Washington, D.C. 20036
Alternate Office
Alan S. Block, a Partner in the Firm’s Washington, D.C. office, is an AV-rated trial attorney who advises and represents a wide array of clients in a variety of claims and business issues. Mr. Block successfully represents businesses and individuals in disputes involving employer liability and civil rights (including Title VII, ADEA, ADA, FLSA, FMLA, 42 U.S.C. §§1981, defamation, breach of contract, and other state and local law claims), medical malpractice and biomedical ethics, contracts and commercial disputes, products liability, construction/design defects and accidents, premises liability, transportation, intentional torts and general negligence.
Mr. Block counsels clients on employee discharge and discipline, drafts contracts governing employment relationships and commercial transactions and prepares employee handbooks and policies. Mr. Block's extensive experience in contract preparation and counseling includes employment and independent contractor agreements, non-compete and non-disclosure/confidentiality agreements, severance and separation agreements, production and service agreements, equipment and property lease and sales agreements, waivers and releases, and other commercial documents.
Mr. Block’s representative clients are from the following industries: Healthcare; Education; and Residential Commercial Property; Manufacturing and Distributing; Technology; Food Retailing and Production; Security; Advocacy/Fundraising; Facilities Management and Maintenance; Transportation; Construction; Media Production/Entertainment; Communications; Pharmaceuticals and Healthcare Information Technologies; Claims Management; staffing; and Municipal Government. He has lectured to the healthcare industry and other clients on such topics as Legal Issues in Medical Documentation, Techno-Medicine, Techno-Negligence, MRSA and MDRO’s, Mode of Operations, and Jurisdictional Overviews.
Mr. Block received his B.A. from The George Washington University in 1987 and his J.D. in 1990 from The George Mason University School of Law. Following an internship with the Civil Division of the United States Attorneys Office in Washington, D.C., Mr. Block worked with a local firm as a general practice attorney specializing in litigation. Thereafter, Mr. Block served as Counsel to the United States Senate Sergeant at Arms ( SAA) where he was one of the first attorneys to litigate cases under the Government Employees Rights Act, predecessor to today’s Congressional Accountability Act (applying labor and employment laws to Congress).
After his experience with the SAA, Mr. Block continued his public service as an Assistant Corporation Counsel for the Office of Corporation Counsel of the District of Columbia – now known as the Office of the Attorney General. In that capacity, he defended the District of Columbia and individuals in litigation involving municipal liability, intentional torts, contracts, employment discrimination and retaliation, sexual harassment, construction and motor vehicle accidents, negligence, medical malpractice, and civil rights claims under 42 U.S.C. §§1981 and 1983.
Professional & Community Affiliations
- Mediator, Superior Court of the District of Columbia
- Past President, District of Columbia Defense Lawyers Association
- Member, Board of Directors, District of Columbia Defense Lawyers Association
- Past Program Director for Continuing Legal Education, District of Columbia Defense Lawyers Association
- Member, Defense Research Institute ( DRI)
- Member, Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM)
- Member, American Society of Healthcare Risk Management (ASHRM)
- Member, Virginia Chapter of the American Society of Healthcare Risk Management (VASHRM)
- Member, The Barristers
Other Experience
- Recipient, DRI’s 2006-2007 Exceptional Performance Citation