MCCARRON & DIESS - Key Persons
Blake Surbey is an experienced litigator, and has successfully represented clients in countless matters in the United States District Courts, Bankruptcy Courts, and the USDA. He focuses on cases arising under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA). He also advises clients on the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), and is certified as a Preventive Controls Qualified Individual under FSMA.
Blake attended George Mason School of Law, and was a member of the Moot Court Board at George Mason. He also was a Judicial Intern to the Honorable Irma S. Raker (Ret.) of the Maryland Court of Appeals.
Before joining McCarron & Diess, Blake represented defendants at the Public Defender's Office in Montgomery County, Maryland.
Blake is admitted to the bars of Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., and the federal bars for: the United States District Court for the District of Maryland; the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia; and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
Job Titles:
- Shareholder
- Attorney ( NY Office Only )
Greg Brown* has represented produce businesses in all phases of complex commercial litigation related to PACA enforcement and transportation claims since joining McCarron & Diess in 2012. Notable recent cases include:
Prior to joining McCarron & Diess, Greg Brown worked at a Manhattan law firm focusing on commercial litigation, including a large number of cases related to the produce industry. In addition to actions enforcing the PACA trust, Greg has handled all phases of complex commercial disputes from inception through trial, including multi-district litigation related to the sale and transport of produce.
Job Titles:
- Attorney
- Shareholder
- Member of the American Bankruptcy Institute
Since joining McCarron & Diess in 2004, Kate has represented produce companies in numerous actions in federal appeals courts, federal district courts, and bankruptcy courts around the country. Her experience includes enforcing PACA trust rights against produce companies, their owners, secured lenders, and third-party recipients of PACA trust funds; handling claims related to consignment or grower agency agreements under PACA; liquidating defunct produce companies in federal courts; and representing the rights of PACA trust creditors in bankruptcy cases.
Kate graduated cum laude from American University's Washington College of Law in 2004. She was introduced to the produce industry, and PACA in particular, while working as a law clerk at McCarron & Diess. Kate was also a student attorney in the International Human Rights Law Clinic and taught Constitutional Law at a local high school as a Marshall-Brennan Fellow.
Kate is a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute and the Walter Chandler American Inn of Court.
Kate is admitted to the bars of Maryland and Washington, D.C., and the federal bars for: the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.
Lou Diess first became familiar with the PACA through a family produce business. After receiving his law degree from Widener University School of Law in 1992, Lou has concentrated full-time on representing produce companies in all segments of the produce industry, such as growers, shippers, brokers, terminal market receivers, retailers, exporters and importers from every major shipping and receiving point in the nation. Lou has represented produce companies in hundreds of PACA trust actions in the federal courts and many reparation disputes before USDA. In the course of representing produce companies in these cases, he has developed a thorough understanding of produce company operations and PACA law, as well as a good working relationship with PACA personnel in each PACA office across the country.
Job Titles:
- Attorney
- Managing Shareholder
Prior to coming to McCarron & Diess, M.J. Fassett was a civil litigator at a mid-size law firm with a general practice in Washington, D.C. There, she represented numerous corporate and individual parties in jury and bench trials in the state and federal courts of Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia.
Lou Diess first became familiar with the PACA through a family produce business. After receiving his law degree from Widener University School of Law in 1992, Lou has concentrated full-time on representing produce companies in all segments of the produce industry, such as growers, shippers, brokers, terminal market receivers, retailers, exporters and importers from every major shipping and receiving point in the nation. Lou has represented produce companies in hundreds of PACA trust actions in the federal courts and many reparation disputes before USDA. In the course of representing produce companies in these cases, he has developed a thorough understanding of produce company operations and PACA law, as well as a good working relationship with PACA personnel in each PACA office across the country.
Job Titles:
- Attorney
- Senior Litigation Counsel
M.J. also became an experienced probate and guardianship practitioner in these jurisdictions.
In 1992, she began representing numerous farmers before USDA/NAD and the federal courts in payment limitation matters, disaster relief cases, conservation reserve disputes, and a variety of other farm program cases. In 1994, she became familiar with PACA and began representing produce companies before the USDA in reparation matters and disciplinary proceedings, and in PACA trust actions in the federal courts.
M.J. joined McCarron & Diess in 2002 to concentrate on PACA law and cases. She has handled hundreds of PACA cases and focuses on litigating complex commercial disputes in the federal district and bankruptcy courts.
Steve McCarron retired in 2021 and is no longer practicing law.
Steve McCarron graduated from Columbus School of Law at the Catholic University of America in 1977. He became knowledgeable about the PACA as a staff attorney with the Office of the General Counsel of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), PACA Division. During that time, Steve acted as Presiding Officer in adjudicating disputes between buyers and sellers of produce.