Areas of Practice:

Litigation

Employment Law

Bar Admissions:

Maryland

District of Columbia

U.S. District Court for the

        District of Maryland

U.S. Court of Appeals for the
       Federal Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the
       Fourth Circuit

Sheldon L. Gnatt is an experienced attorney in the Litigation Practice Group, where he concentrates his law practice in the area of employment law, assisting his business clients in addressing personnel issues in the workplace by using proactive approaches and strategies designed to resolve matters in an efficient and cost-effective manner.  Mr. Gnatt has utilized his skills in taking highly contentious disputes and working to reach win-win solutions for all parties involved.  Mr. Gnatt is also a successful trial attorney, achieving favorable results for his clients. 

Mr. Gnatt represents employer clients in administrative agency (EEOC and state and local human relations agencies) proceedings, responding to Charges of Discrimination as well as defending claims for unemployment insurance benefits.  He also defends his employer clients in litigation, including claims of wrongful discharge, discrimination, and alleged violations of statutes, including the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Maryland Wage Payment and Collection Law and the Family and Medical Leave Act.  He advises clients concerning employment contracts and non-compete agreements, employee handbooks and personnel policy manuals.  Mr. Gnatt is also a trained and certified mediator who is recognized for having successfully mediated numerous cases as a volunteer mediator for the District Court of Maryland’s day-of-trial Alternative Dispute Resolution program. He has presented informative seminars on Employment Law topics to bar association groups and business owners and has authored articles on current Employment Law topics.  

Mr. Gnatt has significant experience of over 29 years with the highly-respected former firm of Knight, Manzi, Nussbaum and LaPlaca, P.A.  Mr. Gnatt holds an AV rating, the highest appointed by Martindale-Hubbell.  Mr. Gnatt has also been designated as a Super Lawyer in the area of Employment Defense Litigation. Mr. Gnatt regularly represents small and medium-sized businesses as well as national corporations.  He also represents employees, in both the private and government sectors, including local, state and federal.

Mr. Gnatt is an active member of the Maryland State Bar Association, District of Columbia Bar, and the Prince George's County Bar Association, where he has served as the Co-Chair for the Labor and Employment Law Committee and is a former member of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee.  Mr. Gnatt is involved in his community, serving as a Vice-President on the Board of Directors of his synagogue, the Columbia Jewish Congregation, where he is also an active contributor to the work of the Personnel Committee and Green Team, and the sponsor of Red Cross Blood Drives three times a year.  He is a Past President of a local unit of the American Cancer Society.  Mr. Gnatt earned his J.D. degree from the Catholic University of America, Columbus Law School, and is admitted to practice in Maryland, the District of Columbia, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.