QUICK LINKS: Bands / Nonprofits / Judges / Photo / Video

Thursday, September 12, 2019
9:30 Club
$79K in total fundraising

Winner: IC/DC for Sentinels of Freedom
Judges’ Choice Award: Rock Creek Kings for Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts

The fifth annual Law Rocks DC was a blast, with seven awesome bands battling it out for their favorite local nonprofits. It was an exciting night, and ended with brand new winners taking both the overall and Judges’ Choice Award.

Law Rocks wouldn't exist without the support of all the bands and firms - major thanks to every participating band! Thanks also to the 9:30 team, the emcee and Rock Panel of Judges, and our nonprofit guests. None of this would be possible without our sponsors, making the show possible - thank you to Jenner & Block; Venable LLP; Bank of America Private Bank; Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox; General Dynamics Mission Systems; Shulman Rogers; Somos; USTelecom; Hogan Lovells; and Universal Air Travel Plan (UATP).

Thanks for everything, DC! See you in 2020!

Featured

The Fine Print

Featuring legal professionals from Shulman Rogers
Rocking for N Street Village

Law Professionals by day, song slingers by night. The Fine Print features attorneys and staff from Shulman Rogers and members of local bar band Film at Eleven, creating a powerhouse band for charity. The lawyers at Shulman Rogers have performed with a diverse roster of Grammy award-winning and nominated musicians, including Ambrosia, Marty Balin (Jefferson Airplane), Orleans, Jeff Peterson (Slack Key Guitarist) and others.

G.O.A.T. Rodeo

Featuring legal talent from US Government; AARP (legal)
Rocking for Federal Employee Education & Assistance Fund (FEEA)

The GOAT is back with the cure for all your rock n roll ailments (now in new cherry flavor)! This time: more GOAT, less rodeo. Help us SHUT DOWN the haters and support FEEA!
This GOAT works for YOU!

Harmful Interference

Featuring legal talent from Wilkinson Barker Knauer, LLP, US Telecom, Somos, FCC, US Government
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. Think of us as the Traveling Wilburys of the Communications Bar. We decided to put together a few songs for Law Rocks because it is a great opportunity to raise money for a fantastic charity, Miriam’s Kitchen, an organization dedicated to ending homelessness in Washington, DC. Plus 80% of the band has never played at the 9:30 Club.

IC/DC

Featuring in-house counsel from General Dynamics Mission Systems; ASRC Federal; Merchant Link; Oracle; Universal Air Travel Plan; and 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 and percussion), Cliff Greenblatt (guitar and vocals), Sean Hood (guitar), Katie John (vocals), Michael Tow (keyboards); Marc Zoellner (drums, percussion and vocals).

Noise in the Basement

Featuring legal talent from Venable LLP
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 $60,000 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.

Rock Creek Kings

Featuring legal talent from Concept Law Group; Nydham Law Practice; The National Music Publishers Association; Recording Industry Association of America, Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP
Rocking for Washington Area Lawyers For the Arts

Formed in 2016, Rock Creek Kings ("RCK") is a year-round act that just so happens to feature three attorneys. RCK's sound blends the grit and drive of indie rock with sweet folk harmonies and a pop sensibility. RCK plays over fifty shows a year all around the east coast, proudly including a slot at this year's Great South Bay Music Festival on Long Island, NY, opening for America, War and Edgar Winter. RCK just released it's first single on July 14th, "Dusk Fire Lullaby", which can be streamed on Spotify and Apple Music. This year, RCK will be joined by Ken Doroshow (Guitar) and Carlos Lonares (Trumpet) who are both attorneys at the Recording Industry Association of America, and Bruce McDonald (Keyboard), who is a Partner at Smith, Gambrell & Russell, LLP. RCK's regular lineup is: Evan Moses (Guitar, Vocals)(Attorney at Concept Law) Erich Carey (Guitar, Vocals)(Attorney at National Music Publishers Association), Evan St. John (Bass, Handsomeness) (Attorney at Nydham Law), Christopher Lawrence (Saxophone) (Radiology Doctor at Johns Hopkins) and Jonah Belser (Drums,Vocals) (Operations Associate at Segura Consulting). For more information, check RCK out at www.rockcreekkings.com, on Facebook and/or on Instagram.

Terminal Disclaimer

Featuring legal talent from Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox
Rocking for Legal Aid Justice Center (LAJC)

Terminal Disclaimer is the house band of Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox, a Washington, D.C.-based IP specialty firm (that’s why we have the patent-geeky band name). The band, established in 2014, includes SKGF Directors Don Banowit (guitar) and Rob Esmond (guitar); Of Counsel Kristina Caggiano Kelly (vocals); Associates Ryan Richardson (vocals), Josh Miller (guitar) and Lauren Schleh (drums); Student Associate Steve Pappas (bass); and SKGF Marketing & Communications Director, Kathryn Holmes Johnson (vocals & tambourine). Donations on behalf of Terminal Disclaimer will go to the Legal Aid Justice Center (LAJC), a Virginia nonprofit organization whose mission is to strengthen the voices of low-income communities and root out the inequities that keep people in poverty. LAJC uses impact litigation, community organizing, and policy advocacy to solve urgent problems in areas such as housing, education, civil rights, immigration, healthcare and consumer finance. Thank you for your support of Terminal Disclaimer and this important local cause. Rock on!

Featured

2019

Host - Daniel Bauman

Daniel Bauman is a native Washingtonian, a Maryland Terp, a community activist, a proud father and husband, and a music lover.

In the last decade, Daniel has served on numerous charitable Boards of organizations that provide housing to the underprivileged. He currently serves as Chairman of the Board of the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority (ARHA), ensuring that thousands of low and moderate income households in Alexandria receive affordable housing, economic opportunities, and a living environment free from discrimination.

Professionally, Daniel has been in the real estate arena his entire career – leading the operations of multi-family assets from pre-development through disposition nationwide. Currently, Daniel is a partner in and serves as President of property management for an Alexandria-based company that develops, owns, and operates multi-family housing. Previously, he was President of a property management company that was a wholly owned subsidiary of a publicly traded company and was Vice President of Asset Management for a national multi-family developer.

Personally, and most importantly, Daniel is a proud father and husband, as well as a music lover. He will happily share a video clip of his multi-instrumental 15-year-old son who, as the real talent in the family, plays guitar in a band and has been performing since age 6. Daniel’s musical interests extend from Marley to Maroon 5, The Stones to Snoop Dogg, Eagles to Ed Sheeran, Pink Floyd to Pink, and U2 to YouTube. Mostly, he enjoys late night jams with his friends, where he enjoys singing…….and it is said that what he lacks in skill, he makes up for with enthusiasm.

Rock Judge - Ray Bialek

Owner & President, Bialek's Music LTD

1967-1969 Drummer in the Band "Heel & Soul"
1969-1996 Drummer and leader of the band "Confection", a leading wedding, corporate dance band that performed 2250 events.
1972-1975 Talent agent for Washington Talent Agency
1975-1978 Talent agent for Barry Rick Associates
1978-Present Owner of Bialek's Music LTD. A diverse entertainment agency serving the entire East Coast
Washingtonian Magazine #1 Talent Agency for 21 years in a row
1999-2000 President of The International Special Events Society
2011 Lifetime Achievement Award winner for Special Events Society Washington DC
2012-2019 SESMA Board Member
2015 Elected to The "Knot" Hall of Fame for wedding contributions
2015-2019 Destination DC Ambassador
Proud Poppa of Not 1, Not 2, Not 3, Not 4, but 5 grandchildren and they are just adorable
Golf handicap of 16

Rock Judge - Alex Davila

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.

Rock Judge - Zeke Roeser

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.

Rock Judge - John Simson

Executive in Residence, Department of Management, Kogod School of Business, American University

John Simson has been in the music industry since his signing in 1971 as a recording artist and songwriter. Simson's career has included stints as a manager, handling the career of 5X Grammy winner, Mary-Chapin Carpenter, special advisor to Harry Belafonte for music and television projects, and a 30 year career as an entertainment lawyer advising clients on copyright and business issues in film, television, music and the visual arts. He most recently served as the Executive Director of SoundExchange from 2001-2010, an organization he helped launch in 2001. SoundExchange collects royalties from internet and satellite radio services on behalf of recording artists and record labels. The organization is now responsible for distributions greater than Two Billion Dollars since inception. Simson received an Emmy nomination for his music supervision of the PBS series, "American Roots Music" and was named the Outstanding Volunteer Lawyer by Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts on their 10th Anniversary celebration. Simson was at the forefront of the battle for artist's rights and their ability to be paid for their work online and has been featured on NBC Nightly News, The New York Times, WSJ, Marketplace, CNN and many other news outlets. He is a frequent lecturer on music industry and copyright issues and currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of the National Recording Preservation Board of the Library of Congress, is Chairman of the D.C. Bar's Art, Entertainment, Media & Sports Law Committee, is a Board member of CINE, the Musicianship and the Music Manager's Forum. He is a 1994 Alumni of Nashville's Leadership Music Program and is a past President of the Washington, D.C. Chapter of the Grammy organization. Simson previously taught Entertainment Law at Washington College of Law and Georgetown University Law Center.