Howard A. Birmiel, a Brooklyn Native, attended Brooklyn Technical High School and received his Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering from City College of New York in 1970.  He earned his J.D. from the University of Baltimore in 1975, while employed by the Patent and Trademark Office as a patent examiner.  He has practiced law in various general practice areas since graduation, establishing himself as a well-known practitioner in real estate, small business, and bankruptcy matters in northern Virginia.  In addition to extensive real estate conveyance and title work, and small business transactions, Howard regularly practices in civil matters in related areas in the General District and Circuit Courts in northern Virginia and other areas of the state, and the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia.  He has also handled appellate cases to the Virginia Supreme Court and argued before the Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.  He is a member of the Virginia State Bar and the Virginia Trial Lawyers Association.    

In addition to his extensive knowledge of real estate matters, Howard became quite familiar with consumer real estate matters on the federal level when he chaired the Coalition to Retain Independent Services in Settlements in 1992.  He is also a director of the Virginia Real Estate Attorneys League.  He has testified before committees of Congress, before HUD, and before committees of the Virginia Legislature regarding consumer interests in real estate transactions, and is well regarded by his colleagues for his expertise in those areas.  In residential real estate closings, Howard's office staff of settlement processing, legal assistants, and title personnel are highly regarded in northern Virginia real estate transactions and have a reputation for getting the job done right the first time.