Homeowners in Florida hired Silverman Thompson to defend a breach of contract and mortgage foreclosure action filed in the Circuit Court for Broward County, Florida. Mark Edelson and Michael J. Levin moved to dismiss the complaint and aggressively pursued their clients’ defenses, arguing that certain key documents were unsigned and…
Maryland Business Litigation Lawyer Blog
A New Era of Accountability for Attorney Fees in Debt Collection: Anderson, et al. v. Hammerman, et al.
In a landmark decision in Kathleen Anderson, et al. v. Evan Hammerman, et al., the Maryland Supreme Court ruled that attorneys can be held liable under consumer protection statutes like the Maryland Consumer Debt Collection Act (MCDCA) and the Maryland Consumer Protection Act (MCPA) for submitting false or inaccurate fee…
Howard University Settles Class Action for $2 Million
On October 1, 2024, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia (D.C. District Court) entered a final judgment and order in the matter of Adavenaixx v. Howard University, approving a class action settlement and release that the parties had executed on May 6, 2024 (which the court had…
Understanding the Maryland Appeals Process
This article outlines the appellate process in Maryland State court in five parts: initiation of the appeal and preliminary procedures; briefing deadlines and word count limits; the record extract; oral argument; and the time until an opinion is issued and petitions for review before the Supreme Court of Maryland. This…
How to Get a Baltimore County Liquor Board License
The Board of Liquor License Commissioners for Baltimore County (BLLC) is responsible for regulating and controlling the number of establishments permitted to sell alcohol in Baltimore County. The BLLC is responsible for: processing applications for and transfers/renewals of licenses to sell beer, wine, and liquor; conducting inspections of licensed businesses;…
Federal Judge Blocks FTC Non-Compete Ban, Leaving Agreements Enforceable
On August 20, 2024, U.S. District Judge Ada Brown of the Northern District of Texas struck down a proposed rule by the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that sought to impose a nationwide ban on non-compete agreements. Ryan, LLC v. FTC, –F. Supp.3d – (N.D. Tex., Aug. 20, 2024). The decision…
Supreme Court of Maryland Reiterates Important Clarification to Rules of Contract Interpretation
If you’ve litigated a contract dispute in Maryland, you’ve likely referred to the “four corners” rule, which means the reviewing court interprets a contract based on the language within the document itself. If that language is unambiguous, the terms of the agreement control regardless of the parties’ subjective intent. A…
Under Armour Settles Securities Class Action for $434 Million
On Friday, June 21, 2024, Under Armour announced that, subject to court approval, it had settled a pending securities class action in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland. The settlement closes a case originally filed in February 2017, which had twice been dismissed with prejudice before finding…
How to Get a Baltimore City Liquor Board License
The Board of Liquor License Commissioners for Baltimore City (BLLC) is responsible for limiting and/or restricting the number of establishments permitted to sell alcohol in Baltimore City. The BLLC is responsible for processing applications for and transfers/renewals of licenses to sell beer, wine and liquor; conducting period inspections of licensed…
Silverman Thompson Legal Victory in Montgomery County to Allow Client to Secure Full Ownership of His Home of 64 Years
In February 2023, Silverman Thompson initiated an action in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County on behalf of its client, a 105-year-old World War II Veteran. As alleged in the lawsuit, Silverman Thompson’s client had lived in the same home since 1960, which had been owned by his parents. Following…
The United States Supreme Court Overturns Chevron Deference
Forty years ago, the Supreme Court decided Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense, which gave deference to federal agencies to implement their charging statutes. In its latest term, the Court’s 6-3 decision in Loper Bright Enters. v. Raimondo overturned Chevron and dramatically altered the balance of power between federal agencies and…
Your Customer Filed for Bankruptcy: Now What?
Many business creditors know that their customers are in financial distress before a bankruptcy filing. In this post, we cover two major issues that creditors must be aware of when a business or individual, perhaps a customer, borrower, or supplier, files a petition for bankruptcy protection: (1) the automatic stay…
Latent Defect Discovery After Home Purchase
What if I purchase a home “as-is” and later discover latent defects that are significant and expensive to repair? Buyers can submit to mediation through Maryland REALTORS® to recover damages associated with latent defects not disclosed at the time of sale. In the State of Maryland, the standard Residential…
Federal Court Grants Motion to Remand in Putative Class Action Against Johns Hopkins Involving Maryland Wage Payment and Collection Law
On May 23, 2024, after nearly a year of motions practice, Judge George L. Russell III of the United States District Court for the District of Maryland granted plaintiff’s motion to remand its putative class action to state court. Serving as local counsel, Silverman Thompson filed the class action in…
Silverman Thompson Scores Remand in Third Circuit that Revives Client’s Complaint Against Business Rival for Tortious Interference
In fall 2021, Silverman Thompson filed suit in federal court in Pennsylvania on behalf of a provider of inmate communication services for prisons. The suit alleged that just as Silverman Thompson’s client was about to finalize a contract with a county prison, the incumbent service provider and business rival used…