Biography
She is the founding partner of Rolinski & Suarez, LLC, a multi-state international law firm. For the past ten years, she has been involved in renewable energy sector - development of new technologies, carbon credits as well as engineering of traditional approaches to minimize ecological impact - especially in the emerging markets of Europe and the Near East. She works with clients to realize their business development through international project development and finance. She litigates in U.S. federal courts on behalf of her U.S. and international clients. Additionally, she arbitrates international governmental and quasi-governmental international debt recovery.
The firm also has practice areas in immigration, trust and estates management, estate planning, guardianship and conservatorship, reproductive law, personal injury law, and business representation.
Ms. Rolinski is admitted to and practices law before the United States Supreme Court as well as the highest Courts in the State of Maryland, the District of Columbia and the State of New York, the Second, the Fourth, the Ninth and the D.C. Circuit Courts of Appeal.
Sylvia J. Rolinski was born in New York. After receiving two Bachelors degrees in Psychology and Social Work from Syracuse University in 1981, she went on to receive a Master of Arts degree in International Affairs and Economic Policy from American University and her Juris Doctor in 1986.
After graduating from law school she was the Juridical Law Clerk for the Honorable Nan R. Shuker, Judge to the Superior Court of the District of Columbia in Washington, D.C. She began her career as a litigation associate for two Washington, D.C. law firms specializing in the areas of international trade and negotiations, corporate, antitrust, immigration and domestic litigation matters. She also served as an adjunct professor on the faculty of Northern Virginia Law School during 1990 in the area of torts.
Upon the democratization of Eastern Europe she organized her own law firm while in her twenties. This enabled her to consult on the conversion to the democratic process for Eastern European government institutions as well as their electoral process. Additionally, she specialized in international trade, international and US corporate representation before state and federal courts, immigration matters and United Nations affairs.
She served as Special Counsel to the Foreign Minister of Bulgaria of the first democratically elected government. In 1992, she became the first American and the first woman to serve as Chef de Cabinet to the President of the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York.
Ms. Rolinski has served as a Judge for the Philip C. Jessup International Moot Court competition and is a mentor with Georgetown University Law Center International Law Society. She is a member of numerous professional associations, including, Maryland, D.C and N.Y. Bar Associations, American Immigration Lawyers Association, and Phi Sigma Iota, the foreign language honor society. She is fluent in English, Bulgarian and French.
Ms. Rolinski has enjoyed the status of Barrister with the Charles Fahey Inns of Court in Washington, D.C. and membership with the National American Inns of Court.
In October 1993, she was awarded the No Nonsense American Woman of the Month in recognition of her as the first woman to serve as chief of staff to the president of the UN general assembly, published in the October 11, 1993, issue of People magazine. She is honored in the Twelfth Edition of The World Who's Who of Women, the International Book of Honor, Fourth World Edition, 1995, Kensington Who’s Who 1998-1999 edition and Who’s Who in Executives and Professionals 2003-2004 edition. She has been invited for decoration with the Order of Liberty and Unity for her work in international diplomacy.
In October 2006, she was selected by her piers as a “Super Lawyer” published in the March 2007 issue of Washington, D.C. Super Lawyers magazine on law and politics. In March 2007, having been chosen for recognition by her colleagues, she was listed as a V.I.P. Member in the Continental Who’s Who Registry of National Business Leaders.
Her philanthropic work is extensive. She serves on the Board of Directors of Cleantech Corridor, a New York not-for-profit organization. Its passion is environmental sustainability. Its mission is to accelerate the adoption of clean tech solutions everywhere and provide the forum for expert dialogue and resources to generate renewable energy employment under the umbrella of urban sustainability.
She is Chairwoman of the Board of Directors for the not- for-profit Adventures in Health, Education and Agricultural Development, Inc. (AHEAD, Inc.) which works in remote areas of Africa, especially Tanzania: “Rebuilding the human spirit one child at a time.”
She was the founder and Chairwoman for the Syracuse University Art Council and has been a member of the Syracuse University Board of Trustee, Washington, D.C.
She is the founder and chairperson for the foundation, Humanity, Inc., which endorses the U.N. Convention on children and serves orphans and hearing impaired throughout Bulgaria.
Ms. Rolinski has been actively involved in the Democratic National Committee and Women’s Leadership Forum and supporting Democratic Candidates election campaigns, she participated in the successful campaigns of Presidents Obama and Clinton.
She is the manager and coach for her son’s little league baseball team-the New York Yankees.
Bar Admissions
UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT 12/1/2004
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE D.C. CIRCUIT 12/7/1999
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE SECOND CIRCUIT 11/03/2010
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT 8/11/1998
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT 10/17/2008
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISRTICT OF NEW YORK 9/21/2004 (NYC) (FIRST FED COURT IN USA)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF NEW YORK 9/21/2004 (Brooklyn)
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 2/3/92
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE STATE OF MARYLAND 3/31/1989
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS 07/17/2008
COURT OF APPEAL FOR THE DISTRICT OF COULUMBIA 11/5/1991 Bar Number: 430573
COURT OF APPEAL FOR STATE OF MARYLAND DECEMBER 16, 1988
STATE OF NEW YORK SUPREME COURT, APPELLATE DIVISION THIRD JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT 6/22/2004
Professional Experience
-present
Rolinski & Suarez, LLC, Gaithersburg, Maryland
Founders: US and international corporate representation with expertise in the emerging markets of Eastern Europe, Western Europe, and Africa. Focused on international trade and business transactional matters in the U.S. and abroad, immigration, and civil litigation before the U.S. Supreme Court and U.S., State and Federal Courts.
February-December 2000
ROLINSKI, TERENZIO & SUAREZ, LLP, Potomac, Maryland
Managing Partner: Corporate law-US and foreign, international business negotiations, civil litigation and appeals,
commercial transactions, joint ventures law-US and foreign.
October 1993 - February 2000
LAW OFFICES OF SYLVIA J. ROLINSKI, Washington D.C.
Partner: Represent U.S. and foreign corporations in international contract negotiations, litigation, and corporate formation.
Joint venture consultation and negotiations, foreign investor negotiations. Civil litigation.
September 1992 - October 1993
UNITED NATIONS, New York, New York
Chef de Cabinet of the Office of the President of the United Nations: Senior Adviser to the President of the General Assembly;
conduct political consultations on behalf of the President; coordinate work of President's informal working groups regarding Presidential
Resolutions; coordinate program of work of the President, General Assembly and Secretariat; speech writer; public relations and fund raising.
January 1992 -
SYLVIA J. ROLINSKI, ESQUIRE, Washington D.C.
Partner: Represent United States and foreign corporations in international corporate matters, contract negotiations and
drafting, formation, immigration, probate and litigation; Special Counsel to the Foreign Minister of Bulgaria, H.E. Stoyan Ganev - First
elected democratic government.
November 1990 - January 1992
MALONEY AND BURCH, Washington D.C.
Litigation Associate: Litigated in both Federal and State courts, trade secrets, injunctions, environmental, immigration,
probate and domestic relations matters; corporate representation and formation; drafted trusts and wills.
January 1989-October 1990
JACOBOVITZ AND ASSOCIATES, Washington D.C.
Litigation Associate: Responsible for all aspects of litigation, including drafting of pleadings and briefs, conducting pre-trial
discovery, oral arguments, settlement negotiations and trials; Federal civil jury trials and discovery in complex civil litigation (commercial
contract and anti-trust); specialized in areas of civil litigation, domestic relations, immigration and probate.
1990
NORTHERN VIRGINIA LAW SCHOOL, Alexandria, Virginia
Adjunct Professor: Taught two semesters - 25 students U.S. civil torts
April 1987 - August 1988
HONORABLE NAN R. SHUKER, D.C. Superior Court, Wash., D.C.
Judicial Law Clerk: Family, Civil II and Criminal Division: Management, legal research and analysis of judicial case load; researched
and drafted opinions, including 157 page domestic relations case of first impression (set precedent in D.C.); researched and created comprehensive
computerized database of civil and criminal law for judicial access; responsible for management of thirteen interns.
1986 and 1987
PETER B. NICKLES, ESQUIRE, Peekskill, N.Y.
Law Clerk: Appeared in court on Immigration, Landlord and Tenant and Traffic cases; compiled condominium prospectus; drafted wills,
trust and adoption pleadings; prepared complex international negligence action for Federal Court trial.
May - August 1986
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, Washington D.C.
U.S. Attorney's Office: Civil Division
Law Clerk: Research and drafted briefs for complex civil litigation and federal employment discrimination actions; drafted interrogatories;
attended depositions; U.S. Attorney's mock trial training session.
June - July 1985
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington D.C.
Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs
Work Study Intern: Prepared 1000 page reference volume on U.S. Senate and Congressional Nicaraguan debate and U.S. policy; attended
classified U.S. Congressional hearings; prepared policy position papers for Chairman of Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
1983 and 1987
ABL ABSTRACT, INC., Fishkill, New York
Real Estate Title Closer: Closing Division: Researched legal state and federal documents to prepare Abstract for real estate closings;
closed real property titles at closings among attorneys, buyers, sellers and bankers.
June - August 1982
BANQUE NATIONAL DE PARIS, Paris, France
International Division Associate: Analyzed budgets and accounts of international loan candidates; consulted in promotion and exports
strategies to United States for French firms; evaluated Euromarket statistics and mechanics of syndicate loan operations.
Internship Experience
July - December 1985
HONORABLE NAN R. SHUKER, D.C. Superior Court, Washington D.C.
Judicial Intern: Felony II Calendar
January - May 1985
CRIMINAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM CLINIC, Washington D.C.
Legal research assistant: to Greta Van Susteren and D.C. Superior Court Judge Stephen G. Milliken
January - May 1984
NATIONAL GOVERNOR'S ASSOCIATION, Washington D.C.
Legislative Intern: Committee on International Trade and Foreign Relations
January - May 1982
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, New York, New York
Export Administration Assistant: Developed promotional & marketing strategies for New York firms.
Languages
Fluent in French and Bulgarian, native language – English
EDUCATION
Legal
December 1986
JURIS DOCTOR
Honors
January 1985 - August 1986
Law Review Editor, Antioch Law Journal,
Dean's Fellow: Taught Legal Writing and Analysis to first year law students, Fall 1985
December 1986
ANTIOCH SCHOOL OF LAW, Washington D.C.
January - December 1986
BENJAMIN CARDOZO SCHOOL OF LAW
Yeshiva University, New York, New York
Graduate
1985
THE AMERICAN UNIVERSITY, Washington D.C.
Master of Arts: International Relations and Economic Policy
June 1982
NEW YORK UNIVERSITY, New York, New York
French Business and Socioeconomic Language Studies
Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry language certificate
Undergraduate
May 1981
SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY, Syracuse, New York
Bachelor of Science, Social Work
January - May 1980
Bachelor of Arts, Psychology
Semester Abroad in the Netherlands
Socioeconomic and political comparative studies.
Honors
Dean's List: 1977, 1979, 1980
Phi Sigma Iota - foreign language honorary society.
Professional Associations
American Immigration Lawyers Association, Washington D.C.
D.C. Bar Association, Washington D.C.
Maryland Bar Association
New York Bar Association
