PRO

Licensed for 30 years

Bankruptcy and debt Lawyer at Baltimore, MD
Practice Areas: Bankruptcy & Debt, Chapter 11 Bankruptcy, Chapter 13 Bankruptcy ... +9 more

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About Jan

Biography

Jan Berlage’s practice focuses on general business litigation, ranging from commercial disputes to bankruptcy () to intellectual property (). Jan has extensive experience in trials, arbitrations, mediations, and administrative hearings, including arguments before the Maryland Court of Appeals and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. He has secured major jury verdicts and large settlements for both businesses and individuals, including most recently a $1.6 million and a $900, compensatory damage awards for copyright clients and a nearly $1 million settlement for a surviving heir in a wrongful death lawsuit. He has also successfully defended against multimillion dollar claims in both state and federal court.

Prior to private practice, Jan served as law clerk to the Honorable E. Stephen Derby, U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland. He has taught pretrial litigation practice at the University of Maryland School of law, served on the Board of Governors for the Maryland State Bar Association and the United States Commission on Civil Rights, Maryland State Action Committee, and is a co-author of the book, Maryland Equine Law: A Legal Guide to Horse Ownership and Activities (). He is a fellow of both the American and the Maryland State Bar Foundations, presents regularly at CLE courses, and has chaired numerous committees at both the national and state level. Based on his experience and client reviews, AVVO ranks Jan as “Superb” with a perfect 10 rating, and is a business litigation Super Lawyer.

Mr. Berlage along with his partners were the 2013, 2014 and 2015 Editor’s Choice recipients of Corporate INTL’s Commercial Dispute Resolution Law Firm of the Year Award in Maryland, and its IP Law Firm of the Year and Bankruptcy Law Firm of the Year for 2014 and 2015.

Some of Jan’s representative matters are

Secured a $1.6 million compensatory federal jury verdict for a copyright client before the United States District Court for the District of Delaware
Secured a $900K compensatory federal jury verdict (plus $300K statutory award) for a copyright client before the United States District Court for the District of Maryland
Obtained a defendant's verdict against a claim for $6 million dollars as well as a successfuly jury verdict on a counterclaim for a day care client before the Circuit Court for Montgomery County (Maryland)
Obtained a nearly $1 million settlement for a surviving heir in a wrongful death lawsuit
Successfully represented both the inventors of the AK-47 and M-16 in intellectual property cases
Obtained a plaintiff’s verdict for family in week long civil rights jury trial before the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut
Represented inventor in week long trade secret trial before the Delaware Court of Chancery
One of four attorneys involved in Comcast’s purchase of assets in Adelphia Communications bankruptcy case
Achieved summary judgment award for defendant in billion dollar insurance coverage lawsuit
Represented creditors’ committee in multimillion dollar bankruptcy before the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Ohio
Successfully represented electrical cooperative in multimillion dollar litigation before the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas
Represented a debtor horse racing track before the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland
Handled multimillion dollar bankruptcy sale of medical device company to a French based multi-national corporation
Represented indenture trustee in bankruptcy matter involving $100 million+ bond issuances
Successfully litigated on behalf of indenture trustee matter involving a waste-to-energy facility in Florida before the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York
Obtained numerous bankruptcy discharges for individuals
Successfully represented numerous defendants in copyright infringement cases
Obtained $1 million+ judgment for major corporation in corporate theft case
Achieved numerous trademarks and copyright for businesses and individuals in a wide array of industries

Some of Jan’s representative speaking engagements are:

POLICE LIABILITY CLAIMS FROM START TO FINISH, Ethical Considerations in Police Liability Cases, NBI 2016
PATH INTERNATIONAL REGION 2 CONFERENCE, Best Practices for Equine Law Related Activities, PATH 2016
MARYLAND STATE BAR ASSOCIATION ANNUAL MEETING, Keeping the Farm: Issues Related to Divorce, Bankruptcy and Other Issues, MSBA 2016
HEARSAY, EMAIL, BUSINESS RECORDS & SOCIAL MEDIA -- IN THE TRENCHES, Top Hearsay Pitfalls Made by Trial Attorneys, NBI 2016
FORENSIC VALUATION MOCK TRIAL, Forensic Valuation Mock Trial, MACPA 2016
DIRTY LITIGATION TACTICS: HOW TO DEAL WITH THE "RAMBO" LITIGATOR, Dirty Litigation Tactics, NBI 2016
BANKRUPTCY BAR ASSOCIATION SPRING BREAK, Individual Chapter 11 Plan Confirmations, MBA 2015
THIRD MARYLAND HORSE FORUM, Maryland Equine Law and Access to Public Lands and Riding, MHIB 2014
S.I.G.M.A., Exchange, Finance, Credit and Collection Share Group Meeting, What Every Business Should Know About Bankruptcy, SIGMA 2014
MARYLAND FORECLOSURES AND WORKOUTS: Workouts – The Various Tools in the Tool for Working Out Troubled Real Estate Loans, NBI 2014
REAL ESTATE FORECLOSURE: A STEP-BY-STEP WORKSHOP – How Bankruptcy Changes the Landscape, NBI 2013
CHAPTER 7 AND 13 BANKRUPTCY: LINE-BY-LINE Workshop – Consumer Bankruptcy Fundamentals, NBI 2013
CHAPTER 7 BANKRUPTCY, Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service 2013
NUTS AND BOLTS OF COLLECTION LAW – How to Find Debtors and Their Assets, NBI 2012
ADVANCED COLLECTION STRATEGIES – Pre-Suit Collection Strategies, NBI 2012
BANKRUPTCY SEMINAR, Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service 2012
CONSUMER BANKRUPTCY: THE BASICS OF CHAPTER 7 AND 13, NBI 2011
BUSINESS CONTRACTS A TO Z – Preparing Contracts with an Eye Towards Litigation, NBI 2011
BANKRUPTCY LITIGATION, NBI 2011
CONSUMER BANKRUPTCY, NBI 2010
COLLECTION LAW FROM START TO FINISH, NBI 2010
CONSUMER BANKRUPTCY IN MARYLAND, NBI 2010
CHAPTER 7, NBI 2009
ADVANCE COLLECTION STRATEGIES, NBI 2009
CONTRACT PRACTICE FOR MARYLAND PARALEGALS, Halfmoon Seminars 2007
UNDERSTANDING FEDERAL COURTS AND PROCEDURE, Halfmoon Seminars 2006
MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL PRACTICE: WHAT EVERY ATTORNEY NEEDS TO KNOW, American Bar Association 2006

Trial attorney w/ focus on business, commercial, bankruptcy & intellectual property litigation.

Practice Areas

Bankruptcy and Debt 15%

Jan Berlage regularly represents consumer as well as business debtors. He also frequently lectures on consumer bankruptcy and collection issues.

31 years | 1,000 cases

15%

Chapter 11 Bankruptcy 15%

15%

Chapter 13 Bankruptcy 15%

15%

Chapter 7 Bankruptcy 15%

15%

Intellectual Property 11%

Jan Berlage assists clients in assessing, defending, and protecting their copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, and patents.

31 years | 400 cases

11%

Lawsuits and Disputes 10%

Jan Berlage primarily handles complex litigation from bankruptcy to commercial disputes to civil rights violations to intellectual property disputes

31 years | 800 cases

10%

Litigation 10%

Jan Berlage has argued before the Maryland Court of Appeals, Maryland Court of Special Appeals, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. He is also a member of the United States Supreme Court's bar.

31 years | 400 cases

10%

Copyright Infringement 5%

Jan Berlage handles copyright litigation for both plaintiffs and defendants, and has scored two major jury verdicts for photographers as well as successfully argued before the United States Court for Appeals for the Third Circuit on such matters.

31 years | 200 cases

Business 1%

Jan Berlage is experienced with the complexities of business litigation, specifically with regard to intellectual property and copyrights, contract agreements. He also handles bankruptcy and debt matters on behalf of his business clients.

31 years

Credit Repair 1%

Debt Collection 1%

Debt Settlement 1%

Fees and Rates

Cost

Free Consultation

$0 first 30 minutes

Payment Methods

Cash
Check
Credit Card

Awards

2021 2014 2013

Licenses

Licensed in District of Columbia for 23 years

State: District of Columbia

Acquired: 2002

Good Standing

No misconduct found

Licensed in Maryland for 24 years

State: Maryland

Acquired: 2002

Active

No misconduct found

Licensed in New York for 29 years

State: New York

Acquired: 1996

Currently Registered

No misconduct found

Licensed in Connecticut for 30 years

State: Connecticut

Acquired: 1995

Active

No misconduct found

Licensed in Pennsylvania for 9 years

State: Pennsylvania

Acquired: 2016

Inactive

No misconduct found

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Location

Law Offices of Jan Ingham Berlage

201 North Charles Street, Suite 2101, Baltimore, MD, 21201

ghsllp.com/jan-berlage.php

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Law Offices of Jan Ingham Berlage

111 Cathedral Street, Suite 301, Annapolis, MD, 21401

ghsllp.com/jan-berlage.php

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Online Presence

Other places you can find Jan online.

Jan Ingham Berlage's Reviews

Overall Rating
This is an aggregated review score of Avvo and Lawyers.com reviews.

5.0 /5.0

71 Client Reviews

Avvo

5.0

(56)

Lawyers.com

4.9

(15)

See client reviews from Lawyers.com

5 star

(56)

4 star

(0)

3 star

(0)

2 star

(0)

1 star

(0)

Showing 1 - 5 of 56 client reviews from Avvo

Posted by anonymous | October 25, 2023 | Hired Attorney

Superlative,

My first discussion with Mr. Berlage was very convincing. It took him no time whatsoever to grasp the entire scope of my case, identify the legal nuances that I needed to be aware of, evaluate the best possible strategies, estimate the likely percentage of risk associated with each, and propose a rec...ommended course of action that would result in the most beneficial outcome for me. All the while he was very mindful of the importance of minimizing the time, anxiety, and cost associated with litigation for me. Mr. Berlage projects a seasoned professional image, both formidable and personal, reassuring and confident. He displayed a very strong concern for my welfare as his client, and a strong loyalty as well. I knew he would give his best toward my case. He also demonstrated that he is very capable of being “the iron fist in the velvet glove” when it comes to knowing how to skillfully apply pressure on the opposing counsel without ruffling feathers. He is extremely clear, specific, and timely in his communications, and he encouraged my input and assistance when it would be beneficial to the outcome of my case. He offered a great deal of advice while at the same time explaining the pros and cons of different possible strategies. He took as much time with me as I needed to understand and agree with his strategy and how it supported my best interest. His recommended strategy resulted in an out-of-court settlement that maximized my award and minimized time and costs. His legal style is impressive, his approach is extremely professional, and his ethics are irreproachable. He truly earns a client’s full trust and confidence.

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Posted by Clarence | March 26, 2023 | Hired Attorney

Awesome

Jan and his paralegal Tracey are amazingly thorough, diligent and caring. I am so happy I found them and equally as grateful for the attention to my case. I love them!

Posted by Gamal | September 26, 2021 | Hired Attorney

Amazing Lawyer Would Highly Recommend

He was extremely helpful, extremely responsive, extremely knowledgeable. Not only did he answer my questions but he took time to explain everything to ensure I understood what he was saying. He never made me feel like a bother or that I was annoying him. I reached out to previous lawyers before and e...ven in their initial consultation I didn’t get a good feeling about them. From the very beginning he made me feel welcomed and someone I could trust to help me. I would definitely recommend him to a family member if they ever needed assistance.

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Posted by Jacob | July 5, 2021 | Hired Attorney

Great advice and Easy Communication.

Had a great experience working with Jan and his team. Jan was very professional and took the time to answer all of my questions. He is easy to communicate with and provided excellent advice. Jan seemed to not only have a deep knowledge about the processes but also an excellent network that could prov...ide advice for any unusual circumstances.

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Posted by Ernest | May 23, 2021 | Hired Attorney

Solid, Professional Representation

After working with 3 separate attorneys, I had the pleasure of working with Jan on a difficult post-judgement negotiation and settlement. I had asked Jan to prepare a legal analysis pertinent to my case and his analysis was both thorough and well-cited. With that information and his representation,... I was able to dig myself out of a black-hole of a judgement and return to normal life as a professional without encumbrances. I highly recommend Jan Berlage, his services and his supporting staff and firm.

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Jan Ingham Berlage's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Jan

Kelcie Longaker

Litigation lawyer | Sep 09

Relationship: Co-worker

"Jan is a tireless advocate who offers to his clients zealous representation in his devotion to providing exemplary legal advice coupled with practical solutions."

William Heyman

Lawsuits and disputes lawyer | Jun 24

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"Jan is an extremely competent and fair attorney who puts his clients first -- I have not hesitated to send clients to Jan and know they will be in good hands with him."

Dilip Paliath

Bankruptcy and debt lawyer | Jun 01

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer. Bankruptcy is such a specialized area that there are few attorneys that I would trust like I trust Jan. Jan knows the intricacies of the law like no one else, and I have no hesitancy in referring clients to him. He does an excellent job and is the consummate professional."

Justin Okezie

Litigation lawyer | May 08

Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter

"I strongly endorse this lawyer. As opposing counsel Mr. Berlage demonstrated to me that he was efficient, intelligent, and always professional. Justin A. Okezie, Esq."

Timothy Mccormack

Litigation lawyer | Aug 19

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"I endorse this lawyer. Jan acted as my local counsel in a federal court copyright case. He and his firm did a good job."

Tara Clarke

Litigation lawyer | Jan 06

Relationship: Worked for lawyer

"Jan is the most tenacious attorney I have ever seen. He is also a rare person who actually cares more about achieving just results for his clients than making a quick buck. If you want a highly ethical, caring, and intelligent attorney to represent you in court, Jan is your man without a doubt."

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