Our firm represents clients in land use and environmental cases in administrative agencies in Maryland and Washington, D.C., Maryland’s trial and appellate courts, the federal trial courts in Maryland, the federal appellate court in Richmond, and appellate courts in Washington, D.C. Mr. Nelson has been recognized as a Maryland “Super Lawyer” in the area of Environmental Litigation since 2015. Mr. Nelson’s associate Grant Giel graduated from Cornell Law School in 2018 and joined the firm in June 2019, and is a Maryland “Rising Star” in the area of Land Use/Zoning. Mr. Nelson’s associate Alex Votaw graduated from Georgetown University Law Center in 2021 and joined the firm in November 2021, and is a Maryland "Rising Star" in the area of Environmental Law.
RECENT MAJOR VICTORIES
May 21, 2025 – The Prince George's County Circuit Court ruled in favor of citizens challenging components of CB-15-2024 that would have permitted unsustainable urban sprawl and industrial development on agricultural land via illegal special law, and struck the offending portions from the omnibus bill.
April 24, 2025 – The Appellate Court of Maryland, in Matter of HRVC Limited Partnership, ruled in favor of homeowners and the County Council in its decision to deny redevelopment of a town center, holding that the developer's ethical challenges against a favorable Council member were legally unsound.
October 23, 2024 – The Cecil County Planning Commission ruled in the firm's favor in a challenge to a high-density redevelopment on recreational property with a history of flooding issues, holding that the proposal failed to address future flooding or adequately replace lost recreational space for the community.
August 8, 2024 – The Appellate Court of Maryland ruled in favor of homeowners challenging the use of neighboring property as service garages, holding in Matter of Maggio that the Baltimore County Board of Appeals' decision was contrary to prior legal determinations and remanding the case accordingly.
May 24, 2024 – The Carroll County Board of Zoning Appeals determined that a residential addiction service facility was permitted by Conditional Use as a “nursing home.” We appealed to the Circuit Court, which adopted our argument regarding use distinctions and factfinding protocols and overturned the Board’s decision.
February 15, 2024 – The firm opposed the installation of a storage facility next to residential properties in Carroll County. We successfully caused the applicant to withdraw their development plans and lobbied for legislation, enacted in February 2024, that limited the height of future storage facility installations.