Bruce Plaxen has been on the Board of Governors for the Maryland Association for Justice (formerly the Maryland Trial Lawyers Association) since 1993 and has chaired almost every committee and held every office, including President of MAJ (2001-2002). He is the former Chairman of the Maryland Association for Justice Political Action Committee (2001-2016 and 2018-2021), and during that time, he worked closely with their lobbyist and legislative committee in Annapolis to ensure that the rights of victims are protected. He is a frequent speaker and lecturer for the Maryland Association for Justice. Bruce Plaxen is the only multiple winner of the President's Award, presented by the Maryland Association for Justice, for exemplary leadership, vision, and unwavering commitment. He was specifically recognized for his actions to strengthen our ability to protect our clients, address civil justice and consumer issues in the legislature, and prevent the erosion of injured people's rights. He received this award in 2007, 2010, and 2024. Bruce Plaxen was honored as the 2009 Maryland Trial Lawyer of the Year by the Maryland Association for Justice. He was presented with the award for years of work on behalf of HMO plan members in Maryland. Mr. Plaxen and his team of lawyers recovered millions of dollars that had been wrongfully taken from their clients by the HMOs and secured two precedent-setting decisions in the process, including a decision from Maryland’s highest court limiting the power of the General Assembly to enact retroactive laws.

Aaron Podhurst has been a distinguished trial lawyer for more than fifty years. He received his B.A. from the University of Michigan and his Juris Doctorate Degree from Columbia University, where he was a Harland Fiske Stone Scholar. Aaron is admitted to the Florida and New York Bars. Aaron’s distinguished career has brought him honors and offices from virtually every major legal organization, including the presidencies of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and The Florida Justice Association, fellowship in the American College of Trial Lawyers, member of Board of Governors of American Association for Justice, membership in the International Society of Barristers and the Inner Circle of Advocates, member of the Cuban American Bar Association and chairmanship of various aviation committees of the American Bar Association, American Association for Justice and The Florida Justice Association. Although Aaron made his reputation as one of the nation’s premiere plaintiff’s aviation lawyers, and continues to hold that status, he has guided the firm in recent years to its status as one of the major commercial litigation firms in South Florida. At the same time, he has managed to devote countless hours to community service, including the presidency of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation and membership in many other civic organizations. He is the recipient of the Medallion of Honor from t he National Conference for Community and Justice and the 1999 Jurisprudence Award from the Anti-Defamation League, and the 2010 recipient of the “Legal Legends” award presented by the 11th Judicial Circuit Historical Society and the Historical Museum of South Florida. Aaron is also the recipient of the 2014 Honorable Theodore “Ted” Klein Special Recognition Award. Aaron Podhurst was awarded the distinguished Learned Hand award presented by the American Jewish Committee (AJC) and the Lifetime Achievement award by the Daily Business Review.

Attorney Brian Poe is Chairman of Georgia Injury Attorneys and Brian Poe & Associates, Attorneys, PC “The People’s Champs”. He is a well-known lawyer and businessperson in metro Atlanta and the state of Georgia, with over 25 years of experience practicing law, and he is also the Chairman of a national legal recruiting firm (Esquire Connect). Attorney Poe is a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law, has an M.B.A. from the University of Georgia and a B.S. from Florida State University. Attorney Poe is a member of the State Bar of Georgia. After many years as a Senior Attorney with a Fortune 500 corporation and major national law firms based in Atlanta and Washington, D.C. For over a decade, Attorney Poe wrote a popular column, the monthly “Attorney’s Corner” feature, for the award-winning Atlanta Tribune: The Magazine. Attorney Poe serves on the Board of Directors of the Sickle Cell Foundation of Georgia, Inc., and was its first General Counse

Mr. Poe has been named a Super Lawyers Rising Star in both Virginia and Washington D.C. in 2016-2019, one of the “10 Best” Attorneys for Family Law in 2016-2017 by the American Institute of Family Law Attorneys, chosen as one of the 2017 Top 10 Family Law Attorneys by the American Jurist Institute, and selected as one of the Top 10 Family Law Attorneys Under 40 in 2016 by the National Academy of Family Law Attorneys. Since joining Arquilla & Poe in early 2012, Michael Poe’s practice has focused on domestic relations and family law. Mr. Poe has extensive experience in the litigation of child custody, visitation and support issues; spousal support; equitable distribution of marital assets and debts; and the negotiation and preparation of property settlement agreements. Mr. Poe is also well versed in issues of military retirement, disability pay, the Survivor Benefit Plan, the Uniformed Services Former Spouses Protection Act and the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act. Mr. Poe is a graduate of the William & Mary School of Law, where he was a member of the William & Mary Environmental Law & Policy Review as well as the school’s Domestic Violence Clinic.