Leadership in Law: 2014 winners announced

The Daily Record on Friday announced the 26 honorees who will receive the Leadership in Law award Nov. 13 at the BWI Hilton.

The award, which launched in 2001, honors the outstanding work being done by members of the legal community throughout Maryland.

Nominations were received from The Daily Record’s readers in addition to area law firms, bar associations, chambers of commerce and the business and legal communities at large. Nominees were asked to outline not only their career accomplishments, but also the community involvement and mentoring activities that distinguish them as outstanding leaders in the law.

An external panel of judges and a representative of The Daily Record reviewed the nominations and made the selections.

“The Leadership in Law awards provide The Daily Record with the opportunity to raise public awareness of the legal community’s good work,” said Suzanne Fischer-Huettner, publisher of The Daily Record. “The honorees work tirelessly to uphold high legal standards and improve communities throughout our state. We at The Daily Record salute them for their dedication and accomplishments.”

The honorees include judges and attorneys from across the state. Large firms and small are represented, along with corporate counsel, government employees and educators. And, for the first time since 2008, women outnumber men among the honorees.

This year’s Leadership in Law honorees will also nominate one of their fellow honorees as the night’s Top Winner.

Winners

Andy Baida
Rosenberg Martin Greenberg, LLP

James R. Benjamin, Jr.
Pessin Katz Law, P.A.

Meryl Burgin
CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield

Anthony I. Butler
TBMG Law

James W. Constable
Wright, Constable & Skeen LLP

Isabel Mercedes Cumming
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority

Debora Fajer-Smith
Joseph Greenwald & Laake P.A.

Emmanuelle Regine Francois
Maryland Professionalism Center, Inc.

Hon. Kathleen O’Ferrall Friedman
Circuit Court for Baltimore City

Allan J. Gibber
Neuberger, Quinn, Gielen, Rubin & Gibber, P.A.

Kelly Tubman Hardy
DLA Piper

Veronica P. Jones
Maryland Judiciary

Hon. Theresa A. Lawler
Orphans’ Court for Baltimore County

Michelle N. Lipkowitz
Saul Ewing LLP

Donna S. Mandl
Community College of Baltimore County

Jim Mathias
DLA Piper

John J. McCarthy
State’s Attorney for Montgomery County

William Alden McDaniel, Jr.
Ballard Spahr LLP

Thomas Meachum
Carney, Kelehan, Bresler, Bennett & Scherr, LLP

Edward T. Paulis III
Zurich North America

Suzanne Sangree
City of Baltimore, Department of Law

Debra G. Schubert
Law Office of Debra G. Schubert P.C.

Tracy L. Steedman
Niles, Barton & Wilmer, LLP

Mark A. Tyler
Wicomico County Bar Association

Margaret M. Witherup
Gordon Feinblatt LLC

Martin E. Wolf
Gordon, Wolf & Carney Chtd.