Silverman Thompson is representing Google LLC in a high‑profile matter in the Circuit Court for Howard County involving the company’s motion to quash a series of keyword search warrants. Google challenges the warrants on constitutional and statutory grounds, arguing they are overbroad, lack probable cause, chill protected speech, endanger innocent Google users worldwide, and impose undue burdens on the company. Our firm serves as local counsel for Google in this case, with key attorneys including Andrew White and Ilona Shparaga appearing on Google’s behalf.

The firm’s business litigation group has served as local counsel to Shell Oil in climate change litigation filed by the cities of Annapolis and Baltimore, as well as Anne Arundel County. All three cases were previously dismissed on the pleadings. Last year, our appellate lawyers Chris Mincher and Todd Hesel, along with lawyers on behalf of all the defendants, convinced the Maryland Supreme Court to “bypass” argument at the Appellate Court and consolidate all three cases, which were argued in the fall. A decision is expected this spring.

Additionally, the team obtained summary judgment on behalf of client Whoop, Inc. in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County in a matter in which the client was alleged to have participated in the fraudulent conveyance of shares, and NFM Lending in Los Angeles Superior Court in a matter involving fraudulent misrepresentations in connection with the sale of a home.

In 2025, our personal injury team recovered over $23 million for clients. Most notably, we’ve obtained $7.5 million for a severely injured motorcycle operator, $1.75 million for the family of a tragic construction site fatality, and $2.4 million for a young woman who was run over by a vehicle being driven by a driver who was later charged with driving under the influence.

Our appellate specialist, Todd Hesel, obtained a major victory for Silverman Thompson in July, where the Maryland Supreme Court, in a 6–1 decision, reversed the reckless endangerment conviction of a Baltimore City police officer who was prosecuted for failing to prevent a spontaneous assault by a third party while investigating a fight. The Court held that the State failed to prove the officer owed a legal duty to intervene in an unforeseeable attack, and that general police policy statements did not create an enforceable duty in these circumstances. This decision underscores limits on imposing criminal liability on officers for inaction in rapidly evolving public-safety scenarios.

Additionally, in May 2025, the Supreme Court of Maryland requested that Silverman Thompson serve as amicus curiae, in lieu of the unrepresented appellee, in Clarke v. Gibson, No. 1, September Term 2025, a case raising questions of procedural due process and credibility determinations in the issuance of protective orders. The Court subsequently appointed Christopher Mincher and Todd Hesel to defend the merits of the Appellate Court. Mr. Mincher and Mr. Hesel filed a responsive brief and advocated for the Appellate Court’s reasoning in September’s oral arguments.  

The Supreme Court ruled in favor of Silverman Thompson’s position on two of the three questions, remanding the third question for the Appellate Court to “revisit the issue … in light of new arguments raised by the amicus party.” In its opinion, the Court noted Silverman Thompson’s work to support the Appellate Court’s decision, writing, “Mr. Mincher and Mr. Hesel have ably discharged that duty for which this Court is grateful.”

Read on to learn more about our client work, growing business, and community involvement.

Thank you for being an important part of the firm. We hope you have a great new year!

Steven D. Silverman, Managing Partner

Firm Happenings

We’re excited to announce we have created a new role of firm administrator, hiring Lisa Berman, J.D. to lead our staff and operations initiatives. Lisa brings to the firm almost 20 years of operations leadership, including at the Department of Justice.    

Since the start of the new year, we’ve proudly added attorneys to every facet of our business, and have expanded our practice into tax controversy litigation.  

Finally, we’re thrilled to share Mike Levin has been promoted to counsel in the business litigation group. He has been with the firm since 2019.  

See below for more awards and recognitions, from our 12th Baltimore Sun Top Workplaces award to our diverse team of Best Lawyers honorees.

Awards & Recognition

Silverman Thompson has been recognized in the 2026 edition of Best Law Firms®, ranked by Best Lawyers, for the Baltimore area. This recognition is reserved for only the top 3.8% of law firms nationwide. Read more

For the 12th year in a row, The Baltimore Sun has recognized Silverman Thompson Slutkin & White as a Top Workplace for 2025! Read more

Business litigation chair Bill Sinclair appears on the 2026 Maryland Super Lawyers Top 100 list for the second year in a row. He is also featured on the inaugural Top 5 Business Litigation Attorneys in Maryland. Read more

Andy White and Ethan Nochumowitz have been named to the Maryland Daily Record’s Criminal Law and Personal Injury & Medical Malpractice Power Lists, respectively. These recognitions honor top Maryland professionals in their fields. Read more

Steven D. Silverman was named Legacy Lawyer by Baltimore Magazine. He was recognized alongside 17 other Silverman Thompson attorneys in this inaugural list. Read more

In the Community

Explore Our Blogs

Professional License Suspensions in Maryland

As a licensed professional in Maryland, it is crucial to understand the grounds for suspension, the appeals process, and the potential consequences. Read the Blog

Read the Latest Family Law Newsletter

The family law team breaks down common questions and important legal updates, such as how the Big Beautiful Bill could impact your family. Read the Newsletter

Maryland DUI/DWI Frequently Asked Questions

Senior Partner Brian Thompson breaks down the most frequently asked questions about driving under the influence in Maryland. Read the Blog

More News at the Silverman Thompson

• We’re in Annapolis! Learn About Our Latest Office Opening
• Silverman Thompson Partners with Justin Batoff and Batoff Associates
• Firm Secures Multi-Million Dollar Settlements for Personal Injury Clients 

It has been a busy quarter for the firm since our last update. The firm has been active in state and federal trial courts throughout Maryland and the Mid-Atlantic.

Some highlights include:

Partners Kurt Nachtman and Chris Mincher were busy successfully representing Hall of Famer David “Big Papi” Ortiz in trial in a commercial business dispute in the Circuit Court for Harford County.

Partners Andrew Slutkin and Todd Hesel recently filed suit on behalf of the family of a deaf man strangled to death in a Baltimore jail in 2022 in a lawsuit accusing Maryland corrections officials of negligence. They emphasize Javarick Gantt’s disability left him unable to signal for help, and that he was wrongly placed with a volatile, violent cellmate awaiting trial for a separate murder. The family seeks over $50 million in damages. Read the national coverage here.

Our criminal defense team has won acquittals in jury trials in Baltimore City, Anne Arundel County, and Baltimore County and has not lost a jury trial in recent memory. Learn more about our state and federal criminal defense practice areas.

Partner Ramsay Whitworth, co-leader of the firm’s business law department, has been officially appointed as the city attorney for the City of Westminster, Maryland. Ramsay will work to support the City of Westminster while maintaining his robust business litigation practice at Silverman Thompson, where he serves clients across civil matters.

Please reach out to our team if you have any questions about the cases featured in this newsletter. Thank you for being part of our journey!

Steven D. Silverman, Managing Partner

Welcoming Our Newest Team Members

This spring, we had the exciting opportunity to bring on a group of new attorneys, staff members, and law clerks, and we can’t wait to introduce some of them to you.

We’re proud to announce the expansion of Monica Scherer’s family law practice with the addition of two experienced attorneys, Nathan Volke and Rian Wieser. This exciting development reinforces the firm’s continued commitment to providing exceptional representation to individuals and families navigating sensitive and complex legal matters. Read More Here

We’re excited to share that Christopher Mincher has returned to Silverman Thompson as a partner, bringing with him more than six years in the Office of Legal Counsel for Maryland Governor Larry Hogan, most recently leading the office as chief legal counsel. Read More Here

Justin A. Batoff of Batoff Associates, P.A. has become affiliated with our firm, bringing deep experience advising startups, emerging companies, and established private and family-owned businesses on a broad range of transactional and corporate matters. This addition marks Silverman Thompson’s expansion into transactional and corporate law services, complementing its established litigation practice. Learn More About Our Partnership

Each year, Silverman Thompson honors one first-year student from the University of Baltimore School of Law to cultivate local talent from the Baltimore community and retain top talent at the firm.

We’re thrilled to introduce our 2025 UB Law Fellow, Tyler Konigsberg. Join us in welcoming Tyler and our cohort of six UB Law summer clerks. Learn More About the Fellowship and Our Summer Clerkship Program

A Look into Our Civil Litigation Practice

• Silverman Thompson’s business litigation team recently secured a significant and highly unusual sanction in a complex real estate investment fraud case pending in circuit court. The court granted our request to prohibit the defendant—an individual at the center of an extensive real estate fraud scheme—from introducing any testimony or evidence at trial. This extraordinary remedy is rarely granted and underscores the seriousness of the defendant’s discovery misconduct. Read more about the case here.

• Mark Edelson, Pierce Murphy, and Mike Levin represented a former NFL player in defense of garnishment actions in Georgia and Virginia that froze a significant amount of our client’s assets.

• Silverman Thompson secured summary judgment for Whoop Connect, Inc. in a case alleging the company received funds tied to improper kickbacks. The court found no evidence that Whoop knew or should have known the funds were improperly obtained, rejecting claims of fraudulent conveyance and unjust enrichment. Bill Sinclair argued the motion for Whoop.

Judgments in Commercial Litigation

So far in 2025, the firm has recovered:

• $7.5 million – Settled on behalf of the injured party in a motorcycle collision – Read More Here

• $3 million – Defeated motions to vacate confessed judgments by two companies and an individual in Virginia state court

• $3 million – Obtained judgment against parent company of multiple travel businesses in Virginia state court

• $1.7 million – Settled on the behalf of the parents of the deceased in a construction accident – Read More Here

• $1 million – Resolved Baltimore County car crash with extensive injuries to an elderly woman

• $1 million – Obtained judgment against publicly traded company and three affiliates in Virginia state court
• $100k– Obtained judgment in favor of equipment finance company and against business and four individuals in Virginia federal court

• Confidential six-figure settlement – Obtained settlement for an international creditor of local property management companies and owners in Maryland state court

• Confidential amount – obtained order in bankruptcy court, allowing full payment to secured creditor of real estate portfolio following several years’ litigation

Explore Our Legal Blogs

Professional License Suspensions in Maryland

If you are a licensed professional in Maryland, it is crucial to understand the grounds for suspension, the appeals process, and the potential consequences. Read the Blog

Popular Topics in Family Law

The family law team breaks down common questions and important legal updates on our divorce lawyer blog. Read the Blog

Maryland DUI/DWI Frequently Asked Questions

Senior Partner Brian Thompson analyzes the most frequently asked questions about driving under the influence in Maryland. Read the Blog

More News at the Firm

• We’re in Annapolis! Learn About Our Latest Office Opening
• Silverman Thompson Partners with Justin Batoff and Batoff Associates
• Firm Secures Multi-Million Dollar Settlements for Personal Injury Clients