

• Maryland

• New Jersey

• Washington, DC