is devoted to the traditional essay examination,
prepared and graded by the Board
Pursuant to the Rules Governing Admission to
the Bar, adopted by the Court of Appeals, June 28,
1990 (effective August 1, 1990), and Rules of the
Board adopted October 8, 1990, the subjects cov
ered by the Board's essay examination may include
such subjects as agency, business associations,
commercial transactions, constitutional law, con-
tracts, criminal law and procedure, evidence, Mary
land civil procedure, property, professional
conduct, and torts Subjects are not specifically
labeled on the examination paper, and questions
may encompass more than one subject area
The Board also processes applications for admis
sion filed under Rule 13, which permits out of-
State attorneys to apply tor admission to the
Maryland bar These applicants must have practiced
law for a total of ten years or at least five years of
the ten years preceding application The lawyers'
examination is an essay test limited in scope and
subject matter to Maryland's Rules of Practice and
Procedure and Rules of Professional Conduct The
test is three hours long and is administered on the
first day of the regularly scheduled bar examination
The requirement that all applicants to practice
law in Maryland live in the State when admitted to
the bar was abolished in 1982
The Board is composed of seven lawyers ap
pointed to five year terms by the Court of Appeals
Authorization for the Board continues until July 1,
1999 (Code Business Occupations and Professions
Article, sees 10-201 through 10 218)

ATTORNEY GRIEVANCE
COMMISSION

David D Downes, Esq , Chair, 1999

Appointed by Court of Appeals (which names chair)
Alfred Nance, Esq , 1996, Martin B Lessans, Esq ,
1997, Seymour B Stern, Esq , 1997, Leonard P
Steuart, 1997, Patricia G Adams, Esq , 1998,
Frednc B Ratner, 1998, Linda H Lamone, Esq ,
1999, B Harnette Taylor, Esq , 1999, J Donald
Braden, Esq , 2000

Melvm Hirshman, Esq , Bar Counsel

100 Community Place, S 3301 (410) 514-7051
Crownsville. MD 21032 1 800-492 1660

By Rule of the Court of Appeals, the Attorney
Grievance Commission was created in 1975 to
administer discipline and supervise the inactive
status of lawyers The Commission appoints, sub
ject to approval of the Court of Appeals, a lawyer
to serve as bar counsel and principal executive
officer of the disciplinary system The bar counsel
and staff investigate all matters involving possible

misconduct, prosecute disciplinary proceedings,
and investigate petitions for reinstatement (Md
Rules, Chapter 1100, subtitle BV) By the same
Rule of Court, the Court of Appeals also estab
hshed a disciplinary fund to cover expenses of the
Commissionandprovidedforan Inquiry Commit
tee and a Review Board to act upon disciplinary
cases
The Commission consists of eight lawyers and
two lay persons appointed by the Court of Ap
peals for four year terms The chair is named by
the Court

INQUIRY COMMITTEE
Harry K Wolpoff, Esq , Chair
(301)951 0303
Appointed by the Attorney Grievance Commis
sion, the Inquiry Committee consists of attorneys
selected by the Bar Associations of the appropriate
county or Baltimore City, and lay members

REVIEW BOARD
Kerry D Staton, Esq , Chair, 1997
Harry C Storm, Esq , Vice-Chair, 1998

Selected by Board of Governors, Maryland State Bar
Association, & appointed by Attorney Grievance
Commission
1st Appellate Circuit James E Thompson, Esq ,
1997

2nd Appellate Circuit Lloyd J Hammond, Esq ,
1997, G Warren Mix, Esq , 1998, Stanley H
Hellman, Esq , 1999

3rd Appellate Circuit Mary Ann Ferguson, Esq ,
1999

4th Appellate Circuit Robert H Silberman, Esq ,
1999

5th Appellate Circuit Paula J Peters, Esq , 1997

6th Appellate Circuit Kerry D Staton, Esq , 1997,
Benjamin Rosenberg, Esq , 1998, Michael N
Gambnil, Esq , 1999, Lee N Sachs, Esq , 1999

7th Appellate Circuit Jo B Fogel, Esq , 1997,
Joseph M. Quirk, Esq , 1998, Bryan Renehan,
Esq , 1998, Harry C Storm, Esq , 1998

Appointed by Attorney Grievance Commission
Martin B Blumsack, Ruth S Levy, Richard L
Wiae Terms expire 1998

(410)514 7051

The Review Board consists of eighteen members
appointed to three year terms by the Commission
Fifteen are attorneys selected by the Board ofGov
ernors of the Maryland State Bar Association
Three are lay members from the State at large
Judges are not permitted as members of the Board