Kara Goodman is a dedicated, experienced, and compassionate lawyer who practices in the area of family law. As a child of parents who divorced before she was 10 years of age, Kara developed a passion for family law at an early age.
She obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of North Carolina at Asheville, majoring in psychology and minoring in sociology. Kara ultimately settled in Charlotte, North Carolina where she obtained her Juris Doctor and began her legal career.
Kara spent her first two years of practice with a small law firm in Concord, North Carolina, spending the majority of her time in the courtroom representing individuals in civil and criminal matters. Kara vividly recalls her first family law trial, which resulted in her client obtaining primary custody of his children. These experiences led Kara to dedicate her legal practice exclusively to family law matters.
Kara transitioned to one of the largest domestic law firms in the country, where she spent over nine years exclusively practicing family law and advocating for the rights of fathers and husbands. She has also served as a mentor and resource for other family law attorneys and has taught family law and trial skills to hundreds of attorneys throughout the country.
After nearly 12 years of legal practice, Kara founded The Goodman Law Firm, where she continues to practice family law. Although the majority of Kara’s former clients have been fathers and husbands, The Goodman Law Firm does not limit its client base to any specific gender or identity. Kara and her team are proud to represent individuals of all genders, identities, backgrounds, and circumstances.
The firm is committed to helping clients navigate separation, divorce, child custody, financial support, and all other family law-related matters, advocating for them both in and out of the courtroom.
ASSOCIATIONS
- American Bar Association, Family Law Section
- North Carolina State Bar
- North Carolina Bar Association
- Mecklenburg County Bar, Family Law Section
- Bar Leadership Institute, Alumni
Mr. Thomas has substantial business, corporate and federal contracts experience with small and middle market companies across a wide range of industries. He has represented clients before federal district and appellate courts as well as before federal agencies, such as the Small Business Administration, the General Accountability Office, Civilian & Armed Services Boards of Contract Appeals, to name a few. He has also represented Government Contractors before arbitration tribunals. The author of more than 80 articles on business and government contract law matters, he has served as the Associate Administrator for Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization at NASA and the Executive Director of the National Association of Minority Contractors.
In addition, Mr. Thomas has taught Government Contracts Law at the University of Virginia’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies and was an Adjunct Professor of Law/Course Director for five years at Concord School of Law, now a part of Purdue University Global, where he taught a law course on Government Contracting in the school’s LL.M Program. In addition, he was a Clinical Law Instructor at George Washington University Law School. Moreover, he has drafted and negotiated any number of Joint Venture, Subcontract, and Teaming Agreements on behalf of Government Contractors and has conducted numerous workshops and seminars on such topics. He has also served as Chair of the Federal Bar Association’s Government Contracts Section.
The recipient of numerous awards, particularly when he served in the Government, Mr. Thomas was awarded the Presidential Rank of Distinguished Executive (an award limited each year to about one percent of the 6000 Federal Senior Executives – President George W. Bush) and the President Rank of Meritorious Executive (an award limited to 5 percent of all Senior Executives – President Bill Clinton). Mr. Thomas has testified in Congress more than 30 times on small business and Government contracting issues and has been a speaker at small and medium enterprise business conferences across the country, as well as in countries abroad, such as Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and South America. Since 2009, he has been a Solicitor admitted to practice in the Senior Courts of England and Wales. His experience also includes four years in the U.S. Air Force where he achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant.
PRACTICES & INDUSTRIES
- Government Contracts
- Business and Corporate
EDUCATION
- Harvard Law School, 1978, J.D.
- University of California at Berkeley, 1975, B.A.
ADMISSIONS
- District of Columbia
- England and Wales
- U.S. Court of Appeals: District of Columbia Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals: Federal Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals: Armed Forces
- U.S. District Court: District of Columbia
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims
- U.S. Court of International Trade
- U.S. Supreme Court
Practice Areas
- Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Environmental Law
- Real Estate
Industry Experience
Overview
Jason Holt is a seasoned attorney with more than two decades of experience in local government, municipal corporations, redevelopment, litigation, and fiscal management. He represents municipalities and developers in complex redevelopment matters, including the drafting and negotiation of redevelopment plans, redevelopment agreements, Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) agreements, tax appeals, and tax exemption matters. Jason is also a member of the firm's Cannabis Law team.
Prior to joining the firm, Jason served with Atlantic City's Department of Administration, where he began as City Solicitor overseeing the municipality's legal affairs. In 2016, he was appointed Business Administrator by the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) to help implement the Municipal Stabilization & Recovery Act. In that role, he managed the city's more than $240 million budget while leading revitalization efforts through the negotiation of hundreds of millions of dollars in tax appeals and addressing casino closures, fiscal instability, bankruptcy matters, and a significant decline in the city's tax base.
Jason previously served as Corporation Counsel for the City of East Orange, where he managed all aspects of the city's legal affairs. His work included advising on major redevelopment initiatives, handling high-profile litigation involving employment practices, municipal legislation, foreclosure actions, and bankruptcy matters. He also served as a trusted advisor to the East Orange Police Department, helping implement policing strategies that contributed to record-setting reductions in crime at both the state and national levels during his tenure.
Throughout his career, Jason has held several prominent public service positions within Essex County, including Municipal Court Judge for the City of Orange Township, Deputy Freeholder Counsel to the Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders, and Director of Affirmative Action for the County of Essex. He also served as Deputy Legislative Counsel to the New Jersey Senate and General Assembly through the Office of Legislative Services.
Before joining the firm, Jason worked with the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, where he investigated and reviewed potential ethics violations involving local governments. He also shared his knowledge as an adjunct professor at Thomas Edison State College's John S. Watson Institute for Public Policy, teaching the graduate-level course Law, Ethics and Decision Making in the Public Sector.
Jason also served as lead attorney in the landmark case Patterson v. Cooper, 294 N.J. Super. (N.J. Super. 1994), which helped establish important legal standards regarding notice and quorum requirements under New Jersey's Open Public Meetings Act.
Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.
Bill Hopkins helps protect health care providers and health care companies from the many legal challenges and regulatory issues facing the industry. He serves as both an advocate and educator for his clients, providing guidance in administrative law, regulatory defense, compliance, and litigation.
Bill advises a wide range of health care clients, including individual providers, health care companies, and institutional health care organizations. He focuses his practice on state and federal licensure, regulatory compliance, and enforcement matters, providing proactive legal strategies designed to help clients maintain compliance and minimize potential legal exposure.
His experience includes handling matters involving health care professional licensure and practice, long-term care licensure and regulation, medical staff issues, credentialing, fraud and abuse investigations, and compliance with state and federal regulatory agencies. Bill has represented clients in state and federal administrative courts, as well as in the District Courts of Texas.
In addition to his legal practice, Bill is recognized as a thought leader in health care regulatory, enforcement, and compliance matters. He is a frequent speaker at local, state, and national programs addressing key issues impacting the health care industry.
Bill is also committed to advancing diversity and inclusion within the legal profession, health care industry, and business community. He currently serves as President of the Central Texas Advisory Board of the Texas Diversity Council and is a member of the organization’s statewide board.
Credentials
Education
The University of Texas School of Law, 1995 (J.D.)
High Point University, 1990 (B.A.)
Bar Admissions
Texas, 1995
Distinctions
- Best Lawyers in America, Healthcare Law, 2018–2020, 2022–2024
- Texas Diversity Council, Diversity First Award Winner, 2011, 2018
- Texas Diversity Council, Diversity Champion Award, 2020
- American Bar Association, Health Law Section, Champion of Diversity and Inclusion Award, 2017
- Leadership Austin Essential Class, 2008
- Austin Under 40 Award, Legal Category Winner, 2006
Memberships
- American Health Law Association
- Post Acute Practice Group (PALS), Vice Chair of Publication, 2019–2021
- Austin Bar Association Health Law Section
- Austin Bar Association Administrative Law Section
- American Bar Association Litigation Section
- American Bar Association Health Law Section
- ABA National Commission on Law and Aging, Former Commissioner
- Distance Learning Committee, Chair
- Leadership Council, 2018–2020
- Post-Acute Care Interest Group, Member
- Long-Term Care Task Force, Former Chair
- Coordinating Committee on Diversity, Former Chair
- Physician Issues Interest Group, Former Chair
- Houston Bar Association Health Law Section, Former President
- Texas Diversity Council Central Texas Advisory Board, President
- Texas Diversity Council Statewide Board Member
Related Practices
- Health Care Litigation and Dispute Resolution
- White Collar Defense and Investigations
- False Claims Act / Qui Tam Investigations and Defense
Mr. Elira is the founding partner of The Elira Law Firm, LLC. As a licensed Maryland attorney and dedicated advocate for justice, he takes a client-centered approach to legal representation, prioritizing both the individual and the case.
He is committed to helping clients navigate and overcome their legal challenges. By taking the time to understand each client’s situation, he works tirelessly to ensure they are treated fairly in court and to pursue the most favorable possible outcome in every case.