THE ADVOCATE Page 1 December 2018

THE ADVOCATE

Newsletter of The Baltimore County Bar Association

Inside This Edition

Bench/Bar Update Pg 6

Calendar of Events Pg 3

Cavanaugh Portrait Pg 11

Civics & Law Academy Pg 18

Committee News Pg 28 Court Notices Pg 4

Criminal Law Update Pg 16

District Ct Assignments Pg 4

Family Law Dinner Pg 19

In Chambers With… Pg 12

Member Ads Pg 46

Memorial Serrvice Pg 22

National Adoption Day Pg 20

Portrait Committee Pg 24

Save the Date flyer Pg 23

Wine & Whiskey Pg 14

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

by Rebecca A. Fleming

VOLUME XXVIII, NO. 6 December 2018

WINES AND WHISKEY

I know that Wendy Meadows

wrote a great article about the

Wines and Whiskey event, and I

certainly do not want to step on her

toes, but I must take this

opportunity to personally thank the

event committee; Julie Landau,

Leanne Schrecengost, Mary

Sanders, Craig Borchers, and

Wendy. The event was fantastic

and we raised over Twelve

Thousand Dollars for the

American Foundation for Suicide

Prevention. That number does not

include the ten percent of the wine

and whiskey sales that Jenny

Bradley from Bradley’s Wine &

Spirits will also be donating. As I

write this, our members continue

to make purchases because Jenny

has graciously agreed to continue

to offer us the great prices on the

wines and whiskeys that were

offered at the event through the

end of November. So, the total

amount that we raised will

continue to grow. I am amazed by

the generosity of our sponsors, and

Multi-Specialty Healthcare

everyone who purchased a ticket,

purchased wine or whiskey, or

purchased raffle tickets at the

event. While we always want our

events to be well attended, I must

say that this event was attended by

some of the best that that this bar

association has to offer. I enjoyed

the opportunity to spend time with

so many of my favorite members.

If you did not attend this year, you

should consider attending next

year, because you really missed

quite an evening.

A MERRY, HAPPY EVERYTHING

TO EVERYONE!

Those who know me well, know

that this is my favorite time of

year. I watch ‘It’s A Wonderful

Life’ more often than anyone

should. It is the only movie I have

purchased through Fios, so it is on

my television and I have been

known to pull it up and hit “play”

in the middle of the summer.

Continued on page 2

THE ADVOCATE Page 2 December 2018

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE by Rebecca A. Fleming

My children understand that, although I watch it

more often between Thanksgiving and Christmas, I

do not consider it to be a Christmas movie, because

the message is not really connected to Christmas –

that all of us have an impact on this world; that we

receive blessings from, and are a blessing to, more

people than we realize; and that we should

appreciate what we have and the life that we live.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish

everyone a Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah,

and a Happy Kwanzaa. Growing up on Long

Island with dark, curly hair and a first name like

‘Rebecca’ people assumed I was Jewish and

therefore, I was often wished a Happy Hanukkah.

This Catholic girl has always thanked those who

wished me a Happy Hanukkah. I do not celebrate it

in my home, but I have celebrated it in the home of

friends. And, honestly, I DO want to have a Happy

Hanukkah, and a Happy Kwanzaa. I will take both,

along with my Merry Christmas. I want all of my

days to be happy, whether I am celebrating a

holiday or not. I have never understood why

anyone would find offense in being wished a happy

day, no matter what the day was, or the reason for

the well wishes. I hope that everyone reading this

(and those who have already bypassed me and

skipped to the calendar insert!) have a Merry

Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah, and a Happy

Kwanzaa. I also hope you have a Happy Boxing

Day. I notice that holiday appears on my (paper)

calendar every year. I looked it up this year, and it

derives from a time when British servants helped the

Lords and Ladies with Christmas dinner and literally

took home boxes and had the next day off. Now it is

more of Canada, England and Australia’s version of

Black Friday. Enjoy Boxing Day! If I missed a

holiday in there, well then, I hope that day goes well

for you, too.

This season is something that we can all share,

regardless of the holiday that each one of us is

celebrating. While the holidays are secular for some,

and deeply spiritual for others, this season is a time

that we all celebrate with family and friends. I hope

that this holiday season leaves each of you feeling

like you are in the ending scene of “It’s A Wonderful

Life.”

I also hope to see many of you at the BCBA Annual

Holiday Party, which will take place at Towson

Tavern on December 6, 2018 from 5:00 p.m. until

8:00 p.m.

And remember: no person is a failure who has

friends.

Rebecca A. Fleming, Esquire

BCBA President, 2018-2019

The Baltimore County Bar Association Nominations Committee is now accepting letters of interest for the

Executive Council At-Large vacancy. A letter of interest should be addressed to the Nominations Committee,

c/o Baltimore County Bar Association, 100 County Courts Building, 401 Bosley Avenue, Towson, Maryland

21204. Letters of interest should include a professional resume, a list of bar association activities, committee

involvement and leadership positions and any additional information the applicant would like the Nominations

Committee to consider. Deadline for submissions is December 31, 2018, 4:30 p.m. Letters can also be

submitted via email to rruocco@bcba.org.

EXECUTIVE COUNCIL VACANCY

DEADLINE for submitting Letter of Interest is December 31, 2018

THE ADVOCATE Page 3 December 2018

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

December 2018 4. Family Law, 12pm, Grand Jury Room, Tracing of

Marital Assets

4. Pro Bono Committee Meeting, 5pm, Women’s Law

Center, 305 W. Chesapeake Ave, Towson

5. Young Lawyers Holiday Lunch & Toy Drive, 12pm,

Circuit Court, Ground Floor Lobby

6. Holiday Party, 5pm, Towson Tavern, 516 York Rd

11. Memorial Service, 3:30pm, Ceremonial Courtroom #5

12. Lawyer in the Lobby Clinic, 4:30 -6:30pm

12. Historical Committee Meeting, 5pm, Grand Jury Room

13. Bench/Bar Committee Meeting, 8am, 4th floor

Judicial Conference Room

14. Portrait Unveiling for Judge Dana M. Levitz,

3:30pm, Circuit Court, 3rd floor courtroom TBD

18. Estates & Trusts Committee Holiday Party, 12pm

24-Jan 1 Bar Office Closed

January 2019 1. Courts and Bar Office Closed

8. Family Law, 12pm, Grand Jury Room, ACES Test of

Effects of Trauma

9. MDEC Training, 4pm, Circuit Court, Courtroom TBD

9. Lawyer in the Lobby Clinic, 4:30—6:30 p.m.

10. Bench/Bar Committee Meeting, 8am, 4th floor Judicial

Conference Room

21. Courts and Bar Office Closed

22. Estates & Trusts, 5pm, Grand Jury Room, Ethical

Consideration in the Representation of Clients with

Diminished Capacity

23. Young Lawyers, 5pm, Grand Jury Room, Growing Your

Practice

28. MDEC Registration, 9am—3:30pm, Circuit Court Law

Library

29. MDEC Registration, 9am—3:30pm, Essex District Court

30. MDEC Registration, 9am—3:30pm, Catonsvil le District

Court

31. 97th Black Tie Banquet, 6pm, Martin’s Valley Mansion ,

594 Cranbrook Rd, Cockeysville

2018-19 Officers

Executive Council

John G. Turnbull III Lisa Y. Sett les

Sondra M. Douglas

Richard Grason VI Robert K. Erdman, Jr.

Tyler J. Nowicki

Adam T. Sampson,

Immediate Past President

Craig R. Borchers, Young Lawyers Chair

The Advocate Ari J. Kodeck

Committee Chair

Adam E. Konstas

Committee Vice -Chair

Contributing Writers

Michael Barranco

Craig R. Borchers

Thomas Bostwick

Suzanne K. Farace

Daniel Mayer

Wendy S. Meadows

Jasmine Pope

Laurie Wasserman

Matt Wyman

The Advocate is a monthly publication of the Baltimore County Bar Association informing its members about current events relating to law. Articles do not necessarily reflect the official position of the BCBA and publication does not constitute an endorsement of views expressed. The contents of advertisements are the responsibility of the advertisers and are not recommendations or endorsements by The Advocate. Publication deadline: 10th of the month preceding publication.

President

Pres-Elect

Secretary

Treasurer

Rebecca A. Fleming

Michael W. Siri

Jay D. Miller

Stanford G. Gann, Jr.

THE ADVOCATE Page 4 December 2018

COURT NOTICES

There will be an MDEC Go-Live Presentation

offered by Chief Judge John P. Morrissey of the

District Court of MD. The training will be held

on Wednesday, January 9th at 4:00 p.m. in the

Circuit Court for Baltimore County. Due to space

availability, registration is required. Please visit

our website at www.bcba.org to register or CLICK

HERE.

There will be multiple MDEC Registrations Fairs

offered in Baltimore County to any attorneys who

have not yet registered for electronic filing. The

Registration Fairs are as follows:

Monday, January 28, 2019, 9:00 a.m.—3:30 p.m.

in the Circuit Court Law Library

Tuesday, January 29, 2019, 9:00 a.m.—3:30 p.m.

at Essex District Court

Wednesday, January 30, 9:00 a.m.—3:30 p.m. at

Catonsville District Court.

THE ADVOCATE Page 5 December 2018

NOTICE TO THE BAR—CHRISTMAS VISITATION DISPUTES By Hon. Ruth Ann Jakubowski

The Family Law Judges, Judges Cox, Cavanaugh,

Nagle, Alexander, King and Truffer will be

available to consider Christmas visitation disputes

from Monday, November 19, 2018 through

Wednesday, December 19, 2018.

Only cases that have an ORDER in place on

custody/visitation are eligible for Christmas

visitation dispute resolution.

To obtain intervention of the Court, contact Abigail

Cohen, Family and Civil Case Manager, by email at

abigail.cohen@mdcourts.gov, or by Fax at 410-296-

2362.

The following information should be provided, in

writing, to Ms. Cohen:

1. Name of the Case

2. Case Number

3. What the last order, if any, states with regard

to visitation

MDEC FAQ’s

FAQ’s and important information regarding e-filing can be found on the Judiciary’s website: http://

www.mdcourts.gov/mdec/efiling.html

MDEC Policies and Procedures: http://mdcourts.gov/mdec/pdfs/manualh5.pdf

Register and e-file (File and Serve): https://maryland.tylerhost.net/

Register and view cases remotely (Secure Portal): https://mdecportal.courts.state.md.us/

MDODYSSEYPORTAL

Our vendor (Tyler Technologies) technical support line: 800-297-5377 (Monday through Friday, 8

am – 10 pm)

Maryland Judiciary Service Desk: mdcourts@service-now.com

4. Name and telephone number of attorney or

party on the other side

5. What efforts (stating facts) you have made

to reach an agreement with the other side.

6. The specifics of what you are requesting as

relief

7. The specifics of what the other side has

offered, if anything

Ms. Cohen will review the file to determine the

appropriate handling to include mediation or

referral to a Family Law Judge. If mediation is

unsuccessful, the case will then be referred to a

Family Law Judge for further handling. Once you

are assigned a Judge, you may contact the Judge’s

chambers on the next business day.

If a case has been filed along with a response but

no custody Order is in place, then the parties may

contact the Office of Mediation at 410-887-6570 to

schedule a mediation session on the issue of

holiday access.

THE ADVOCATE Page 6 December 2018

BENCH/BAR UPDATE by Suzanne K. Farace

The October meeting of the Bench/Bar Committee

took place on October 11, 2018. The Meeting was

called to Order by Vice Chairperson, Christopher

Nicholson, at 8:04 a.m.

In attendance were: Christopher Nicholson, Judge

William Somerville, Harry Chase, Magistrate Judge

Wendy Schenker, Mary Roby Sanders, Judge Dorothy

J. Wilson, Gregory Gaskins, Scott Shellenberger,

Donald Zaremba, Bruce Friedman, Julie Ensor, Judge

Kathleen Gallogly Cox, Leonard Shapiro, Debra Cruz,

Administrative Law Judge William Evans, Jennifer

Aist, Suzanne Farace, Debra Thomas, Maria Fields,

Stephanie Medina, Laurie Wasserman, Raphael

Santini, Rebecca Fleming, and Carl Gold.

Reporting for the Circuit Court, Administrative Judge

Kathleen Cox reported that Stephanie Medina has

joined the court as the Deputy Court Administrator

(coming from the Circuit Court for Baltimore City),

replacing Richard Abbott. In addition, Annamaria

Walsh has joined the Office of Family Mediation as the

new Director, replacing Wendy Sawyer.

Tim Sheridan, Circuit Court Administrator, reported

that both Circuit and District Court are readying for

MDEC which launches in Baltimore County on

February 19, 2019. In January and February, everyone

in the courthouse, including the Judges and the clerks,

will be going to seminars offsite for training. Tyler

Technologies will be offering trainings for members of

the Bar as well. The Courtrooms will all be equipped

for MDEC, but Judge Bailey’s Courtroom will also be

fully equipped with monitors. The Plaza Project

should be completed by Thanksgiving.

Julie Ensor, the Clerk of the Circuit Court, reported

that they are in the process of undergoing the data

conversion to MDEC, with very few issues. There are

five vacancies in the Clerk's office currently, so they

are a little behind in docketing. With the MDEC

testing being done on weekends, they are unable to

schedule overtime right now to get more current on the

docketing.

Reporting for the District Court, Administrative Judge

Dorothy Wilson reported that as of October 1, 2018,

the law has gone into effect regarding Extreme Risk

Protective Orders (ERPOs). Md. Ann. Code, Public

Safety Art., Sec. 5-603. They can be filed at the

District Court and are similar to Protective Orders

and Peace Orders. After hours, the Commissioners

will hear the matters. Law enforcement and health

care providers may bring these actions as can

private citizens. The Court in Towson has seen

several of these filings already, mostly from law

enforcement officers. The Court must find a

reasonable ground at the Temporary Hearing and

clear and convincing evidence to grant the Final

Order. Firearms must be surrendered to law

enforcement. The Order will not appear on the

public case search, and medical and psychiatric

records will be kept confidential, but these cases are

scheduled on the same docket as other Protective

Orders and Peace Orders and are held in open court.

This new law does not replace the procedure for

petitioning to hold a person who is a danger to

themselves or others; it is specific to danger caused

by firearms.

The Installment Payment Plan for traffic violations

issued by uniform citation also went into effect

October 1, 2018. Md. Ann. Code, Cts. & Jud. Proc.

Art., Sec. 7-504.1. If an individual is delinquent on

payment of fines in excess of $300, they may

request an installment plan. There are some

exceptions (such as camera tickets). The request

does not require that a Judge be involved but rather

people can deal directly with the Clerk’s Office.

The Clerk's office will communicate with the MVA

(such as if there is a suspension). However, the

MVA may still take action if there is another basis

(such as a points accumulation). In the event of a

suspension, there may still be a communication

timing lag, so if it is a court matter, attorneys may

still want to request deferred payments. A party

cannot combine circuit and district court fines and

costs.

The Catonsville Courthouse is progressing nicely

and it is scheduled for opening in the Summer,

2019.

Maria Fields, Administrative Clerk for the District

Court, reported that they are working hard on

MDEC and reducing dockets for the upcoming

transition. The court has seen an increase in the use

of copies of old subpoenas with Michael Esposito’s

THE ADVOCATE Page 7 December 2018

On behalf of the Bar Association of Baltimore City,

Harry Chase reported that the following

assignments are in effect:

Judge Melissa Phinn – Head of Criminal

Judge Kendra Ausby – Head of Family

Judge Lawrence Fletcher-Hill – Head of

Civil

Judge Emmanuel Brown – Head of Juvenile

The City Circuit Court is also increasing its

security.

On behalf of the Harford County Bar Association,

Deborah Schubert submitted a written report

regarding what was discussed at their last Bench/

Bar meeting on September 25th. There are some

issues with the consistency of the timing of the

emergency orders being granted in the Circuit

Court at the request of self-represented litigants

versus attorneys. Kim Fleming, the Chair of the

Harford County Bar Association, will request a

meeting with Judge Angela Eaves to discuss the

matter. Scheduling conferences are now being set

for January 15, 2019 or later. The small library on

Level A is now open. New entrances have been

built in for the Circuit Court and security has been

increased. By July 2019, Level B will be the Jury

Room area. There is no information on the

contested judicial election nor on the Governor's

appointment to fill the vacant bench seat.

.Laurie Wasserman, Chair of the Family Law

Committee, indicated that the Committee is off to a

busy and productive start of the year. There is a

dinner meeting scheduled for October 17th to

discuss the new tax laws and the effects on

resolving family law matters. On November 14th,

there is a dinner meeting on the Strategic Analysis

of Custody and Psychological Evaluations.

Continued on page 8

name on them. These subpoenas will be rejected by

the court, so be forewarned.

Becky Fleming, President of our Bar Association,

reported for the Executive Council that on the next

dues notice there will be a chance to choose whether

you wish to receive the Advocate as a digital copy or

a hard copy. The Bar Association is having a Pro

Bono Celebration on October 23rd at the law offices

of Pessin Katz. Steve Silverman, Esquire from

Owings Mills will be getting the award. Accepting

for him will be Bonnie Sullivan from MVLS. On

November 3rd, the Bar Association is fielding a team

for the Out Of Darkness Walk for Suicide Prevention

at Rash Field downtown. The Bar website has a

popup that will provide all of the information. You

can walk the two miles, donate, sponsor, etc. The

annual Wines and Whiskey event will be held on

November 8th at Maryvale Preparatory School.

There are still some sponsorships available. The Bar

Association's Memorial Service is scheduled for

November 15th at 3:30 p.m. in the Ceremonial

Courtroom, with a reception afterward. Members are

encouraged to come out and honor bar association

members who have passed away.

For the Office of Administrative Hearings, Judge

William Somerville indicated that this summer two

Administrative Law Judges have retired and a third

has announced their retirement. OAH advertised for

the vacancies and has received over 130 applicants.

Also, if you have an MVA hearing and are requesting

the introduction of body camera footage, you will

need to call the court ahead of time and advise them

so that the case may be specially set for one hour.

You will also need to bring the footage with you.

Lenny Shapiro, reporting for the Criminal Law

Committee, pointed out that when multiple citations

are given to a defendant, MDEC requires that an

attorney enter his or her appearance, file discovery

notices, etc. for each individual citation. The question

was asked as to whether there is any way to change

this requirement so that the filings can be grouped

together. Maria Fields indicated that she would

discuss the matter with the MDEC officials.

BENCH/BAR UPDATE by Suzanne K. Farace

THE ADVOCATE Page 8 December 2018

On November 27th at 5:00 p.m., as part of the Fall

Mini-Series on Special Challenges – Mental Health

Issues, there is an evening program on Identifying

Domestic Violence Issues with a panel of speakers.

Craig Borchers, Chair of the Young Lawyers

Committee, submitted a written report indicating that

there is a Happy Hour scheduled on November 25th at

The Point in Towson and that they are having their

annual Holiday Lunch and Toy Drive at the

courthouse on December 5th from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00

p.m.

Harry Chase, on behalf of the Portrait Committee, was

pleased to announce a first, that is, that we will have a

portrait unveiling of a Judge who will be present. On

October 22, 2018, Judge J. Norris Byrnes’ portrait

will be unveiled and on October 29, 2018, Judge

Patrick Cavanaugh’s portrait will be unveiled.

Additional portrait unveilings will be announced in

the near future.

The following committees did not have official

reports: the Baltimore County Office of Law, the

Magistrate Judges, the Orphan's Court (except that

Judge William Evans did indicate that MDEC did not

include that court), the Office of the State's Attorney,

and the Office of the Public Defender.

There was no old business discussed. The only new

business was to extend congratulations to our Bar

Association's former President, Robert J. Thompson,

for his recent appointment to the Circuit Court for

Anne Arundel County.

The meeting was adjourned at 8:48 a.m. The next

meeting will be held on November 8, 2018 at 8:00

a.m. at a location to be announced later.

BENCH BAR UPDATE continued By Suzanne K. Farace

THE ADVOCATE Page 9 December 2018

COUNTY COUNCIL UPDATE By Thomas Bostwick

Greetings! The members of the Baltimore County

Council are grateful for the opportunity to update

the County Bar on the activities of our County’s

legislative body. Your seven member County

Council serves as the independent Legislative

Branch of County government. The Council meets

year-round, generally in bi-monthly Legislative

Sessions (held at night) and bi-monthly Work

Sessions (held during the day). All proceedings are

open to the public, and the Legislative Session is

broadcast on BCTV (Comcast & Verizon channel

25). The Council’s Website at

www.baltimorecountycouncil.org provides helpful

information as well.

At its Legislative Session on November 19, 2018,

the County Council approved the following:

Bill 84-18 – TIGER Grant – The Council approved

a supplemental appropriation of federal funds

totaling $20 million to the TIGER (Transportation

Investment Generating Economic Recovery

program) Grant Gifts and Grants Fund program.

These federal grant funds will be used to support

port upgrades and infrastructure improvements at

the Tradepoint Atlantic site in Sparrows Point,

which include upgrading rail connections to allow

direct transfer of cargo from shipping vessels to rail

or trucks, implementing changes to facilitate transfer

of liquid commodities, strengthening bulkheads,

undertaking maintenance dredging to allow deep

water vessels access to the marine terminal, and

providing general site improvements. The $20

million TIGER grant requires a $30.5 million

private match, which Tradepoint Marine

Development, LLC will provide. No County

matching funds are required.

Bill 92-18 – Open Space Fees – In 2016, the Council

approved Bill 73-16, which comprehensively revised

Section 32-6-108 of the County Code, dealing with

the provision of open space and the authorization for

developers to pay a fee in certain cases instead of

providing open space. The law provides that if it is

not feasible for a developer to meet open space

requirements, the developer shall pay a fee to

Baltimore County to be used in the same

Councilmanic district where the development is

located. Twenty percent of the cash fee collected is to

be allocated to NeighborSpace, which is a non-profit

that works with the County and communities to

protect and improve land for parks, gardens, trails and

natural areas within Baltimore County's Urban Rural

Demarcation Line (URDL). Currently,

NeighborSpace may use 30% of the allocated funds

for operating costs. The law also requires

NeighborSpace to file an annual report with the

County Auditor detailing the use of its allocated

funds. Because much of the land NeighborSpace

acquires is through donations rather than purchases,

the use of its allocated funds needs to shift to

maintenance of those properties and additional

programming associated with its open space mission.

Hence, Bill 92-18 removes the 30% ceiling on its use

of waiver fees for operating costs, though the Council

will continue to monitor the use of those funds

through the annual report with the County Auditor.

THE ADVOCATE Page 10 December 2018

On November 1st, the BCBA Young Lawyers

Section and MSBA Young Lawyers Section -

Membership Committee teamed up to host the latest

in a long tradition of Chamber Chats at the Circuit

Court. For this installment, Judge Justin King and

Judge Colleen Cavanaugh met with a small group

attorneys and law clerks over a delicious spread of

sandwiches and cookie from Cunningham’s Café. A

special thanks to the MSBA YLS Membership

Committee for sponsoring the event which provided

the lunch and allowed for the program to be free to

members.

This Chamber Chat, like the many before, offered a

wonderful opportunity for members of the bar to

speak casually and informally with the judges and get

to know them on a more personal level. As one

would expect, Judge King and Judge Cavanaugh

were such gracious guests who offered invaluable

YOUNG LAWYERS CHAMBER CHAT By Craig R. Borchers

advice and insight based from not only their

experience on the bench, but also their extensive

careers prior to taking the bench.

The conversation ranged from civility and

preparation to work/life balance and even the

Judges’ memories from their experience on the

election trail. One will never go wrong paying

attention to, and implementing, the various best-

practice tips that were highlighted that afternoon.

We cannot thank Judge King and Judge Cavanaugh

enough for giving of their time and sharing their

experiences and advice.

Please keep an eye out for future Chamber Chats

coming in 2019. We welcome lawyers, young and

old, to join us in these invaluable and fun Chats.

THE ADVOCATE Page 11 December 2018

JUDICIAL PORTRAIT UNVEILING FOR JUDGE PATRICK CAVANAUGH By Ari Kodeck

On October 29, 2018, the Baltimore County Bar

Association continued its new tradition of honoring

living retired judges by unveiling the portrait of retired

Circuit Court Judge Patrick Cavanaugh. Judge Patrick

Cavanaugh appeared proud as one of his daughters,

Judge Colleen Cavanaugh, gave remarks from the

bench to a packed courtroom. Attended by many

friends, family, fellow jurists and members of the bar,

sitting Judge Cavanaugh delivered heartfelt and joyful

remarks.

Harry Chase opened the ceremony by stating that he

enjoyed practicing before Judge Cavanaugh before

turning to Judge Colleen Cavanaugh to deliver the

response from the bench.

Judge Colleen Cavanaugh noted that her father taught

her the humanity of the law and the importance of

treating all litigants with empathy and compassion.

Raising three daughters prepared retired Judge

Cavanaugh for his time on the bench, instilling patience

and adaptability. He brought a common sense, albeit

hard and “hammer-like” ethics to the bench, and his

sheer enjoyment of people was evident in his approach.

Judge Patrick Cavanaugh thanked the artist, Katherine

Meredith for her superb efforts and liked the enhanced

hairline in the portrait. He thanked his first law clerk

Kevin Lawlor and several other law clerks, including

our own Robert K. Erdman, Jr., David M. Stallings and

David F. Luby, his secretary of twenty-eight years in

private practice, Dayle Gifford and his judicial assistant

Sandy Clisham. All three daughters attended, coming

from as far as South Carolina, as well as five

grandchildren (out of 8!). We look forward to seeing

Judge Patrick Cavanaugh’s portrait grace the walls of

the Circuit Court.

THE ADVOCATE Page 12 December 2018

IN CHAMBERS WITH

THE HONORABLE KEITH R. TRUFFER by Michael S. Barranco

The Honorable Keith R.

Truffer has served as

Associate Judge in the

Circuit Court for Baltimore

County since February 11,

2016. He was born in

Baltimore, Maryland,

received his Bachelor of

Arts from Mount St. Mary's University in 1978

(graduating cum laude) and received his Juris

Doctor degree from the University of Baltimore

School of Law in 1982. He then served as law clerk

to the Honorable John E. Raine Jr. before beginning

his long career in private practice with the law firm

of Royston, Mueller, McLean & Reid LLP, where

was a partner from 1990 until being appointed to

the Circuit Court.

When asked what he enjoys the most about serving

as a Circuit Court judge, he said many things came

to mind. One aspect he particularly enjoys is

interacting with lawyers and litigants in ways to

help streamline the litigation and trial process.

“One of the roles of a judge is to make the trial of a

case less stressful and more efficient.” He also

finds it satisfying when litigants leave his

courtroom knowing they were given an opportunity

to be heard. Judge Truffer believes that win or

lose, it is important that “people feel like they were

listened to by the judge.”

In terms of what he considers the most challenging

part of being a Circuit Court judge, Judge Truffer

noted that criminal sentencing decisions involve a

multitude of factors that judges are called upon to

weigh, including the many sentencing options and

alternatives that are available. He believes that

few lawyers, except those heavily engaged in the

field of criminal law, have a full appreciation of the

complexity and demands of this process. However,

Judge Truffer says that he was pleasantly surprised at

how quickly he was able to transition from private

practice to the role of the judge. “I learned something

about myself — that I was able to assimilate easier than

I had imagined.”

Judge Truffer’s advice to young lawyers is to try to find

points of agreement with opposing counsel. “It is

always easy to disagree. The challenge is to try to find

things to agree upon and to stipulate to those points of

agreement.” Judge Truffer believes there are several

reasons to make this effort. “First, you look competent

to the judge by streamlining and getting to the true

issues in the case. Secondly, making the effort helps

you focus on your case and understand it better before

going to court. It may put the case in a different light.

Thirdly, having this conversation sets up a vehicle to

resolve a case overall.” Judge Truffer encourages

lawyers to talk and listen to one another, both in court

and out of court. “The hardest part of lawyering is

good listening” but Judge Truffer believes that if you

develop this skill you will be a better lawyer and obtain

better results for your clients.

In difficult child custody cases, Judge Truffer

occasionally utilizes a unique technique to try to

resolve disputes. After obtaining the full consent of all

parties and attorneys, he speaks to each of the parties

individually in the privacy of his chambers. He lets

the parties have their say and engages in “active

listening.” He finds that more often than not, once the

parties have “said their peace” they are more open to

resolving the issues. “Every person has a story to tell,

and they just want to tell it.” Also, by speaking to the

parties privately in his chambers rather than taking

testimony in open court, this avoids the “wounds and

scars” that often results if the testimony turns personal

and hostile. Judge Truffer observed that when it comes

to the issue of child custody issues, “it is not about

winners and losers, it is about the care and welfare of

THE ADVOCATE Page 13 December 2018

IN CHAMBERS WITH

THE HONORABLE KEITH R. TRUFFER by Michael S. Barranco

the children.”

If you have appeared before Judge Truffer recently,

you might have noticed that his right arm is in a

sling, due to recent surgery on his shoulder. Judge

Truffer injured his shoulder pursuing one of his

greatest passions outside the courtroom—that is

pick-up basketball. For many years he has played

with different groups, at times driving a long

distance to other counties to reach the game. When

pressed to rate his skills, he conceded that he

considers himself to be a good ball handler, shooter

and defender. Besides the love of the sport, he

enjoys the social aspect of the competition.

For many years Judge Truffer has been very active

in both the Baltimore County Bar Association and

the Maryland State Bar Association, serving in

various leadership positions and on many

committees. For years he wrote a monthly feature in

The Advocate on the subject of professionalism, and

in 2006 he was awarded the J. Earle Plumhoff Award.

In June of this year Judge Truffer was installed as the

125th President of the Maryland State Bar

Association. Much has been written already about

Judge Truffer’s initiatives with the MSBA this year.

Nevertheless, he hopes one of the hallmarks of his

tenure is the formation of a Strategic Vision

Committee to help guide the long-term priorities of

the MSBA. Judge Truffer is also seeking to enhance

lawyer well-being and lawyer assistance programs, in

particular promoting a greater awareness of mental

health issues, depression and alcohol and drug abuse

issues which afflict many of Maryland’s lawyers,

judges, and law students. Although there are many

demands on his time, Judge Truffer says he is grateful

for the opportunity to serve the MSBA.

Editor's Note: Each judge profiled is asked a set of questions. Judge Truffer’s answers are as follows:

Favorite Restaurant(s): Tommy’s Pizza in Gettysburg

Pet Peeve: Incivility

Favorite Sports Team(s): Ravens/Orioles

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Chocolate

Favorite type of music or Artist: Rock, country, blues, swing, reggae

Station on your car radio right now: Sirius - Coffeehouse

Guilty pleasure: Ice cream

Favorite Charity: Believe in Tomorrow Children’s Foundation

Favorite Book: Truman by David McCullough

Favorite movie: To Kill a Mockingbird

Travel destination still on bucket list: Italy

If you could meet one person, living or

dead, who would you want to meet: Abraham Lincoln

If you had not gone into the law,

what profession would you choose: MLB closer (talent notwithstanding)

Member of the Baltimore County Bar

who has passed he misses the most: Richard Ayres “Dick” Reid

THE ADVOCATE Page 14 December 2018

Nearly 100 members of the Baltimore County Bar

Association gathered together on Thursday,

November 8, 2016, one of the first cold nights in

November, to enjoy an evening full of wine and

whiskey and fundraise for the American Foundation

for Suicide Prevention. Guests were greeted by the

cool strings of smooth jazz as they filtered in,

courtesy of the Just Friends ensemble. Music,

dressy attire, good food, and drinks leant to a truly

festive atmosphere and it became clear this was the

first holiday event of the season!

The wine lovers had a true plethora of wine to

choose from (29!!), ranging from sparkling, to dry,

to smooth. The 19 Crimes Winery was especially

popular (and if you bought a bottle, be sure to

download the app to learn about the crime

committed on the label of your bottle!), as was the

Llama Malbec. Guests who were really lucky had

the opportunity to sample and buy “the

Veuve.” Whiskey lovers also had amazing

choices. Of note, Bradley’s Wine and Spirits served

a very limited bottle of Whistle Pig, “The Boss

Hog,” valued at $599.99 a bottle. While some

attendees did not the grit to truly appreciate it, those

that did were given a very special treat of an extra

pour. All guests had the opportunity to purchase

wines and whiskey at heavily discounted prices, just

in time for all of their holiday meals. Everyone

ended the evening gorging themselves on the

amazing chocolates provided by Kirchmayr

Chocolatier.

This year, our annual fundraiser benefitted The

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

Melanie Varady, from AFSP greeted the crowd and

discussed the interrelation of depression and suicide

and talked about the benefits of self-care to help aid

in the prevention of suicide. She also urged

everyone to capture the National Suicide Prevention

Hotline Number in their phone so any of could share

it at any time. 1-800-273-TALK.

Sponsors for the event made this evening possible:

Bradley’s Wine and Spirits

Kirchmayr Chocolatier

Law Offices of Leon Berg, PA.

PK Law

Zest Social Media Solutions

The Law Offices of Julie Ellen Landau

Turnbull, Nicholson & Sanders, P.A.

Arfaa Law Group

Zuckerman Spaeder, LLP

Kollman & Saucier, P.A.

Smith, Gildea & Schmidt

Venable, LLP

The Law Office of David Ellin

Bodie, Dolina, Hobbs, Friddell & Grenzer, P.C.

The Law Office of Peter Angelos

Berger Burns

Hooper & Jacobs, LLC

Bowie & Jensen, LLC

Byte Right Support

Law Offices of Friedman & Friedman, LLP

Glass Jacobson Financial Group

Heisler, Williams & Lazzaro, LLC

Herman, Sessa & Dorsey, LLC

Royston, Mueller, McLean & Reid, LLP

Katz Abosch

Amy Mazer, LCSW-C

Mudd, Harrison & Burch, LLP

Law Office of Laurie M. Wasserman

Gordon Feinblatt, LLC

WINE & WHISKEY FUNDRAISER By Wendy S. Meadows

THE ADVOCATE Page 15 December 2018

WINE & WHISKEY FUNDRAISER By Wendy S. Meadows

THE ADVOCATE Page 16 December 2018

Defendant had the ability to pay any type of cash

bail. Each had sporadic employment, and minimal

means. Both Defendants filed writs of habeas corpus

to the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, and each was

summarily denied without a hearing. Bradds and

Hill both appealed that denial.

The Court of Special Appeals reversed the Circuit

Court’s decision to deny bail, and granted a new

hearing on the matters. The Court held that under

the 2017 modifications to the rules on cash bails,

they were required to consider other less restrictive

means, and the Defendants’ ability to pay, which

they clearly could not in this case, essentially making

the $25,000 and $50,000 bails respectively “No

Bail” cases.

The Circuit Court may have decided to hold the

Defendants without bail in light of their prior

records, the dangerousness of their crimes, or their

perceived flight risk. A cash bail however is only to

be used to ensure the Defendants’ appearance, not to

prevent their release. No word on whether either one

is still incarcerated at this point.

State of Maryland v. Travis Sanders, No. 2742,

September Term 2015, filed

September 4, 2018. Opinion by Reed, J.

The Sanders case primarily deals with health

benefits, but in relation to a Defendant’s

commitment in a criminal case. Because of that

relation, I will briefly summarize the case here, but

as always, I advise reading the full opinion if this is

an issue you should happen to encounter.

Sanders was charged with several sexual offenses in

Baltimore County. He entered a plea of Not

Criminally Responsible. He was then found to be

incompetent to stand trial, and a danger to himself

and others. As such, he was remanded to the care of

CRIMINAL LAW UPDATE By Matt Wyman

Ronald Baez v. State of

Maryland, No. 351,

September Term 2017, filed

August

31, 2018. Opinion by Raker,

J.

Baez was driving a vehicle in Prince George’s

County that was stopped for having an illegal

(beyond 35%) tint. Baez did not dispute the level of

the tint, but argued that the police lacked probable

cause to conduct a traffic stop because his vehicle

was registered in Virginia, where the tint would

have been legal. The Circuit Court denied Baez’s

motion to suppress the stop, which led to his

conviction for various drug offenses stemming from

the almost 800 grams of marijuana found in the

vehicle.

The Court of Special Appeals affirmed the

conviction. The Court noted in their decision that if

the police have a reasonable, articulable suspicion

that the vehicle is violating the traffic law, they can

stop the vehicle regardless of where it is registered.

The state argued both that the police have a right to

stop based on unsafe conditions, and to investigate

further.

Aaron Bradds & Samuel Hill v. Dionne Randolph,

Warden, Nos. 77 & 78,

September Term 2018, filed September 28, 2018.

Opinion by Nazarian, J.

This is an important case dealing with bail reviews

that often tend to get denied without a hearing in

neighboring jurisdictions. The Defendants were

arrested on several theft and burglary related

charges. They were each given a cash bail by the

commissioner which neither could afford. Each

went before a District Court Judge the following day

and had their bails further increased. Neither

THE ADVOCATE Page 17 December 2018

CRIMINAL LAW UPDATE By Matt Wyman

the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

through the Spring Grove Hospital.

While at Spring Grove, the Defendant applied for

assistance through Developmental Disabilities

Administration (“DDA”) services. He was denied

these services. During a further competency hearing,

the Defendant argued he was improperly denied these

services, and the Circuit Court agreed, ordering the

services through the DDA.

The appeal involves whether the Circuit Court had the

authority to order the Defendant to be eligible to

receive DDA Services. The Court held that while the

Court has authority to order the Defendant to be held,

and to receive services necessary to restore his

competency and ensure his safety, it lacks the

authority to order further services through the

Department.

John Schlick v. State of Maryland, No. 1376,

September Term 2017, filed

September 20, 2018. Opinion by Raker, J.

Schlick filed a Post-Conviction in Baltimore City

alleging ineffective assistance of counsel for failure

to file a Motion for Modification of Sentence

within 90 days of his conviction. He won, and the

Court offered the remedy of allowing him to file

the belated motion at that time. That motion was

filed, within five years of the original sentencing

date, however the hearing was not held until after

five years. At the hearing the Court agreed with the

State that it now lacked authority to hear the motion

as the statutory time had passed.

The Court of Appeals reversed the Circuit Court’s

decision. In this case, since the matter was a

subject of a Post-Conviction, which has a ten year

time frame, there is a clear conflict with the five

year requirement for a Modification of Sentence.

Thus, the Court has the discretion to hear the matter

on its merits.

Mark Your Calendars!

The Baltimore County Bar Association’s

97th Annual Black Tie Banquet (‘The Prom’) will be held on

Thursday, January 31st, 2019 at 6:00 p.m.

at Martin’s Valley Mansion on Cranbrook Road in Cockeysville.

Please note that this is

A NEW LOCATION!

THE ADVOCATE Page 18 December 2018

BCBA WRAPS UP A SUCCESSFUL 2018

CIVICS & LAW ACADEMY PROGRAM By Adam Konstas

Despite a minor delay caused by an early season

snow storm, the BCBA Public Speakers and

Awareness Committee managed to wrap up its final

Civics and Law Academy on November 16, 2018 at

CCBC Dundalk, hosting over 100 students in total

from Dundalk, Eastern Tech, Patapsco, and

Randallstown High Schools, as well as the BCPS

Upward Bound program. The November session

built upon the success of the October 12, 2018

session at CCBC Owings Mills, which drew

students from Loch Raven and Pikesville High

Schools as well as the BCPS Upward Bound

program.

At both sessions, members of the bench and the bar

volunteered to teach lessons on the following topics:

Law in the Cyber Age, Power and Empowerment,

Rights and Responsibilities, Free Speech, and Law

and Justice. Students at both sessions were also

treated to a thought-provoking presentation from

Kathrin Olbrich, the Maryland and Delaware Area

Director of the American Foundation for Suicide

Prevention. After the students rotated through their

choice of civics lessons, a representative from

CCBC spoke to the students about the many

opportunities CCBC provides, including the option

to earn college credits during high school as well as

the many programs offered after graduation.

Overall, the BCBA Public Speakers and Awareness

Committee, with tremendous help from both the

Community College of Baltimore County and

Baltimore County Public Schools, reached over 200

students from across Baltimore County to engage in

discussion and debate about core democratic values,

rights, and responsibilities as citizens. The Public

Speakers and Awareness Committee thanks the

many volunteers who took time to teach and engage

with students and thanks both CCBC and BCPS for

their partnership.

THE ADVOCATE Page 19 December 2018

TALK SAVES LIVES-AMERICAN FOUNDATION

FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION TALKS TO BCBA By Laurie Wasserman

In the United States, someone dies by suicide every

40 seconds.

In Maryland, someone dies by suicide every 15

hours.

These sobering facts were shared with BCBA

members during a “Talk Saves Lives” presentation

by Tammi Ginsberg, LCPC, President of the

Maryland Chapter of the American Foundation for

Suicide Prevention (AFSP), on October 8, 2018.

AFSP is the designated charity for the BCBA this

year.

The statistics on suicide are staggering. The Center

for Disease Control reports that suicide is the 10th

leading cause of death in the US and for every death

by suicide, 25 others attempt suicide. There is not

one single cause for suicide. The large majority of

those who die by suicide have a mental health

condition. But a mental health condition, in and of

itself, is not indicative of suicide risk. One in every

four people have a mental health condition, yet most

do not commit suicide.

It is important to understand the perspective of a

suicidal person. When a person is considering

suicide, they have reached a crisis point. They are

desperate to escape pain and their thinking is very

limited. Studies of brains in the individuals who have

died by suicide demonstrated a difference in structure

and function than those who died by other causes.

Individuals with access to mental health care, family

and community support, problem skills and cultural

and religious beliefs have a higher chance of

preventing suicide. In rural areas, where access to

mental health care is limited, there are higher

incidents of suicide than in suburban areas. Yet, even

when there is access to mental health care, only two

out of every five people with mental health

conditions seek treatment.

The most important thing you can put between a

suicidal person and their way of ending their life is

TIME. You can help someone contemplating suicide

by having a conversation with them. It is okay to ask

that person if they are considering suicide. Don’t be

afraid of using the word “suicide”.

When you talk to someone contemplating suicide,

make sure the person knows you are concerned.

You should be there to listen to their story. You can

encourage mental health services, and even take it

one step further by helping them call a mental health

professional. Other resources can be the Suicide

Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-TALK), the

Maryland Crisis Hotline (dial 211), or texting TALK

to 741741.

You should avoid minimizing the person’s feelings,

trying to convince the person that life is worth living

(as it makes them feel even more guilty) or trying to

advise them how they can “fix” the problem. As well

intended as it may seem, it could make the situation

worse. You should not assume others are going to

reach out and do something to help. You may be the

only person who knows this information and

therefore you need to trust your gut and act

accordingly. If you think suicide is imminent, stay

with that person until help is secured. Remove or

limit access to any lethal means and call 911.

People need to pay attention to those around them

and recognize that even if things seem fine, they may

not be that way. Look for changes in behavior such

as changes in sleep patterns, increased substance use,

giving away possessions, isolation, and withdrawing

from activities that one typically enjoys. If you see

these signs—talk to the person. Talking can save

lives.

For more information on suicide prevention go to

www.afsp.org.

THE ADVOCATE Page 20 December 2018

NATIONAL ADOPTION DAY By Jasmine Pope

Just before the Thanksgiving holiday, on November

17, 2018, National Adoption Day, families and

children across the country had something extra to be

thankful for. Here, in Baltimore County, thirteen

children found permanent, forever homes with nine

families.

The ceremony took place in Ceremonial Courtroom

No. 5 in the Old Courthouse in Towson, MD. Prior to

the ceremony, The Honorable Sherrie R. Bailey and

the Honorable Karen A. Pilarski, gracefully flitted

through the crowd, introducing themselves to the

families and children, all while doing what they each

do best, making people feel comfortable and at ease.

Guests were treated to musical selections by the

Baltimore Gamer Symphony Orchestra, led by

Conductor Tad Howley. The ceremony, and

subsequent reception, was sponsored by the Baltimore

County Bar Association, the Baltimore County

Circuit Court, and the Baltimore County Department

of Social Services.

The Honorable Karen Pilarski moved the entire

crowd to tears with her kind, and aptly appropriate

words, while the Honorable Sherrie Bailey signed off

on each of the adoptions, making it official for each

of the nine families. Each child was gifted a teddy

bear and a backpack with supplies and each family

was gifted a bouquet of flowers.

Immediately following the ceremony, the families

and their guests, were invited to a Luncheon in the

Old Courthouse, complete with entertainment loved

by children and adults alike: Mickey and Minnie

Mouse and BCBA member, Larry Polen singing and

playing his guitar. It was a truly heartwarming event,

reminding us all that there are wonderful, selfless

people in the world, who are willing to share their

love with others.

THE ADVOCATE Page 21 December 2018

Ah, the holidays. A time filled with seasons

greetings, lights, music, peppermint-everything,

Black Friday shopping, gift buying, and of course,

oh happy joy---family time. Somewhere in the

middle of all that, you’re supposed to be a practicing

attorney juggling a busy caseload, multiple

deadlines, meeting your billable hours, client

meetings, court appearances, all before the end of

the year. Combine that with the afore-mentioned

family, and the holiday season can be a very

stressful time for practicing attorneys. To quote

Clark Griswald from the always classic Christmas

Vacation, “I don't know what to say, except it's

Christmas and we're all in misery.” Let’s be honest,

the last thing you have time to do is lose your sanity

trying to balance everything. Despite our busy

schedules at the end of the year, there are a number

of steps attorneys can take to make it through the

holiday season chaos unscathed.

One of the most important suggestions and the

easiest to accomplish is getting a good night’s sleep.

If you’re not getting a good night’s sleep---a solid 7

to 9 hours ---you are putting yourself at risk for a

whole host of other issues. From increased risk of

high blood pressure to issues with concentration,

memory, focus, changes in mood, and even a

propensity for weight gain, you don’t have time to

not get a good night’s sleep

A second suggestion is moderating your alcohol

intake. For most attorneys, alcohol is just a part of

the holiday season, what with the many different

holiday parties, holiday functions, happy hours, and

family events that we all attend. This holiday

season, enjoy the drinks, it’s part of the festivities;

but try to keep an eye on your consumption

especially late into the evening. Alcohol can have a

detrimental effect on your sleep (even more reason

to get a good night’s sleep) and on your overall

health. You don’t have time to be run down this

season, and excessive consumption can lead to just

ATTORNEY HEALTH & WELLNESS DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON By Daniel A. Mayer and Hayley Porter, Psy.D.

that.

Besides alcohol, what’s the other staple of the

holiday season party circuit? That’s right---food!

This may seem like the ultimate paradox at this time

of year; but as with everything else, it’s all about

moderation. It may be next to impossible to not eat

some of the excessive amounts of delicious foods

and desserts served at everything from the company

party to holiday dinner. However, perhaps skip the

third helping of pecan pie, something I struggle

with.

The best way to counter the alcohol, food, and

stress is to exercise. With everything going on, who

has time to go to the gym? Remember that there are

so many other ways to not fall into the sedentary

trap. Meditate in the morning or evenings, do some

yoga in your living room, go for a brisk run (or a

walk!), take the steps instead of the elevator, you

can even take a lap or two around the office.

Finally, maybe the most important change you can

make is this: be in the moment. If ever there was a

time of year to step away from the office, the phone,

the email, the clients, and focus on something more,

it’s now. If you have kids, or a family of any sort,

this is the time to be with them and enjoy the

moment. It’s cliché, but, still true, to say that one

day, these are the memories you are going to have,

or wish you had. Being a father has taught me that

time moves way too fast and I’ve learned to

appreciate the fleeting moments, even the

frustrating ones. So, if you’re just home for the

holidays or on Christmas vacation, embrace the

moment with your family and loved ones. Work

will always be there waiting at the office, it can wait

one more day.

And if you find yourself having a Grinch moment,

if the family is getting on your nerves, take a deep

breath and take moment for yourself as well.

THE ADVOCATE Page 22 December 2018

THE ADVOCATE Page 23 December 2018

THE ADVOCATE Page 24 December 2018

THE ADVOCATE Page 25 December 2018

THE ADVOCATE Page 26 December 2018

MEMBER NEWS

Divorce, or probating an

estate. Your client has

options when it comes to the

real estate.

Hawk Mortgage Group can help you

and your client sort out the options

and strategies they have at hand, to

help at this time … and down the

road.

Jeffrey T. Hawk, President

443-619-7900 - Office

410-241-7071 - Cell

Jeff@hawkmortgagegroup.com

ASSOCIATION SPONSORED GROUP DENTAL PLAN

OFFERED BY ICS-INSURANCE

Did you know that we are currently offering an Association Sponsored Group Dental plan through

Dominion Dental? Association plans enable us to enhance the benefits of being a member of the

BCBA. These plans would allow us to offer group products with more liberal underwriting and

potentially lower cost than products available on the individual market. In the past we have offered

association sponsored Long Term Care and Life Insurance coverage and are considering investigating

the opportunity to offer an association Health Insurance plan. If you have interest in any of the

mentioned products, please reach out to Rachel Ruocco, Executive Director 443-652-3228 or send an

email to her at rruocco@bcba.org.

THE ADVOCATE Page 27 December 2018

A MESSAGE FROM THE LRIS DIRECTOR By Rae Wyatt

It is hard to believe that I have been the Director of

Lawyer Referral & Information Service (LRIS) for

almost six months already. It has been a wonderful

experience thus far, and I want to start by thanking

not just the Lawyer Referral Panel Members but all

members of the BCBA for the warm welcome and

wisdom you all have shared. In October, I had the

pleasure of attending the 2018 National Lawyer

Referral Workshop in Philadelphia. It was certainly

an enlightening experience and I learned a lot about

how a Lawyer Referral Service should be run. I was

told that while not all members of BCBA will

become members of Lawyer Referral, all members

should be aware of what we do. Therefore, I would

like to take this opportunity to elevate our visibility

to the members of the BCBA.

First and foremost, we pride ourselves in being in

the business of providing a public service to as many

members of the public as possible with referrals to

our panel attorneys and/or to legal service agencies,

community based organizations and other resources

that can provide help with the public’s legal issues.

The more the public uses our services, the more they

will appreciate the service provided by the BCBA.

The end result is that our local community

establishes not just a relationship with the BCBA but

appreciation, respect and trust for that which the

BCBA stands.

If you are not a member of the Lawyer Referral

Service, you may be asking yourself if it is really

worth joining. I’ve heard comments from members

such as, “People who call Lawyer Referral don’t

have the money to pay a lawyer.” My answer to this

is that while sometimes this is true, if the clients we

refer out to our panel members don’t pay, we

wouldn’t exist. But, I didn’t want you just to take

my word for it, so I decided to run some numbers of

payments that have actually been received since I

became Director of LRIS. The following is a

representation of the percentage fees collected from

June 5th thru November 16th; the date in which I am

writing this:

As you can see, the Lawyer Referral Program has

collected $11,019.38 in a little over five months. But

what does this mean for you, the lawyer? Well, since

our panel lawyers only have to send us 10% of the

fees they receive from referred clients, this means

that our Lawyer Referral Panel Members have

collaboratively received over $ 110,193.80 in legal

fees since June 5th.

So, is becoming a member of Lawyer Referral really

worth it? In my opinion, you will never know unless

you give it a try. I have plans on using many of the

ideas I learned at the National Lawyer Referral

Workshop to help build our Lawyer Referral

Program to its fullest potential. Getting more BCBA

members to join is just the beginning, and it is never

too late to sign up. Please reach out to me for more

information and/or an application. rwyatt@bcba.org

or 410-337-9100.

“Being a lawyer is not merely a vocation. It is a

public trust, and each of us has an obligation to give

back to our communities.”- Janet Reno

THE ADVOCATE Page 28 December 2018

Committee News ADR COMMITTEE

Stay tuned for programming news.

ADVOCATE COMMITTEE

Please submit any ideas for articles to Rachel

Ruocco at rruocco@bcba.org or Ari Kodeck at

akodeck@oag.state.md.us

BENCH/BAR COMMITTEE

This committee (appointed by the BCBA

Presidents) meets the second Thursday of each

month, 8 a.m., in Judicial Conference Room 412. If

there are issues to be brought to the attention of this

committee please contact Chairperson Fred

Allentoff, 443-588-0066 or fallentoff@aol.com.

CRIMINAL LAW COMMITTEE

Date TBD, 5pm, Baltimore County Detention

Center Programs, Grand Jury Room.

February 7, 5pm, 4th Amendment, Grand Jury

Room

March 21, 5pm, Effective Cross Examination,

Grand Jury Room

CLE COMMITTEE February 5, 5pm, How to Build a Million Dollar

Practice, Grand Jury Room

March 3, 5 pm, Joint Program with ADR Committee

April 23, 5pm, Accounting & Bookkeeping for

Lawyers

ENTERTAINMENT COMMITTEE December 6, 6 pm, Holiday Party, Towson Tavern

May 29, 12pm, Golf Tournament, Eagle’s Nest

Country Club

ESTATES & TRUSTS COMMITTEE December 18, Holiday Lunch

January 22, 5pm, Ethical Conduct, Grand Jury

Room

February 12, 5pm, Fiduciary Responsibilities, Grand

Jury Room

May 21, 5pm, Annual Dinner

FAMILY LAW COMMITTEE December 4, 12 pm, Brown Bag Lunch, Tracing of

Non-Marital Assets, Grand Jury Room

January 8, 12 pm, Brown Bag Lunch-ACES Test,

Grand Jury Room

February 12, 12pm, Brown Bag Lunch on Parent

Coordinators, Grand Jury Room

February 19, 6 pm, Collecting on Judgements,

Woodholme Country Club

March 21, 6pm, Sexual Abuse Allegations,

Liberatore's Restaurant

April 17, 6pm, Multi Jurisdictional Dinner

May 16, 5 pm, Legislative Update & Happy Hour,

Grand Jury Room

LAW DAY COMMITTEE

May 1, 7:30 am, Breakfast

May 1, Noon Ceremony, Ceremonial Courtroom #5

This year’s theme is Free Speech, Free Press, Free

Society

Nominations are being sought for the Law Day

Award and the Judith P. Ritchie Award. Nominations

must be submitted in writing to the Bar Association

Office no later than 4:30 P.M. on Friday, January

4th. Each nomination should include information in

support of the candidate. Nominations will be

reviewed by the committee for recommendations and

forwarded to the Executive Council for selection.

Awards will be presented at the Law Day Noon

Ceremony on May 1st.

Law Day Award Criteria are: 1. Bar Association Member

2. Impact on the status or administration of the law

3. Participated in bar related activities over the course

of several years

4. Service to the Bar Association over the course of

several years

Judith P. Ritchie Award Criteria are: 1. Bar Association member.

2. Significant constructive impact on Bar Association

activities during the past year.

3. Largely unrecognized for these efforts.

4. Adding to the proficiency, respect and reputation of

the Bar Association.

THE ADVOCATE Page 29 December 2018

LRIS COMMITTEE

Please renew or consider joining the LRIS at this

time. Application can be found on the website: LRIS

Application. Contact Rae Wyatt at rwyatt@bcba.org

or 410-337-9100 for more information.

The 2018-2019 LRIS Panel Registration and Renewal

Packet is now available. Join now! Current panel

members, remember to renew!.

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE

Online Membership Application can be found here

MEMORIAL COMMITTEE Please notify Rachel Ruocco at the Bar Office of the

passing of any BCBA member. If this information is

received in a timely manner, it will be emailed to all

members. Thank you.

Those members who will be honored at next year’s

service on December 11, 2018 at 3:30 p.m., include:

W. Lee Thomas

Henry J. Myerberg

Philip I. Klein

Ellen P. Rosenberg

Judge Dana M. Levitz

Lawrence Melfa

JR Francomano, III

Donna C. Baust

Kevin Kamenetz

Edward Pinder

If you know of any other BCBA Member who passed

away (since August 15, 2017), please advise Rachel

Ruocco immediately, so they can be included in the

service. Thank you. The reception for family and

friends to honor and remember loved ones will be

held immediately following the service.

Monetary contributions are greatly appreciated to

support the Memorial Reception, and can be made

payable to the BCBA, 100 County Courts Building,

401 Bosley Avenue, Towson, MD 21204. Donors will

be acknowledged on the printed program.

Committee News NEGLIGENCE, INSURANCE & WORKERS’ COMP

COMMITTEE

Stay tuned for programming news.

PRO BONO COMMITTEE

December 4, 5pm, Committee Meeting, Women’s

Law Center, 305 W. Chesapeake Ave, Towson

April 27, 9am-1pm, Pro Bono Day, Woodlawn

Library

PROFESSIONALISM COMMITTEE March 28, 5pm, Sexual Harassment, CVP, Towson

PUBLIC AWARENESS & SPEAKERS COMMITTEE

AKA CIVICS & LAW ACADEMY Civics & Law will resume in the Fall of 2019.

Please contact Rachel Ruocco if you are interested

in participating.

REAL PROPERTY COMMITTEE

Stay tuned for programming news.

SOLO & SMALL FIRM COMMITTEE

Stay tuned for programming news.

STATE & LOCAL LAWS (SLLZ) COMMITTEE

February, Meet the County Council

April, SLLZ Annual Dinner

TECHONOLGY COMMITTEE

Stay tuned for programming news.

YOUNG LAWYERS COMMITTEE

Holiday Lunch & Toy Drive, December 5, 12-2 pm,

County Courts Building

Bull & Oyster Roast, March 31, 2-6 pm, Towson

American Legion

Last Thursday Happy Hour 5pm, The Point, 523 York Rd, Towson. Come join

young lawyers, judicial law clerks, and a special

monthly guest to relax and network.

February 28

March 28

April 25

May 30

June 27

THE ADVOCATE Page 30 December 2018

BALTIMORE COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT LAW LIBRARY NEWS

NEW TITLES

The following titles were added to the law

library’s collection:

BEING WATCHED: legal challenges to

government surveillance / Vagle, Jeffrey – New

York University Press, 2017. KF 5399 .V44

DMCA HANDBOOK: for online service

providers, websites, and copyright owners, 2nd

edition / Mableson, Connie – ABA, 2018. KF

3030 .1 .M33

FINDING THE ANSWERS TO LEGAL

QUESTIONS, 2nd Edition / Tucker, Virginia;

Lampson, Marc – American Library Association,

2018. LLP KF 240 .T83

HOW TO PLAY THE GAME WHAT EVERY

SPORTS ATTORNEY NEEDS TO KNOW /

Heitner, Darren – ABA Book Publishing, 2018.

KF 3408 .S66 .H45

NEW MICPELS

The library staff received the following new Micpels

which are located behind the reference desk:

ADVANCED BUSINESS LAW INSTITUTE, 2018

CRIMINAL LAW UPDATE, 2017

CURRENT TRENDS AND CREDITOR RIGHTS

IN CONSUMER DEBT COLLECTION, 2017

ELECTRONICALLY STORED INFORMATION

(ESI) – WHAT LAWYERS NEED TO KNOW,

2016

EMPLOYMENT LAW INSTITUTE, 2018

HEALTH CARE DECISION MAKING, 2016

PLANNING FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES,

Lawyer in the Lobby Clinic

December 12

4:30—6:30

County Courts Building, 1st Floor, 401 Bosley Ave, Towson Lawyer in the Lobby is held the 2nd Wednesday of every month.

Walk-ins are assisted in General Civil and Family Law matters.

If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Rae Wyatt at rwyatt@bcba.org or

410-337-9100.

Thank you to our volunteers for November:

Frederic Cook

Richard Lebovitz

Gregg Mosson

Laure Ruth

THE ADVOCATE Page 31 December 2018

THE ADVOCATE Page 32 December 2018

THE ADVOCATE Page 33 December 2018

Running Club. Monthly runs will be held on

the last Thursday of each month. August –

May, 5:30 p.m., meet in Patriot Plaza.

December-February, meet at 401

Washington Avenue, Lobby. We

recommend that runners bring reflective

gear, headlamps, etc.

Please RSVP to Craig Borchers,

craigborchers@hme-law.com, thanks.

THE ADVOCATE Page 34 December 2018

THE ADVOCATE Page 35 December 2018

ARE ALCOHOL AND DRUGS CAUSING PROBLEMS

IN YOUR LIFE?

There is a way up and a way out — for ABSOLUTELY CONFIDENTIAL

help, call us today ...

BALTIMORE COUNTY LAWYER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

A CONFIDENTIAL resource for Baltimore County attorneys, assistants and

judges.

Our services include help for a broad range of problems and personal

concerns, such as:

WE DO NOT KEEP RECORDS. Our sole purpose is to provide help. We can assist with providing access

to treatment facilities and provide emergency practice management, as well as referrals to professional

counselors.

RICHARD LYNAS, Chair 410-288-1099

STUART AXILBUND 410-832-7579

JIM BEACH 410-241-8538

MARY CHALAWSKY 410-649-2000

MARISSA JOELSON 917-226-6472

JAY MILLER 410-951-7165

JOSE MOLINA 443-851-7353

SAM MOXLEY 410-733-3306

JOE MURTHA 410-583-6969

Depression

Marital and Family Relationships

Alcohol and Drug Abuse

Stress and Burnout

Prescription Drug Concerns

Career Concerns

Gambling

Internet Addiction

Sexual Addiction

Compulsive Spending

Eating Disorders

Balancing Work and Family

Property for sale

in the heart of Timonium/Lutherville, MD

Move in ready and perfect for small practice of attorneys. 3,000 sq. feet with additional storage, 4 private offices, conference room, reception area and many more advantages. If you’re paying rent now, why not consider investing instead? Also ideal for

shared offices. Listed @ $459,900.

Call realtor, Bob Mikelskas @ 410-375-2990 or email him @ bmikelskas@gmail.com for an appointment or questions.

Rosario Realty, 12202 Happy Hollow Road

Cockeysville, MD 21030

THE ADVOCATE Page 36 December 2018

COOPERATING ATTORNEY PANEL

Established, respected Legal Services Fund providing le-

gal benefits to thousands of members seeks Washington

D.C. and surrounding vicinity counsel (Virginia and Mary-

land) practicing in the areas of immigration, civil, criminal,

family, divorce, bankruptcy and real estate law

(combination or individual areas).

Bilingual attorneys a plus. Potential for practice growth.

Please contact Joy Khan at: lfadmin@32bjfunds.com

and request an information packet.

THE ADVOCATE Page 37 December 2018

Michael A. Mastracci, Esquire

Realtor

Www.mikehasyourhome.com

mike@mikehasyourhome.com

M: (443) 257-5339 O: (410) 723-3600

PROPERTY FOR SALE

600 Eastern Boulevard

Baltimore, MD 21221

Property is zoned CR (Commercial/

Residential) and is currently set up as an

attorney’s office with 3 offices, kitchenette,

waiting area & ample storage upstairs & in

lower level. Rear parking for up to 10 cars

makes this property excellent for a

professional user.

$175,000

Call Sean O’Conor at 410-218-7996

THE ADVOCATE Page 38 December 2018

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THE ADVOCATE Page 45 December 2018

THE ADVOCATE Page 46 December 2018

Baltimore County Bar Association 100 County Courts Building

401 Bosley Avenue

Towson, MD 21204-4491

410-337-9103-Telephone

410-823-3418-Facsimile

www.bcba.org

MEMBER ADVERTISEMENTS

PERRY HALL/NOTTINGHAM. Real Estate Firm is hiring a title processor for residential real estate closings. Some

experience in real estate closings, real estate title work and/or residential lending preferred but not required. Salary

commensurate with experience; pleasant work environment. Please send resumes to Lisa Eisemann, Esq. at

leisemann@mcrllaw.com , or mail to Moore, Carney, Ryan & Lattanzi, L.L.C. Attn: Lisa Eisemann; 9649 Belair Road;

Suite 302; Nottingham, MD 21236

REISTERSTOWN. Office(s) available for rent. Includes electric and use of conference room/library, reception area &

kitchen. Secretary/paralegal assistance and expense sharing opportunities also available. For more information, call

Scott Westerberg at 410-526-7373.

TOWSON. Towson office space available to share. Large, windowed office and secretarial space, shared reception

area and conference room, copier, internet, etc. available. Free parking and easy access to I-695. Contact Rich Desser

at 410-821-5435x104 or dresser@desserlaw.com.

TOWSON. Office for Rent: $850/mo for one office with reception area in attractive, well-maintained building.

$1,000/mo to add an additional office not attached to main suite. Includes electricity, but not phone or internet. One

block from circuit courthouse, one block from Towson circle. More info at nicole@whitaker-legal.com or 410-207-

9272.

TOWSON. Office for rent in the heart of Towson. One block from the Circuit Court. Rent includes one parking

space. Available in September 2018. Rent is negotiable. Call 410-494-1494 to schedule a tour. Ask for Dilip.

TOWSON. Up to three furnished offices for rent one block from the Circuit Court for Baltimore County. Share use of

conference room, reception area, kitchen and copy machine. Includes parking and all utilities. Call Cynthia at 410-382-

5910 for more information.

LUTHERVILLE/TIMONIUM. Seeking reputable subtenant to share office suite in nice building in

Lutherville/Timonium. Fully furnished partner’s office (2 available), includes internet, receptionist, use of conference

room and free parking in a pleasant low key environment. If interested, please contact Randy Wase, 410-828-8500 or

Randy@Waselaw.com.

Presort Standard U.S. Postage

PAID Permit No. 1262 Baltimore, MD