Our Team

Daniel H. Ruttenberg is a principal with the law firm. His practice areas include estate planning, estate administration, succession planning for businesses and general corporate law. He is a member of the Bar in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia and is licensed as a Certified Public Accountant by the State of Maryland.

Mr. Ruttenberg argued Hillman v. Maretta, 133 S.Ct. 1943 (2013) before the Supreme Court of United States, which is a precedent setting estate administration case.

Mr. Ruttenberg received his Bachelor of Science degree with a double major in Accounting and Finance from the University of Maryland. He earned his Juris Doctor with Honors from George Mason University School of Law and his Master of Laws in Taxation with Distinction from Georgetown University Law Center.

Mr. Ruttenberg is regularly interviewed by the media for his insights and expertise on important legal issues. He has had several articles published in various business periodicals as well as the North Dakota Law Review. He frequently lectures on topics such as estate planning for individuals and succession and tax planning for businesses.

Mr. Ruttenberg has also been repeatedly recognized over the years for his abilities as an attorney, including as an “AV” rated attorney by Martindale-Hubbell, as a “Legal Elite” and “Power Player” by Washington Smart CEO Magazine, as a “Top Lawyer in Virginia” and “Top Young Lawyer in Virginia” by Super Lawyers Magazine, as a “Best Lawyer in America” by Best Lawyers, and as a “Top Lawyer” by Northern Virginia Magazine.

Mr. Ruttenberg was elected President of the Fairfax Bar Association (FBA) – the youngest in FBA history. He is a Fellow of the Fairfax Law Foundation and served on its Board of Directors. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Devotion To Children (and served as its Vice President for 18 years), a charity which promotes access to high-quality educational and childcare services for preschool aged children from economically disadvantaged families. Since 2010, he has organized Cards4Kids, a charity Texas Hold ‘Em poker tournament.

Kyung (Kathryn) Dickerson is a principal at SmolenPlevy in Vienna, Virginia. She is a member of the Bars of Virginia and the District of Columbia, and is admitted to practice before the U.S. Court of Appeals – Fourth Circuit, U.S. Bankruptcy Court – Eastern District of Virginia and the U.S. District Court – Eastern District of Virginia. She is a graduate of the University of Virginia and George Mason University School of Law, where she served on the Board of Editors for the Journal of International Legal Studies.

Throughout her career, Ms. Dickerson has received numerous awards. Most recently she was named a 2019 Best Lawyer by The Best Lawyers in America© and was selected as a “Leader in the Law” by Virginia Lawyers Weekly in 2007 and SmartCEO Magazine’s Power Players Attorney of the Year for divorce, domestic relations, and child custody and adoptions in 2013. Northern Virginia Magazine has named her a Top Lawyer for family-focused law in 2016, 2015, 2013 and 2010. She was named to “Virginia Legal Elite” by Virginia Business in 2014. Ms. Dickerson has also been recognized in both the Top 50 Virginia Women Super Lawyers list and the Top 100 Virginia Super Lawyers list since 2014.

Ms. Dickerson has been appointed a Conciliator for the 19th Judicial Circuit and is a member of the Fairfax Bar Association, having served in various capacities including as President of its Young Lawyers Section (2003-2004) and as Co-Chair of the Revenue Development Committee (2004-2005). Ms. Dickerson has served as President of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association (2003-2007) and on its Board of Directors (2008-present). She has also serves on the Board of Directors of the Virginia Women Attorneys Association (2008-present) and served as its President (2014-2015); she also served on Board of Directors of the organization’s Northern Virginia Chapter (2003-2012) and served as its President (2010-2011). Ms. Dickerson also serves as a member of the Virginia State Bar’s Better Annual Meeting committee and on its Diversity Conference’s CLE committee. She has also served as a member of the Virginia State Bar’s Special Committee on Lawyer Malpractice Insurance and as a faculty member of the Harry L. Carrico Professionalism Course (2010-2013). She was a member of the George Mason University School of Law Alumni Association Board of Directors and has served as its President (2011-2013).

Her practice is general civil litigation, which include domestic relations, child custody, adoptions and all aspects of divorce, and probate litigation.