1732                            Laws of Maryland                      [Ch. 786

(m) Employ for reasonable compensation auditors, investment
advisors or other persons with special skills, to advise or assist the
personal representative in the performance of his administrative
duties;

(n) Prosecute, defend or submit to arbitration actions, claims,
or proceedings in any appropriate jurisdiction for the protection
or benefit of the estate, including the commencement of any per-
sonal action which the decedent might have commenced or prose-
cuted) provided, however, that (i) no personal representative may
institute an action against a defendant for slander during the dece-
dent's lifetime against the decedent, and (ii) in any action insti-
tuted by the personal representative against a tort-feasor for a
wrong which resulted in the death of the decedent, the personal
representative shall be entitled to recover the funeral expenses of
the decedent not in excess of $2,000 in addition to any other dam-
ages recoverable in such action;

(o) Continue any unincorporated business or venture in which
the decedent was engaged at the time of his death (1) in the same
business form for a period of not more than four months from the
date of appointment of a personal representative where continua-
tion is a reasonable means of preserving the value of the business
including goodwill, (2) in the same business form for any addi-
tional period of time that may be approved by order of court in a
proceeding to which all persons interested in the estate are parties,
or (3) throughout the period of administration if the business is
incorporated after the death of the decedent;

(p) Incorporate any business or venture in which the decedent
was engaged at the time of his death if none of the probable dis-
tributees of the business who are competent adults objects to its
incorporation and retention in the estate;

(q) Exercise any options, rights and privileges contained in any
life insurance policy, annuity, or endowment contract constituting
property of the estate, including the right to obtain the cash sur-
render value, convert any such policy to any other type of policy,
revoke any mode of settlement, and pay any part or all of the pre-
miums on any such policy or contract;

(r) Pay any valid claim and distribute the estate as provided
in this article;

(s) When any assets of the estate are encumbered by mort-
gage, pledge, lien, or other security interest, pay the encumbrance
or any part thereof, renew, or extend any obligation secured by the
encumbrance, or convey or transfer the assets to the creditor in
satisfaction of his security interest, in whole or in part, whether
or not the holder of the encumbrance has filed a claim, if any such
act appears to be in the best interests of the estate;

(t) Regardless of any contrary provision in the will, to execute,
upon the written demand of the owner of a redeemable leasehold
or subleasehold estate, a full and valid conveyance of the reversion
or subreversion held by the estate;

(u) Release or terminate any mortgage or security interest, if
the obligation secured by the mortgage or security interest was fully