Special guest and 10-time Law Rocks participant

Starring legal talent from Spertus Landes & Umhofer
Rocking for Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles

“Matthew Umhofer is unencumbered by knowledge or experience and is refreshingly unconcerned with others’ opinions of his work.”

This morsel from a letter of reference written in 1995 serves as a fitting encapsulation of Matthew Umhofer’s ten-year Law Rocks career—a career that mercifully comes to a close on September 17, 2021.

For the last 10 years, Matthew’s colleagues at Skadden Arps and partners at the mighty litigation juggernaut of Spertus, Landes & Umhofer have abided Matthew’s Law Rocks obsession with the same energy as a parent praising the toddler for the poop that didn’t quite make it into potty. When informed that this would be Matthew’s last Law Rocks outing, his partners were like, “Ohhh noooo!!” and “That’s so tragic!” and “You won’t be doing awkward white guy covers of hip hop classics anymore? No more painful renditions of 90s hairband hits? Sad!”

It has truly been an honor to sully the stage at the Whisky for the last decade. Shout-out to the plastered big firm paralegal who shows up every year, sloshes Red Bull & vodka on her neighbors like a boss, and screams at me like I’m Jon Bon Jovi. You complete me.

But it is time for me to ride on to my next adventure: I’m teaming up with Nick Cage. We’re going to steal the Declaration of Independence … and then have a three-way with the Constitution. Cuz what’s more Law and Rock than the nation’s founding legal documents and erotic experimentation? And don’t you dare question my math. I’m a lawyer, dammit.

Umhofer out.

2016 Judges' Choice, 2017 Winner & Judges' Choice, 2019 Judges' Choice, 2020 Winner & Judges Choice

Starring legal talent from Allen Matkins and Buchalter
Rocking for Law Rocks

Attractive Nuisance roared onto the Whisky stage in 2014 for its inaugural Law Rocks set. The Nuisance has played gigs all over Southern California, from Agoura Hills to Hermosa Beach. Law Rocks is thrilled that the Nuisance is bringing its mosh-inspiring sound back to the Whisky.

2019 Winner & Judges’ Choice

Starring legal talent from Glancy Prongay & Murray
Rocking for Kids In Need of Defense (KIND)

Lodestar is a hard rock band that took first place and the Judge’s Choice Award at the 2019 Law Rocks concert in Los Angeles. In 2018 they took third place in the Banding Together to End Domestic Violence charity concert at the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles. Most recently, in 2020, Lodestar took first place in Law Rocks “Best Performance Ever” contest.

Marc Godino, guitarist for Lodestar, is a senior partner at Glancy Prongay & Murray, and along with bassist Daniel Cubert have been playing music together for over 40 years. Combined with drummer Tom Zevin, percussionist/backup vocalist and attorney, Michael Ackerman, background vocalist Caly Bevier, and lead vocalist Oren Pfeffermann, Lodestar promises to deliver a high energy, guitar driven rock experience.

2013 Winner, 2016 Winner

Featuring talented legal professionals from Baker McKenzie; Constangy Brooks, Smith & Prophete; UCSC Silicon Valley Extension
Rocking for LA Family Housing

Run DLA, winner of the 2013 Law Rocks Los Angeles, is back to rock, roll, rap, dance, and funkify your minds. Not to be mistaken for your typical law-firm-charity-classic-rock-cover band, Run DLA has discovered its musical destiny by covering artists like Run DMC, Tina Turner, Coldplay, Janis Joplin, Adele, Def Leppard, and Justin Timberlake. The band is known to bring sexy back, roll in the deep, and pour some sugar on you, while curing fevers with the only prescription – more cowbell.

2014 Winner, 2015 Winner

With legal talent from Latham & Watkins
Rocking for TBD

Formed in late 2012 in anticipation of the 2nd Annual Law Rocks LA, Diversion is a band comprised entirely of Latham & Watkins personnel that has played consistently for the past four years since that first show at the Whisky.  Throughout the year, the band performs regularly at a variety of clubs throughout Southern California such as the Troubadour, House of Blues, the Viper Room, and Molly Malones, as well as internal Latham events and other gatherings, often raising money for charities.  More information about Diversion can be found at www.facebook.com/diversiontheband.

2016 Judges’ Choice

Featuring legal talent from Winston & Strawn LLP / Farella, Braun + Martel LLP / The Trade Desk Inc
Rocking for TBD

JIMMY'S BROTHER is an LA-based rock n’ roll band with a significant following in the New York area as well. No gimmicks, no nonsense. Just vocals, guitars, and attitude. Formed in 2009 after a chance meeting around an old hotel piano in downtown LA, the band is known for its high energy mix of originals and cover songs. No stranger to the Law Rocks stage, the band has won multiple “Judges’ Choice Awards” in Los Angeles and San Francisco and three overall championships.

Featuring legal professionals from Shulman Rogers; Potomac Law Group; Amazon
Rocking for WIA Foundation

Inaugural Law Rocks Winner The Fine Print returns to its favorite stage. Taking its musical cues from The Oneders, and fashion tips from Captain Geech & The Shrimp Shack Shooters, the band is joined this year by WIA CEO Jonathan Adelstein on harmonica. Band members have appeared on stage or on recordings with Robby Krieger (Doors), Ambrosia, Joey Molland (Badfinger), members of Tower of Power, Orleans, Marty Balin (Jefferson Airplane) and more.

Featuring legal talent from USTelecom; Somos; Facebook; FCC; Lumen
Rocking for Miriam's Kitchen

Harmful Interference is made up of telecommunications attorneys who all play in various original and cover bands around the city. Despite our mutual love for blazing fast internet, we are really excited to be playing on a real stage and not on Zoom. We can't wait to rock out for Miriam's Kitchen, an organization dedicated to ending homelessness in Washington DC. Our set features an eclectic mix of rock covers and originals (okay, well, one original!). We may have to file an ex parte at the end of the show, but it will be worth it!

Featuring in-house counsel from General Dynamics Mission Systems; ASRC Federal; FINRA; UATP; RingCentral; Fennemore Craig
Rocking for Sentinels of Freedom

IC/DC (In-house Counsel/DC) was formed specifically to perform at Law Rocks DC and aims to accomplish two things: (1) poking some good natured fun at our law firm friends – both through parody songs and by displaying our time management superiority by pulling this show off with just one practice as a band; and (2) raising a bunch of money for Sentinels of Freedom – an awesome organization that assists severely wounded and injured post-9/11 Veterans successfully complete higher education, find career-focused employment, and gain financial independence. Look for local Sentinels at the show and thank them for their service and sacrifice!

IC/DC are: Devon Engel (bass), Jonas Goldstein (guitar and vocals), Dave Goldwin (drums), Cliff Greenblatt (guitar and vocals), Sean Hood (guitar), Katie John (vocals), Michael Tow (keyboards).

Featuring legal talent from Venable LLP / Buchanan Ingersoll
Rocking for Together We Bake

The only thing better than being able to play on the legendary 930 Club stage is raising a ton of money for an amazing nonprofit that rocks our community so much more than we could ever do. We are humbled to be back-to-back-to-back winners of Law Rocks DC, with more than $80,000 in fundraising. We are excited to once again ditch our power suits to dance, sing and bang our heads with the Law Rocks crowd. Featuring legal professionals from Venable, Noise in the Basement can be seen around the DC area playing its version of high-energy, alt-rock songs from the last four decades.

Featuring legal talent from The Concept Law Group; General Counsel, P.C.; US Government; Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP; University of Michigan
Rocking for Loaves and Fishes

Reigning Judge's Choice Award winners Rock Creek Kings return in partnership with the DC Concert Orchestra Society ("DCCOS") to play a selection of the greatest Orchestral Rock songs of all time at Law Rocks DC 2021. Formed in 2017, Rock Creek Kings ("RCK") is a year-round act that happens to include a few attorneys. RCK plays over forty shows a year, including dozens of shows as part the weekly concert series in Rose Park, Georgetown, which they founded. This year, RCK is joined by an eight-piece string section of DCCOS members. Check RCK out on Instagram and DCCOS on their website.

Trey is a survivor of 10 years in the Radio Industry during it final heyday. He was a music director and afternoon drive DJ at various stations throughout the midwest before being scooped up by MTV in the 90's because he kinda looked like Alan Hunter. It wasn't long after arriving in New York that Nirvana, ended Trey's MTV stint. Everyone was going grunge and he was unable to grow any facial hair. He moved on to other areas of the entertainment industry, but is proud of some of his past escapades, such as playing golf with Journey, drinking several gallons of beer with Brian Johnson of AC/DC, and being fired from "Friends" for saying something stupid to Jennifer Aniston. He is most proud of his former world record of Hot Tub Sitting (4 days at 105 degrees). He thanks his wife for being so patient when it came time to have children.

CEO- Alex Davila’s professional accomplishments include marketing and public relations for both nominees and winners of the Grammy Award, Latin Grammy, Dove Awards, Premios Lo Nuestro, Premios Arpa, and Latin Billboard Awards.

At Adarga she oversees operations in addition to managing major marketing campaigns.

Alex holds a BS degree in Technical Management with a concentration in Marketing from DeVry University and has an MA degree in Music Entrepreneurial Studies at Azusa Pacific University.

Zeke Roeser is 5'8" and 160lbs of diamond-hard rock 'n' roll.  He is a trial lawyer and the principal of Roeser Law Firm, a personal injury practice in Washington, DC.  He litigates primarily in DC and Maryland, and has successfully represented thousands of DC-area residents.

Mr. Roeser's interest in music and entertainment is hard-wired.  He was born to an acting teacher and the founder and lead guitarist of a venerable, white-shoe classic rock band from New York City.  He will not say which, but he will advise that he has attended 100+ Blue Öyster Cult concerts from the age of fetus through his present 40th year.  He believes that life begins at rock 'n' roll.

Mr. Roeser is a member of the Trial Lawyers Association of Washington DC, the Maryland Association for Justice, and the secretive Federalist Society.

Featuring legal talent from Thomson Reuters

Desert Rangers perform cover songs, including oldies, rock, blues and jazz, throughout the Valley. Matt Hoot, from Germany and who just became a U.S. citizen, plays guitar/vocals. Bill Ypsilanti, a semiconductor process engineer from the Bronx, plays saxophone/vocals. Randall Haake, from San Francisco and who has performed in California and Texas bands, plays bass guitar/vocals. Vikram Gosain, an international tax attorney/CPA who moved here from Connecticut, plays drums.

Featuring legal talent from Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani

Guilty as Sin covers a wide variety of rock classics from the 60s through today. With a unique blend of four vocalists backed by a powerhouse rock band, Guilty as Sin will keep you singing, dancing and rocking all night long.

Featuring legal talent from Stinson, LLP; Pachulski Stang

The knobs have been playing together since 7 December 1941 (noonish), a day on which nothing else particularly noteworthy happened. The knobs are a collection of, let’s say, men, all of whom like playing music their children simultaneously don't know and hate, and none of whom are presently violating parole. Tom Salerno (drums) is a bankruptcy lawyer whose distinctive fashion sense was recently called "quite something" by GQ. Jordan Kroop (piano, organ, vocals) is a slightly more neurotic bankruptcy lawyer who maintains an inexplicable, masochistic fealty to the Baltimore Orioles. Jim Roberts (guitar) is a retired architect who cultivates his own E-strings from heirloom seedlings. His brother, Donny Roberts (lead guitar, vocals), is a life-long professional musician, totally a ringer, and a politics aficionado who's voted for Nipsey Russel in every presidential election since 1952. Paul Hallowell (bass) recently joined the band after spending the last 17 years as a goatherd in Brooklyn (shop steward, Local 76).

Featuring legal talent from Miller Kory Rowe LLP; Evans Dukarich LLP

Modern rock band psych 101 is composed of attorneys Jeff Miller (vocals, guitars) and Steve Evans (bass, vocals), architect George Catone (guitar, vocals) and Jerry Gray (drums). All of their songs are original compositions and can be found on the band’s CDs, “Attachment Disorder” and “Bipolar.” The band’s first CD was reviewed in The New Times and described as “danceable dirges” featuring “psychedelic burnout guitar, goth-bop beats [and] snaky bass.” The band was also asked to contribute its song “Wonderland” to The New Times’ annual “Best Of” issue.

Featuring legal talent from General Dynamics Mission Systems; Fennemore Craig; Potomac Legal Group

Devon Engel – bass
Sean Hood – guitar
Mike Rissman – keyboards
Chuck Leyva – drums
Christi Sartin – vocals
Dave Cass - vocals

Retro-Active is a high energy rock & roll cover band playing in the Valley since 2006. Featuring dynamic male and female vocals (and three Valley lawyers!) Retro-Active set lists are full of the songs that make you jump out of your seat to dance and sing along. From Adele to Zeppelin, Journey to Van Halen, Guns n Roses to Velvet Revolver, Boston to Kansas and Toto, Styx to Stones, the Black Crowes to the White Stripes, Aerosmith to Jet, Blue Oyster Cult to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Heart to Paramore, Alien Ant Farm to Michael Jackson, the Cult to Kravitz, Boston to Bon Jovi, Jefferson Starship to Foreigner, Elle King to Prince, Scandal to Dramarama, Petty to Mellencamp, AC/DC to U2, The Killers to The Knack, Florence + The Machine to No Doubt, Def Leppard to Foo Fighters, Rihanna to Rage Against the Machine, Grace Potter to Greta Van Fleet, Ratt to the Doobie Brothers…you get the picture…

Aside from co-hosting 100.7 KSLX’s “Mark & NeanderPaul” show, Mark Devine is a husband of 34 years and a father of 2. Arizonans remember him as the host of the “Tim & Mark” show for 16 years on 93.3 KDKB. After KDKB, Mark started and ran a real estate business for a decade before deciding to return to radio. He’s still a licensed real estate sales person, a former realty office owner, a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, and guitarist.

As a multi award winning radio personality hosting shows in Detroit, Chicago and Milwaukee, Karen’s experience includes commercial voice over, on camera work, client endorsements and emcee/public speaking. Her radio career spans 3 decades including 20 years waking up Milwaukee on WMIL FM 106.1. In 2017, Karen had a successful run as afternoon host and music director for 94.5 KTI Country. After the sale of the station and subsequent format change, Karen was immediately hired to join the legendary airstaff at WKLH in 2018. Two years later, KSLX offered her the afternoon show in her favorite place on the planet, Phoenix, AZ. Karen’s longevity can be attributed to her passion for her community and a personal relationship with her listeners. That connection has extended to television as she hosts local entertainment reporting, video programming and client segments.

In 2001 and 2015, Karen was named Country Music Personality of the Year accepting the award in a nationally televised broadcast from Nashville. She was honored with the “Woman of Distinction Award” in 2010 for demonstrating leadership, dedication and excellence by the Women & Girl Club of Southeast Wisconsin.

Karen’s greatest achievement is her 2015 induction into the Country Radio Hall of Fame which places her in an elite group of national on-air broadcasters and her plaque hangs in the Country Radio Hall of Fame in Nashville.

In 30+ years on-air, Karen has conducted thousands of interviews with everyone from Jimmy Carter to Garth Brooks. Her public speaking includes hundreds of concert introductions, on stage interviews, corporate and charity events. Organizers that hire Karen say she is professional yet comfortable, entertaining and very energetic!

As a public personality, Karen has not only recorded hundreds of local and national radio/TV ads but has also endorsed dozens of products including Panera Bread, Ideal Image Hair Removal and Liberty Mutual Insurance. Her personal endorsement enhances marketing campaigns

with the unique ability to represent their brand.

One of the most recognizable voices in radio, generations of listeners have grown up with Karen and think of her as their “best friend”. Karen is aware of the platform she has been afforded and takes pride in making a positive impact in the community.

Critically acclaimed, award-winning Producer/Mixer/Musician Ken Mary of Sonic Phish has been involved in over 35 albums with sales totaling over 5 million units worldwide. Ken's talents have enhanced an eclectic and wide ranging group of international artists which includes Esterlyn, Alice Cooper, Daniel Winans, Silverline, LaRue, Megadeth, Northern Light Orchestra, Mink Rebellion, House of Lords, The Beach Boys, Trik Turner, Everybodyduck, Re:Zound, Ricardo, Raven James, The Phunk Junkeez, Ember, Chris and Conrad, Ever Stays Red, Flotsam & Jetsam, Soul Shock Remedy and many more. His hits include four Top 20 Billboard hits, two Billboard Top 30 hits, six Top 10 R&R hits (Billboard magazine and Radio and Records [R&R] are the two main industry references for tracking and rating radio hits), as well as #1 AOL Radio hits, #1 New Music Weekly hits, #1 R&R and BDS hits, #1 hits on The Effect Network (58 U.S. markets), and Top 10 hits on national radio networks such as Air1 and Klove (480 U.S. markets).

Josh Kennedy is vocalist/guitarist of The Black Moods. The Black Moods play raw, amplified rock & roll and are known for their galvanizing live performance which has seen them appear across the U.S. with acts including The Doors’ Robbie Krieger, Shinedown, Jane’s Addiction, Whitesnake, Collective Soul, The Gin Blossoms and The Dead Daisies, as well as appearing on festival stages such as Aftershock and Hops & Hogs.

Born in the Arizona desert, the band delivers a fresh, fiery update of a timeless sound. The trio—consisting of Josh alongside drummer CHICO DIAZ and bassist JORDAN HOFFMAN—share a story of success and growth despite a global pandemic and amidst all odds working against them. Refusing to postpone the May 2020 release of their critically acclaimed sophomore album SUNSHINE, The Black Moods went full steam ahead, marking several career highlights along the way including their first-ever Top 20 Billboard Active Rock charting single, title track “Sunshine” (#16) and a cover feature with their hometown local weekly newspaper, Phoenix New Times (May 7, 2020). The album, recorded at a makeshift studio in the band’s rehearsal space with Grammy-nominated producer Johnny K (Disturbed, 3 Doors Down), generated three additional album singles which made the Top 30 charts including “Bad News” (#24), “Bella Donna” (#29) and “Whatcha Got (#30). The Black

Moods also released a fiery cover of their idol Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ 1978 track “I Need To Know,” which received airplay on SiriusXM’s Tom Petty Radio show.

While live music was at a halt, The Black Moods packed up their studio and moved it to the Ozarks, hometown of KENNEDY. The band reenlisted Johnny K. along with remotely recording a track with legendary producer Eddie Kramer (Led Zeppelin, The Beatles) for their third full-length album which is due out in Spring 2022.

Image credit Jim Louvau.

Zeke Roeser is 5'8" and 160lbs of diamond-hard rock 'n' roll.  He is a trial lawyer and the principal of Roeser Law Firm, a personal injury practice in Washington, DC.  He litigates primarily in DC and Maryland, and has successfully represented thousands of DC-area residents.

Mr. Roeser's interest in music and entertainment is hard-wired.  He was born to an acting teacher and the founder and lead guitarist of a venerable, white-shoe classic rock band from New York City.  He will not say which, but he will advise that he has attended 100+ Blue Öyster Cult concerts from the age of fetus through his present 40th year.  He believes that life begins at rock 'n' roll.

Mr. Roeser is a member of the Trial Lawyers Association of Washington DC, the Maryland Association for Justice, and the secretive Federalist Society.