J. Philip Kessel - Phil Kessel is a former president (2000 - 01) of the Trial Lawyers Association of Metropolitan Washington, D.C., (TLA-DC) and later served as that organization's State Delegate to the American Trial Lawyers Association (ATLA).  He received the TLA - DC Trial Lawyer of the Year Award in 1989. He is a former law clerk to Judge Catherine B. Kelly of the D.C. Court of Appeals. Phil is licensed to practice in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia. He is board certified in Civil Trial Advocacy by the National Board of Trial Advocacy (2000).  Phil recently was selected as a Washington, D.C. "Super Lawyer" for 2008, to go along with his listing as a Maryland "Super Lawyer" for 2007.