Our People
Natalie M. Koss, Esq.
Managing Partner
As a seasoned litigator, Ms. Koss has a record of achieving outstanding results for her clients in employment, federal employment and commercial matters. She has litigated or participated in cases involving many areas of commercial litigation, including contract, real estate, labor and intellectual property disputes.
Ms. Koss has extensive experience in complex litigation involving employment discrimination, non-compete agreements, employment contract disputes and unpaid sales commissions.
In recent cases, Ms. Koss won a $2.8 million arbitration award for a Federal technology sales representative for FMLA interference and retaliation claims. It is among the largest arbitration awards for the type of employment claims involved.
Ms. Koss also won a significant EEOC hearing victory for a senior Federal employee, which included a judgment for backpay, pre-judgment interest, instatement to an equivalent position, employment record expungement and compensatory damages. In an unpaid sales commission lawsuit, Ms. Koss helped her client win a $1.1 million jury verdict.
As part of her employment, federal employment and labor law practice, Ms. Koss has litigated and secured settlements for numerous clients with employment claims, including gender and pregnancy discrimination, sexual harassment, age discrimination, race discrimination and more. She has litigated cases to enforce employee rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the D.C. Human Rights Act and Title VII. Ms. Koss frequently counsels employees and professionals about severance agreements and represents them in severance package negotiations.
Natalie Koss maintains a substantial federal employment practice. Ms. Koss has significant experience representing federal employees in litigation and EEOC hearings, and she is an experienced advocate in EEOC mediation. Ms. Koss also counsels and represents federal employees in federal agency or inspector general investigations and in responding to proposed disciplinary and adverse actions.
Jodi Danis
Senior Counsel
Jodi Danis is Senior Counsel in the Employment Law and Litigation practice areas.
Ms. Danis has over 25 years of experience protecting the rights of individuals and advocating for justice in employment discrimination, civil rights, breach of contract, and Constitutional cases. Before joining Potomac Legal Group, she developed and resolved groundbreaking cases during a distinguished career as an attorney at the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). An experienced advocate for employees who have been victims of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation, Ms. Danis has practiced in federal trial, appellate, and administrative courts.
Ms. Danis previously held senior roles in the U.S. Department of Justice, including Deputy Chief and trial attorney in the Civil Rights Division’s Employment Litigation Section, Acting Deputy Special Counsel and Special Litigation Counsel in the Immigrant and Employee Rights Section, and attorney in the Appellate Section. At the EEOC’s Office of General Counsel, she successfully litigated appeals in disability discrimination and sexual harassment cases. Earlier in her career, she was an associate at a leading Am Law 100 firm, in Washington, D.C.
Ms. Danis has been at the forefront of pursuing employment discrimination claims that involve technology, AI, and automation in employment decision making. She has successfully challenged facially neutral hiring practices with disparate impacts based on sex, race, or national origin, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Her work has also targeted the misuse of temporary employment-based visa programs in the agricultural, hospitality, and technology sectors, with particular expertise in IT recruiting and staffing practices.
Notably, Ms. Danis helped secure over $2.5 million in civil penalties against employers who used a university’s recruiting platform to discriminate, and obtained a settlement requiring the university to reform the system. Her advocacy has helped dismantle algorithmic barriers to fair hiring and expanded access to employment opportunities.
Among her significant litigation victories, Ms. Danis successfully defended the U.S. Air Force against a Constitutional challenge to a contract for direct conversion of base maintenance functions, winning a summary judgment that was upheld on appeal. AFGE v. U.S. Air Force (D.D.C. 2000).
Ms. Danis earned her Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School, and her Bachelor of Arts in English and Economics from the University of Pennsylvania. She clerked for Judge William Canby Jr. of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
Jodi Danis is licensed to practice law in Maryland and the District of Columbia, and is admitted to the United States Supreme Court Bar, the United States Courts of Appeals for the Second Circuit, Fourth Circuit, Fifth Circuit, Ninth Circuit, the District of New Jersey, and several other federal district courts.
Gustav Gulmert
Associate Attorney
Gustav Gulmert is Associate Attorney in the Employment Law and Litigation Practice Areas.
Mr. Gulmert earned his Juris Doctor from American University Washington College of Law, where he was Managing Editor of the Intellectual Property Brief, President of the Communications and Media Law Society, and Secretary of the Intellectual Property Law Society. He also served as Associate Executive Editor for the American University Business Law Review and represented clients as a Student Attorney in the Glushko-Samuelson Intellectual Property Law Clinic. Mr. Gulmert earned a Bachelor of Science in Science, Technology and International Affairs from Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service, with a minor in Chinese and a certificate in East Asian Studies.
His professional experience includes externships and internships with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, U.S. Agency for Global Media, the FCC Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, and an Am Law 100 law firm. He has worked on matters involving federal administrative law, intellectual property, communications regulation, and employment law.
Mr. Gulmert is licensed to practice law in Maryland.
Kaleigh Wright
Associate Attorney
Kaleigh Wright serves as Associate Attorney in the Firm’s employment law and litigation practice areas.
Prior to joining Potomac Legal Group, Ms. Wright served as a Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable Wytonja L. Curry, in the Prince George’s County Circuit Court.
Ms. Wright also previously served as a Law Clerk at a Washington, D.C., area law firm, where she performed legal research for pending litigation and international arbitrations and co-authored multiple published legal analyses for legal research firms. Additionally, she gained valuable experience handling advocacy work and assisting in drafting legal complaints as an extern with Child Justice, Inc., and as a law clerk at the Louise Trauma Center.
Ms. Wright earned her Juris Doctor with a concentration in Business and Finance Law from The George Washington University Law School, where she was awarded a Merit Scholarship, after receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Philosophy from Duke University. She is admitted to practice law in Maryland and Washington, D.C.
Ayline Finucane
Of Counsel
Ayline Finucane is Of Counsel in the Employment Law and Litigation practice areas.
Ms. Finucane is a highly skilled attorney with a diverse background in civil litigation, intellectual property law, and international affairs. With over 15 years of experience, she offers expertise in complex litigation and international disputes.
Ms. Finucane advises and represents clients in a wide range of matters, from business and professional disputes to commercial negotiations and alternative dispute resolution. Her experience and linguistic skills have positioned her as a valuable resource for clients navigating complex legal landscapes.
Ms. Finucane holds an LL.M. in Intellectual Property from The George Washington University Law School and an LL.B. from The Academic Center for Law and Science in Israel. She is fluent in Hebrew and Arabic. Ms. Finucane is not licensed to practice in Maryland. She is licensed to practice law in the District of Columbia, New York and California.
Phoebe Gurdon
Senior Legal Assistant & Intern Coordinator
Phoebe Gurdon is the Firm’s Senior Legal Assistant. Ms. Gurdon supervises the legal assistant team, manages the intake department, and directs the internship program. She also is responsible for designing and leading staff training programs and developing efficient legal support procedures that help the Firm’s attorneys provide effective representation.
Ms. Gurdon earned a bachelor’s degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice and Anthropology from the University of Maryland, College Park. Ms. Gurdon previously served in Potomac Legal Group’s summer internship program, and she has worked for non-profits and social justice organizations in Washington, D.C., and Maryland. She currently serves as a Court-Appointed Special Advocate Guardian Ad Litem for at-risk youth in the District of Columbia foster care system.
Estelle Omotayo
Law Clerk
Estelle Omotayo serves as Law Clerk to the Firm. Ms. Omotayo earned her Juris Doctor from The George Washington University Law School and holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin. Ms. Omotayo previously served as law clerk at employment and labor rights firms in the Washington, D.C., area. During her time in law school, Estelle served as Co-President of the Equal Justice Foundation and actively volunteered with the Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project.
Hyunjun Chang
Legal Assistant
Hyunjun Chang serves as Legal Assistant to the Firm. Prior to joining Potomac Legal Group, Mr. Chang served in roles as a public defense law clerk for the Maryland Office of the Public Defender, a juvenile justice research assistant for Harvard Law School, and as legislative aide for the Maryland General Assembly.
Mr. Chang graduated magna cum laude from Vanderbilt University with a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Psychology.
Arvin Vanikar
Legal Assistant
Arvin Vanikar serves as Legal Assistant to the Firm. Mr. Vanikar graduated cum laude from Cornell University with a bachelor’s degree in Government. While at Cornell, he served as President of the Mock Trial Association, where he managed trial operations and case examinations, and as President of College Mentors for Kids. In addition to conducting independent research on global democratic trends, Mr. Vanikar is an Eagle Scout and a dedicated community volunteer with the Manna Food Center.
John Paul Ciminera
Legal Assistant
John Paul Ciminera serves as Legal Assistant to the Firm. In addition to assisting the Firm’s employment litigation practice, Mr. Ciminera is completing his degree in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at the University of Maryland. He previously worked as a legal intern in local law offices and serves as an editor for The Undergraduate Law Review at UMD. Mr. Ciminera was recently ranked third nationwide for a written brief by the American Moot Court Association.