ATTORNEYS

Meet the Barrett & Everhart Attorneys

Welcome to the core of Barrett & Everhart, PLLC. Dive into the profiles of our dedicated attorneys who form our exceptional team. Each brings unparalleled knowledge, passion, and commitment, ensuring your interests are always at the forefront. Discover the legal experts ready to guide and support you through every step of your real estate journey.

Keith Barrett, Esq.

Founding Attorney

An Attorney and Entrepreneur, Keith founded Vesta Settlements in 2011 and has overseen its growth from one employee in a temporary office space to a team 40 across six offices. 

KEITH BARRETT, ESQ.

An Attorney and Entrepreneur, Keith founded Vesta Settlements in 2011 and has overseen its growth from one employee in a temporary office space to a team 40 across six offices.  Keith established and oversees the “big picture” for Vesta and ensures execution across operations and business development. Vesta has been included in the Washington Business Journal’s List of Largest Title Companies 8 years in a row.

Simultaneous with the founding of Vesta Settlements, Keith founded what is now Barrett & Everhart, PLLC, which acts as counsel to Vesta Settlements and provides real estate related legal services to clients throughout Virginia.

After transitioning from the private practice of law where he concentrated on litigation, Keith entered the real estate title and settlement business in early 2005.  He quickly built a reputation as a trusted resource, educator and advisor to the real estate community on real estate transactions and related matters.  Keith has conducted in excess of 5,000 real estate settlements, while also teaching a wide range of seminars and classes across Northern Virginia, including at NVAR, DAAR, individual brokerages, lending offices, sales meetings, tradeshows and business retreats.  Keith has also shared his real estate and business knowledge on podcasts, radio and for the Virginia Land Title Association.

Keith is a licensed attorney in Virginia, New York, Connecticut and D.C., a licensed title agent, and a Virginia Real Estate Board approved instructor.  He serves as Chairman of the Northern Virginia Area Association of Realtors (“NVAR”) Attorney Roundtable Committee, is a member of the Virginia Bar Association Real Estate Section, serves on the Virginia Bar Association Real Estate Council, served on the NVAR Forms Committee for 8 years, including as Past Chairman and is on the Board of Directors for Loudoun Habitat for Humanity.

Education:
Hofstra University School of Law, JD, 1997.
State University of New York at Albany, BA, 1994.

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Sean Everhart, Esq.

Attorney

Sean is an experienced attorney who counsels clients in various real estate related transactional matters. 

Sean is an experienced attorney who counsels clients in various real estate related transactional matters. After working five years in insurance and corporate recovery, Sean has focused his practice primarily on residential and commercial real estate transactions and the management of settlement and title agency office operations.

Sean A. Everhart graduated with a B.S. degree in Psychology and Philosophy from Randolph-Macon College in 1990 and from the T.C. Williams School of Law at the University of Richmond in 1995.

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Sonia Downard, Esq.

Attorney

Sonia has spent the majority of her 20+ year legal career as a real estate attorney and has extensive experience with both residential and commercial real estate transactions.

SONIA DOWNARD, ESQ.

Sonia has spent the majority of her 20+ year legal career as a real estate attorney and has extensive experience with both residential and commercial real estate transactions.  She is a trusted advisor to the real estate community in Northern Virginia and provides sound guidance to Vesta Settlements.  Sonia is a past Chair of NVAR’s Attorney Roundtable and frequently teaches various real estate topics at the Dulles Area Association of Realtors.  In her free time, Sonia enjoys cooking, baseball, and spending time with her husband Michael and their chihuahua Dio.   

Sonia graduated with a Finance degree from American University in 1999 and from George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School in 2002.

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John A. Maghamez, Esq.

Attorney

John A. Maghamez, Esq. joined Barrett & Everhart PLLC in 2019 and is the Legal Counsel and Branch Manager for the Vesta Settlements operations in Richmond.

JOHN A. MAGHAMEZ, ESQ.

John A. Maghamez, Esq. joined Barrett & Everhart PLLC in 2019 and is the Legal Counsel and Branch Manager for the Vesta Settlements operations in Richmond. John earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia in 2012. He played offensive line for the University of Virginia Football team where he lettered and helped led them to the Chik-Fil-A Bowl in his final collegiate game. John graduated from UVA as a member of the Dean’s List each semester as well as the Student Athlete Honor Roll. 

John received his law degree from Liberty University School of Law in 2015, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude. John served as the Student Development Editor for the Liberty University Law Review Journal. His 65-page law review article An All-Encompassing Primer on Student-Athlete Name, Image, and Likeness Rights and How O'Bannon v. NCAA and Keller v. NCAA Forever Changed College Athletics was published in May 2015. While at Liberty Law, John won the National Negotiation Competition and was a finalist in the Liberty Law School 1L Moot Court Competition. 

John’s passion for real estate runs deep. John graduated with a real estate law "concentration" while in law school and has practiced real estate law the entirety of his legal career. From title insurance defense litigation to real estate litigation to managing settlement companies, he has covered the gamut of all things real estate. Outside of his legal career, John invests in real estate as well and believes it to be the best wealth-building asset we have in this great country. 

John is married to his significantly better half Kiána and they have two adorable little girls Mía and Capri who both have their daddy wrapped around their little fingers. John is a lifelong Virginia native who has lived in essentially every area of the state and loves everything about the Old Dominion. John can rarely have a conversation without bringing up sports or sports analogies as he enjoys anything played with a ball and loves to compete. John is a born-again Christian and in his free time enjoys anything with his family, being an active member of his church, hanging with the boys, and did we mention sports?

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Rob Ulmer, Esq.

Attorney

Rob joined Barrett & Everhart, PLLC with seven years prior experience in real estate.He worked with several title and settlement companies in Northern Virginia.

ROB ULMER, ESQ.

Rob joined Barrett & Everhart, PLLC with seven years prior experience in real estate. He worked with several title and settlement companies in Northern Virginia and managed a real estate title office in Bethesda. Rob has experience closing transactions across the region and has experience as a Realtor, enabling him to empathize and anticipate the needs of agents during transactions. He holds a title license in Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. 

His first career was a Capitol Hill staffer, and he enjoys keeping up with international news and current events. Rob also enjoys bike riding, going to the gym, and trying new restaurants.  While Rob is always up for travel to faraway places, most weekends he enjoys visiting friends and relatives nearby in the mountains of Virginia and West Virginia, along the Chesapeake Bay or the Delaware shore.  Originally from Wilmington, Delaware, Rob currently lives in Washington, DC with his two energetic and ornery rescue cats.

Rob graduated from American University Washington College of Law and is barred in Washington, D.C., Maryland and New Jersey. He earned his B.A. from Elizabethtown College in 1994.

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