Michael Gordon has been practicing law in Maryland for more than 50 years. He is highly regarded by peers and colleagues and well distinguished by professional groups and publications for his still soaring legal career.
“Michael is one of the foremost experienced attorneys around both in quality and quantity,” said Mary Alice Smolarek, a partner in the firm who also works in the Estate Planning group. “He has been around the block and worked with every different type of person from different backgrounds and situations. This provides Michael an innate ability to identify the matters which are of the most important for the client individually.”
While he has reached considerable heights through his legal career, it was a different type of heights that he envisioned himself reaching as a kid growing up. He always wanted to become a pilot. He loved airplanes as a child and regularly camped out at the Harford County Aldino airfield as a Civil Air Patrol Cadet hoping to catch a ride up with a pilot needing the helping hand of a volunteer. That volunteer spirit always stayed with him, as he later proudly enlisted in the military as a part of the National Guard. He chose a different career from aviation, instead taking flight in the form of a decorated legal career that would allow him to help serve others with legal needs from the ground up. He is a passionate patriot always looking to help with fellow veterans and military affairs. Mr. Gordon did eventually learn to fly, achieving his first solo flight at age 65.
Mr. Gordon is a graduate of the University of Baltimore School of Law and still actively practices in the Courts of Maryland and the United States. His practice concentrates in matters involving estates and trusts, business, including non-profits, property, and he is regularly called upon to act as mediator concerning disputes of others.
Mr. Gordon has always been a principal in a law firm. He is married and the father of two, both of whom are local professionals. The newest member of his family is a miniature schnauzer named Ozzie, who has become his closest four legged companion whom shows in Obedience Competition. He has always found time to volunteer for the benefit of others. He loves to travel in his spare time and has trouble naming his favorite place to go, instead always looking forward to the next adventure to somewhere new.
Individuals, small businesses, non-profits, corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships, Real Estate Investors and Developers.
- Maryland State Bar Association—Board of Governors, 1996-1998, 2003-2004
- Bar Associations Insurance Trust – Secretary, 1998-2017
- Bar Association of Baltimore City – Executive Council, 1987-2008, Former Secretary
- Maryland Bar Foundation – Life Fellow
- American Bar Association
- Baltimore County Bar Association
- Baltimore Bar Foundation, Fellow, Former Secretary, Board Member
Mr. Gordon represents individuals in estate and trust planning and litigation. He is active in business acquisitions, dispositions and disputes as well as property matters. He is also active in the mediation of disputes on behalf of individuals, corporations and courts assigned parties. He is equally at home in transactional matters and litigation. Having been a principal in a smaller practice for almost 50 years, he joined Wright, Constable & Skeen as a partner in 2008.
Mr. Gordon received his MICPEL 40-hour Mediator training in the 1990’s and each year thereafter has completed annual training in order to remain qualified for the courts. His MICPEL training complimented by other available resources positioned Mr. Gordon to start an active mediation practice in the 1990’s. In addition to private mediation, Mr. Gordon has been assigned cases for mediation by the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, Circuit Court for Baltimore County, Circuit Court for Howard County, Orphans’ Court for Baltimore County and Orphans’ Court for Baltimore City. He is a regular volunteer mediator in the District Court of Maryland for Baltimore City.
Before Mr. Gordon limited his practice, for many years he was engaged in general practice including personal injury, workers compensation, business litigation, property litigation, estates & trusts and probate. He is regularly assigned cases for mediation by the courts involving personal injury matters, workers compensation, business, property and probate.
In 2016, Mr. Gordon’s long and distinguished service in ADR was recognized by the Baltimore City Bar Association with the Paul A. Dorf Memorial ADR Award. This award is presented each year to a person in the Baltimore Metropolitan Area who has substantially contributed to the furtherance of the goals of alternative dispute resolution (mediation and arbitration) to resolve legal conflicts.
- Legally Speaking: Timely and useful advice on legal matters affecting families with pets. (regularly appearing in Virginia-Maryland-Washington DC Dog magazine (VAMDDCDog).
- Helping animals after you’re gone- Charitable Giving with Donor Advised Funds
Virginia-Maryland-Washington DC Dog magazine, Fall 2017
- Planning for Pets in Times of Owner’s Disability
Virginia-Maryland-Washington DC Dog magazine, Summer 2017.
- Alaska Takes Lead in Recognizing Pets as More Than Property
Virginia-Maryland-Washington DC Dog magazine, Spring 2017
- Estate planning for Pets: Ensuring the Future Care of Animals,
Virginia-Maryland-Washington DC Dog magazine, Winter 2016
- New legislation makes for big changes to Maryland estate planning (6/9/2014)
- Reverse Mortgages – Something to Consider – Carefully (7/1/2009)
- Maryland Authorizes Statutory Pet Trusts (6/1/2009)
- Caring for Your Pet: An Estate Planner´s View (12/20/2008)
- Mandatory Professionalism Course for New Lawyers, Faculty/Instructor
- “Estate Planning for Business Owners”
- “Estate Planning for Animals”
- “Preparation for Mediation”
- Lt. Colonel, Maryland Defense Force Judge Advocate Corps., Retired
- Ombudsman with ESGR.
- Baltimore Drug Courts Foundation, Former VP and Member, Board of Directors
- Mentor, District Court of MD, Baltimore City Veterans’ Docket, Retired
- Dog Owners’ Training Club of Maryland, Inc, Trainer
