Criminal Law

• Criminal Defense
  Prior to becoming a lawyer, Joe worked as a special education consultant for the Texas Migrant Council while with VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America), as well as a special education teacher for adults. Joe studied social work and political science as an undergraduate at Western Maryland College, and then went on to earn a Masters in Education. After his VISTA experience, he returned to school and earned his J.D. from the University of Maryland, where he was a member of the Order of the Coif. Joe also received the G. Ridgley Sappington Prize for academic excellence and the American Jurisprudence Awards in Evidence, Criminal Law, Civil Procedure, Estates and Trusts, Damages and Torts.
• Fraud
  Keith Lusby maintains a diverse transactional and litigation practice, representing small businesses, middle-market companies, insurers, business owners, banks and other financial institutions. He counsels his business clients regarding business formation, corporate governance, contract negotiation, and other corporate matters, and has represented numerous clients in connection with asset sales, stock sales and similar transactions. He also represents secured lenders and other creditors in bankruptcy proceedings and has handled a variety of commercial litigation, including breach of contract, lender liability, check fraud, Uniform Commercial Code, and shareholder derivative suits. Keith frequently works with new and growing businesses that require legal assistance for the first time, and his eclectic practice allows him to provide comprehensive, effective, and efficient representation.
• Theft

Business and Corporate Law

• Corporate Law
  Gregory Arbogast handles a balance of commercial litigation and corporate matters for closely-held businesses, business owners, employers, management companies, developers and construction companies, insurers, banks and financial institutions. A number of growing businesses have hired Greg to assist them with their first legal issue requiring the consultation of an attorney. He frequently represents businesses in matters such as employment, corporate formation, contract review, collection of unpaid receivables, and defense of various claims.
• Mergers and Acquisitions
  George Cunningham is an associate at Gebhardt & Smith where he represents a variety of corporate clients in a diverse practice field, ranging from commercial litigation in state and federal courts to corporate governance, mergers and acquisitions, and general corporate matters. Prior to joining Gebhardt & Smith, George served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Charles B. Day on the United States District Court for the District of Maryland.
• Business Formation
• Business Disputes
  Lawrence J. Gebhardt is a partner with Gebhardt & Smith LLP, the firm he co-founded with James Smith in 1975. An experienced litigator and trial and appellate attorney, Larry prosecutes and defends all aspects of commercial and business disputes and other civil actions. Before entering private practice, Larry served a judicial clerkship with the Honorable C. Stanley Blair of the United States District Court for the District of Maryland.
• Business Transactions
  The firm continued to grow steadily over the next forty years, focusing upon the practice areas of lending and business transactions, bankruptcy and creditors’ rights, and litigation. Gebhardt & Smith LLP became known for its exceptional service, prompt turnaround and determination to accomplish the needs of the firm’s clients in an aggressive and cost-efficient manner.

Property Law

• Real Estate Litigation
  A significant portion of Jim’s practice involves representing financial institutions and corporations in various types of commercial litigation, including bankruptcy and workout litigation, foreclosure and receivership cases, theft and fraud litigation, lender liability cases, loan sale and loan participation disputes, Uniform Commercial Code and negotiable instrument litigation, letter of credit and international collection litigation, securities and other class action cases, real estate litigation, contract and lease disputes, fraudulent conveyance litigation, appraiser and account liability cases, and insurance claims and coverage matters. Mr. Heidelbach also advises a number of financial institutions regarding deposit and operational issues and other corporate matters.
• Construction Litigation
  We handle all types of commercial and business litigation, including cases involving business torts, fraud, corporate and shareholder disputes, officer and director liability, commercial disagreements and general contract claims. In addition, the firm's litigators have expertise in securities, real estate, insurance coverage, employment and construction litigation.
• Real Estate Transactions
  Gebhardt & Smith's Business attorneys provide a broad range of services to business owners, operators, officers, directors, managers, executives and investors. The attorneys who practice in this area pride themselves on providing comprehensive legal representation designed to meet the varied needs of our firm's international, national, middle-market and small business clients. Our business law attorneys are routinely involved in transactions throughout the country and abroad. They have developed special expertise in the areas of business formation, mergers and acquisitions, real estate transactions, commercial leasing, property management, asset dispositions, succession planning, employment law, sports law, revenue cycle management, and supply chain management.
• Land Use and Zoning
  Maryland State Bar Association (1984 – present), served as a Member of the Special Joint Committee of the Section of Business Law and the Section of Real Property, Planning and Zoning of the Maryland State Bar Association (U.C.C. Subcommittee) in the preparation of the Maryland State Bar Association’s 2007 Report on Lawyers’ Opinions in Business Transactions, revised 2009

Trusts and Estates

• Estate Planning

Finance Law

• Bankruptcy
  Kate earned her J.D. from the University of Maryland School of Law in 2021 and received a Business Law certificate. Kate was a member of Maryland’s Consumer Bankruptcy clinic where she represented low-income debtors filing chapter 7 bankruptcy. She was a member of Maryland’s Business Law Society and co-captain of Maryland’s Transactional Law Team. While in Law School Kate interned for the Honorable David E. Rice.
• Foreclosure
  In addition to Gebhardt & Smith’s bankruptcy expertise, the firm’s litigation experience enables us to aggressively pursue recovery in state and federal courts. We have litigated thousands of matters to judgment and conducted a like number of foreclosure sales and liquidations of business property and equipment. This litigation experience is complimented by the firm’s transactional expertise.