Gwen Keyes combines the trial skills learned from her 17-year career as a prosecutor with her in-depth knowledge of local, state and federal governments and deep understanding of environmental law to advise clients on complex litigation and regulatory matters so clients can mitigate legal risks and achieve their business and operational imperatives.
Gwen advises a wide variety of business, institutional and organizational clients on all aspects of environmental policy, government relations, compliance planning, incident response, subsequent enforcement and litigation matters and special investigations for private and municipal clients. Having worked on matters involving every environmental statute, a significant portion of Gwen’s practice focuses on helping clients understand the regulatory and litigation risks associated with permit issues, worker safety, and emerging contaminants, including PFAS and ethylene oxide, as well as plastics and asbestos. She specializes in assessing facility impacts on fence-line communities and developing strategies for community engagement when appropriate. Gwen also advises clients on environment, social and governance (ESG) matters and the impacts climate change can have on business operations.
Gwen spent more than twenty years in the public sector, serving as both an elected and appointed official at the state and local levels, as well as in various agencies within the federal government. She served as the Principal Legal Advisor (General Counsel) for Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) in the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and as Chief of Staff at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) during the Obama Administration. In addition, Gwen served as the EPA Region 4 (Southeastern Region) Regional Administrator (RA), where she was responsible for establishing and implementing environmental policy, including the principals of environmental justice for eight southeastern states and six federally recognized tribes. Gwen finalized the Region's Environmental Justice (EJ) Policy (previously stagnated for 10 years), instituted regular environmental justice information sessions with state partners and communities, and created a Regional EJ Interagency Working Group with other federal agencies to strategically and comprehensively address community concerns. Gwen also instituted the Colleges and Underserved Community Partnership Program (CUPP) which partnered college students with senior federal staff to provide much needed environmental, health and technical services to some of the poorest jurisdictions in their region.
Notably, Gwen is a twice elected District Attorney for the Stone Mountain Judicial Circuit in DeKalb County, Georgia. She was the first African American and first woman to hold that office and was recently recognized by Forbes on its inaugural list of America’s Top 200 Lawyers.
Morgan Bodenarain currently serves as the Policy Director and Counsel for the Congressional Black Caucus. Morgan has served under the Chairmanship of Congressman Steven Horsford (NV-04) in the 118th Congress and now serves in this position under the leadership of Chairwoman Clarke (NY-09) in the 119th Congress. Prior to entering this role, Morgan was a Legal Advisor for Commissioner Geoffrey Starks at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), where she advised the Commissioner on all issues related to access to affordable quality broadband for underserved communities. Morgan also worked in the office of Congressman G. K. Butterfield (NC-01), handling his Telecommunications and Technology portfolio with a heavy focus on issues of equity. Much of Morgan's time in the Congressman's office was spent understanding and researching the impact that a lack of access to the internet had on communities of color during the COVID-19 pandemic. Previously, Morgan served as a Law Clerk for the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee as well as a Legal Telecommunications Fellow in the office of the former Congressman G. K. Butterfield. Morgan earned her law degree from The George Washington University Law School and is currently barred in the Washington District of Columbia. Morgan earned her undergraduate degree from Elon University with a double major in Political Science and Policy Studies.
Taylor Costanzo is an associate at Smith & Downey. Taylor advises clients on a wide variety of employee benefits and executive compensation matters. Her practice encompasses retirement plans, executive compensation, and health and welfare arrangements. As a practitioner, Taylor prioritizes finding legal solutions that make business sense for her clients. Prior to becoming an attorney, Taylor worked as a plan administrator for health and welfare arrangements and retirement plans in both for-profit and non-profit sectors. She leverages this experience to provide clients advice based on her legal knowledge and her experience as a plan sponsor herself. As a Benefits Specialist, she administered qualified retirement plans and health and welfare plans; coordinated with brokers and third-party administers; resolved insurance disputes; and completed annual reporting requirements among other things. She received her L.L.M. in Taxation with a certificate in Employee Benefits from Georgetown University Law Center. She received her J.D. from The Catholic University of America’s Columbus School of Law, where she graduated cum laude, and was active in a variety of organizations, including Moot Court, the Evening Law Students Association, the Council for Professional Conduct, The Black Law Students Association, and the Women’s Law Caucus. In 2022, she won the American College of Employee Benefits Counsel’s Alvin D. Lurie Memorial Award for her article, “A Dream Deferred: An Analysis of the Current Retirement Landscape and the Changes Needed to Save the American Dream.” Taylor resides in Fairfax, Virginia with her husband and two cats. She’s an avid traveler, who has visited approximately 30 countries – her favorite being Egypt. Outside of practicing law, she enjoys yoga, reading, and cooking international cuisine. HONORS & DISTINCTIONS American College of Employee Benefits Counsel’s 2022 Alvin D. Lurie Memorial Award for article "A Dream Deferred: An Analysis of the Current Retirement Landscape and the Changes Needed to Save the American Dream" EDUCATION Georgetown University Law Center (L.L.M., Taxation with certificate in Employee Benefits) The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law (JD, cum laude) University of Mary Washington (BS, cum laude with honors) BAR & COURT ADMISSIONS District of Columbia
Tamara represents clients involved in a variety of disputes – including issues related to antitrust and competition, white collar defense and investigations, consumer protection, and other complex commercial actions. She represents clients across a myriad of industries, including some of the world’s most notable technology companies. She has helped clients navigate investigations by the US Federal Trade Commission, US Department of Justice and other competition authorities around the world. Tamara also maintains a robust pro bono practice with experience in family law, asylum and immigration matters, and post-conviction relief. Before joining Cooley, Tamara was an associate at another large global law firm, where she primarily focused on antitrust litigation and investigations. At Harvard Law School, Tamara practiced family law for two years with the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau (HLAB) and pre-arraignment criminal defense for three years with Harvard Defenders. She also served as co-head of the family practice at HLAB and president of Harvard Defenders. Education Harvard Law School JD, 2021 Stanford University BA, 2016, Human Biology (concentration in Gender, Sexuality and Society) Rankings and accolades National Black Lawyers: Top 40 Under 40 (2022 – 2024) (DC) Memberships and affiliations American Bar Association (ABA) American Bar Association - Section of Antitrust Law
Founder and Managing Attorney of the Royal Legal Group, PLLC d/b/a the Royal Law Office and Royal Dispute Resolution Services, Stephanie L. Royal practiced law for over 25 years for government entities in Pennsylvania, the District of Columbia and Maryland, before starting her private practice. Stephanie says, after a lot of prayer, she was motivated by divine inspiration to open her own law practice.
A seasoned attorney and former judicial law clerk with many years of experience, Stephanie has saved consumers money by settling debts, and tackling unscrupulous business owners. She also counsels clients and provides Estate Planning documents and handles Probate Administration and Probate Litigation. Interested in problem solving, she uses a variety of approaches to get results, including but not limited to meetings, negotiation, issuing legal correspondence and as a last result, civil litigation.
Stephanie has always been interested in helping people. As a teen she was a hospital volunteer in Pittsburgh, PA. As a Deputy Attorney General in the Consumer Protection Section of the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, she routinely provided consumer education to senior citizens, students and civic association members, arming attendees with important information about their consumer rights. Her favorite phrase from her Consumer Protection Days is “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.” She has always been a community service advocate and has served the community in many different capacities, including serving on the Board of Neighborhood Legal Services (Pittsburgh, PA); serving a volunteer mediator for both Conflict Resolution Center of Montgomery County, MD, (CRCMC) and the Rockville Office of Human Rights, and serving as a volunteer boys’ basketball coach for Montgomery County, Maryland for 5 years. She is also active in her church, and she plays the flute and piano.
In Stephanie’s current practice, in the District of Columbia and Maryland, she focuses on Consumer and Business Matters as well as Estate Planning and Probate Administration. She also handles litigation in the areas of Consumer Protection, Breach of Contract, Debt Collection Defense and Probate matters. She says that “the legal profession is changing, and many are turning to self-help solutions. Today’s clients want value” and she strives to provide value by using a virtual platform to communicate with her clients and deliver legal services. This allows her to provide legal services that are convenient, environmentally friendly and cost-effective.
She has been recognized as one of the 100 Top Black Lawyers in DC by The National Black Lawyers, and has received the Avvo Client’s Choice Award every year since 2015, receiving numerous 5 star reviews.
BAR ADMISSIONS
- Pennsylvania, 1988
- District of Columbia, 1989
- Maryland, 2014
COURT ADMISSIONS
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
- U.S. District Court for the Maryland District
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
- U.S. Supreme Court
EDUCATION
Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (1984)
Political Science
Howard University School of Law, Washington, D.C. (1987)