Stephen J. Whelan
Maryland
Bregman, Berbert, Schwartz & Gilday, LLC
7315 Wisconsin Avenue
Suite 800 West
Bethesda, MD 20814
Tel: 301-656-2707
Email:
swhelan@bregmanlaw.com
Web:
www.bregmanlaw.com
Stephen Whelan is a Partner at Bregman, Berbert, Schwartz & Gilday, whose practice focuses on complex civil litigation involving construction, commercial real estate, landlord-tenant matters, contract disputes, and labor and employment law. His work for clients in the construction and real estate sectors encompasses both dispute resolution and counseling aimed at identifying issues and avoiding litigation.
Construction matters form an important part of Stephen’s broader commercial litigation practice. He represents clients in construction and contract disputes and provides general corporate and business representation to clients operating in the construction sector. His related experience in commercial real estate and contract litigation complements this work, particularly where disputes involve overlapping property, contractual, and business issues.
Beyond construction and real estate, Stephen handles commercial landlord-tenant actions and labor and employment matters and has substantial experience with claims involving the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act. Before joining BBS&G, he practiced with a business litigation firm in Washington, D.C., representing clients before federal and local courts and a range of District of Columbia administrative agencies.
Admitted in Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia, Stephen is also admitted before the U.S. District Courts for the District of Maryland, District of Columbia, and Eastern District of Virginia, as well as the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. He has been recognized as a Washington, D.C. Rising Star by Super Lawyers and has been selected as a Maryland Rising Star from 2021 through 2025.
Stephen earned his J.D. from Wake Forest University School of Law, where he received multiple merit-based scholarships. During law school, he clerked for Judge Robert J. Conrad of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina and completed an externship with the Office of General Counsel for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.
- Successfully defended a client against claims totaling $190 million in a 10-day evidentiary arbitration hearing before JAMS in New York City. The complex action involved a claim for fees arising out of previous litigation related to a terrorist attack.
- Successfully prosecuted a complex commercial landlord-tenant action in the Superior Court for the District of Columbia resulting in a bench verdict in favor of the landlord after a three-day trial.
- Negotiated a favorable settlement for a government entity that was sued for breach of contract, civil conspiracy, and fraud.
- Successfully prosecuted claims in Fairfax County Circuit Court for breach of contract, conversion, and civil conspiracy resulting in a bench verdict and an award of treble damages related to the mismanagement of a limited liability company.
- Negotiated and obtained a $4 million settlement prior to litigation for a minority shareholder of a software company.
- Obtained summary judgment on behalf of property owner defeating multiple legal challenges to ownership and obtained a bench verdict and monetary judgment at trial on property owner’s counterclaim against legal challenger.
Disputes during construction can have significant financial ramifications for all parties involved. BBS&G represents developers, property owners, architects, engineers, contractors, subcontractors, banks, and other clients in litigation, settlement negotiations, and alternative dispute resolution (ADR) proceedings involving:
- Construction delays
- Contract disputes
- Insurance coverage
- Labor issues
- Payment and performance disputes
- Professional liability
- Zoning, permitting, and other regulatory matters
BBS&G also represents clients in post-construction litigation involving construction defect claims. These cases often involve complex legal and engineering issues, and the team draws on its extensive construction litigation experience and the insights of trusted experts to advance clients’ claims and defenses.
Bregman, Berbert, Schwartz & Gilday, LLC (BBS&G) is a full-service law firm with more than 40 years of experience representing businesses, individuals, and public entities throughout Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C., and beyond. The firm combines extensive transactional and litigation capabilities with a practical, client-focused approach, developing long-term relationships that enable its attorneys to understand clients’ objectives and provide efficient, cost-effective legal solutions.
BBS&G maintains a broad practice encompassing commercial real estate, business transactions, litigation, alternative dispute resolution, zoning and land use, employment law, landlord and tenant matters, condominium and homeowners associations, estates, trusts and probate, personal representation, personal injury, and representation of state and local government entities. Its attorneys advise clients on transactions and ongoing legal matters while also handling complex disputes through negotiation, mediation, arbitration, and litigation when necessary.
The firm emphasizes pragmatic representation grounded in a thorough understanding of both the legal issues and the practical considerations affecting its clients. BBS&G seeks to resolve disputes efficiently when appropriate while drawing on decades of litigation and trial experience when courtroom advocacy is required. This combination of broad legal capabilities, responsive service, and practical problem-solving has resulted in longstanding relationships with many of the businesses, individuals, and public entities the firm serves.
“Clients value Stephen for his versatility across complex civil disputes and his ability to move comfortably between courtroom advocacy and broader business advice. That range is especially useful when construction matters involve overlapping contractual, property, employment, or corporate concerns”