November 16, 2022

We wish to announce that on January 14, 2023, our colleague and good friend, Joel Smith, will retire from the law firm.  Joel leaves the firm closing out just under 45 years in legal practice dedicated to counsel and support of workers, labor organizations and non-profits in all sectors of the economy.  His work, with both public and private employees, brought him into contact with musicians and entertainers, Major League Baseball Umpires and other professional sports officials, college and public-school instructors, building trades crafts workers, industrial mechanics, production workers and line personnel, public safety officers, emergency medical personnel and fire fighters.

Joel helped to create many new organizations to expand employee representation, in Baltimore City and the State, and elsewhere nationally.  Through appellate advocacy, and his work before legislative bodies, Joel helped to develop new legal principles, statutory law and public ordinances to secure access to employment rights, and to create sustainable wage standards and benefits for working people and their families.

For his work, Joel was elected as a fellow in the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, and was repeatedly recognized for his skills by peers in his fields of expertise in the publications of Best Lawyers and SuperLawyers.  We, at the law firm, recognize the direction and impact Joel has had on our firm, guiding us to continue to move forward after his departure.  We wish him well.