Lerch Early attorney Jessie Summers was quoted in a recent Bethesda Magazine article about Burness founder and CEO Andy Burness receiving the Small Business Council of America’s Small Business Person of the Year Award. Summers, who nominated Burness for the honor, explained that the award recognizes leaders whose impact extends beyond financial success.

“What the folks are looking for is someone who is not just a successful small businessperson, but who also has a civic-minded approach to how they run their business,” she said. “It’s someone who has gone above and beyond in the business space to be innovative and help more than just themselves and their specific employees — the broader small business community.”

Summers handles employment law matters for the company and said what sets Burness apart is his continued involvement in areas where many founders would take a more hands-off approach.

You can read the full article here: https://bethesdamagazine.com/2026/06/17/how-andy-burness-built-a-workplace-that-feels-like-a-calling/

Jessie Summers is an employment attorney who works with companies and organizations in Maryland, the District of Columbia, and Virginia on a wide range of employment, business, and litigation matters.