Silverman Thompson is proud to announce that Partner Kerri L. Smith has been recognized by the University of Baltimore School of Law’s Baltimore Law magazine as a “Rising Star in the Baltimore Legal Community.” 

The feature highlights Kerri Smith’s exceptional professional achievements, leadership, and service within the legal community. An alumna of the University of Baltimore School of Law, where she earned her J.D. magna cum laude in 2012, Kerri has built a distinguished career in real estate law and litigation at Silverman Thompson over the last 14 years, where she was recently named partner. 

Kerri’s practice spans a wide range of commercial and residential real estate matters, with a particular focus on landlord-tenant law. Known for her dynamic litigation style, she regularly appears in courts at all levels, combining strategic advocacy with a deep understanding of evolving legal frameworks. 

Beyond her legal practice, Ms. Smith has earned widespread recognition for her leadership and service. She has been named one of the American Bar Association’s Top 40 Young Lawyers, received the Maryland Bar Foundation’s Edward F. Shea, Jr. Professionalism Award, and currently serves as President of the Baltimore Bar Foundation. She was also recently appointed by the governor to the Board of Trustees for the Office of the Public Defender. 

Colleagues and peers consistently praise Ms. Smith’s energy, dedication, and collaborative spirit. As noted in the profile, she is widely regarded as a driven leader who brings both professionalism and enthusiasm to every endeavor. 

Kerri also leads the firm’s community service initiatives and its Women’s Legal Network, fostering mentorship, professional growth, and meaningful engagement both within and beyond the firm. 

It’s an honor to be featured by the University of Baltimore School of Law and reflect on my journey from UB to Silverman Thompson, and the people and experiences that have guided me along the way.  – Kerri Smith

We congratulate Kerri on this well-deserved recognition from her alma mater, and are proud to celebrate her continued impact on our firm and the broader Baltimore legal community. 

Each year, Silverman Thompson honors one first-year student at UB Law with the goal of cultivating local talent from the Baltimore community and retaining top talent at the Firm. At the end of their first year, Fellows are awarded a two-year scholarship, a one-year fellowship stipend, and a position in the Firm’s summer associate and law clerk programs. 

“We are thrilled to honor Will Cellitto with the UB Law Fellowship award. His dedication and exceptional academic performance, achieving straight As while working to put himself through college, exemplify his remarkable work ethic and commitment to excellence,” says program founder and firm Managing Partner Steve Silverman.  

“Will’s drive and perseverance make him an invaluable asset to our firm, and we have no doubt he will have a bright and impactful future in the field of law.” 

Due to Will’s excellent grades and eagerness to explore all legal practice areas, UB Law counseling suggested he research Silverman Thompson’s fellowship program. They called the Firm one of the “best environments [they had] seen” because of its collaborative approach and prestigious reputation.   

Joining Silverman Thompson has allowed Will the opportunity to identify “what skills [he needs] to develop and what [his] weaknesses are.” He sees Silverman Thompson as a place where, as a summer associate, “you cover a lot of different practice areas where if I was somewhere else, I’d kind of be stuck researching like one subject for the entire summer.” 

Beyond the mentorship and legal development, the UB Law fellowship has granted Will the opportunity to focus on law school, extracurriculars, and the University of Baltimore Law Review, where he is a staff editor. “It’s an investment in myself so I can do better during the year and succeed after, as well,” he says.  

Past University of Baltimore School of Law Fellowship Recipients 

“I look back at being awarded the 1L Fellowship as one of the defining moments of my life and legal career. Having the opportunity to work with many different attorneys and learn about a wide variety of practice areas, I was given a chance to prove myself as an aspiring attorney.

Many of the attorneys I worked with during the fellowship continued to act as mentors as I completed law school and worked as a judicial law clerk following graduation. Now that I have returned to Silverman Thompson as an attorney, I am honored to call them my coworkers today.” –Joseph Stephan, 2018 University of Baltimore School of Law Fellow, Silverman Thompson family law associate

2023 – Bella Winslow

“I came to Maryland from Texas for law school not knowing anyone for a thousand miles. This fellowship has given me not only the assurance that I can make it on my own but a network of professional support and people I can trust.”

• Ms. Winslow currently works as a clerk at the Firm and will continue to work as a summer associate and law clerk through her graduation

2022 – Keira Sherper  

• Ms. Sherper stayed at Silverman Thompson as a law clerk until she graduated from the University of Baltimore Law, where she then began a federal clerkship  

2021 – Jeffrey Neuman  

• Mr. Neuman is currently an associate at DLA Piper  

2020 – Joel Jordan  

• After graduation, Mr. Jordan worked as a federal clerk and is now an associate at Nelson Mullins  

2019 – Christian Coward  

• Mr. Coward is now an associate at Venable, LLP 

Learn more about the University of Baltimore School of Law Fellowship on our Careers page. 

If you are a current law student interested in our summer associate or year-round clerk program, we accept applications on a rolling basis and typically start hiring by Thanksgiving for the following year. Please reach out to Senior Partner Andrew Slutkin for all inquiries and send a CV and transcript to firm@silvermanthompson.com at your earliest convenience.