News

LARRY NATHANS SELECTED BY BEST LAWYERS

Larry Nathans was selected by his peers for inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America for 2008, 2009 and 2010 (White Collar Criminal Defense and Non-White Collar Criminal Defense).

ALL NATHANS & BIDDLE ATTORNEYS CHOSEN BY MARYLAND SUPER LAWYERS 

Larry Nathans and Robert Biddle were chosen for inclusion in the Maryland Super Lawyers for 2008, 2009 and 2010 in the area of White Collar Criminal Defense. Booth Ripke was selected for inclusion on the 2009 Rising Star List.

RECENT NATHANS & BIDDLE CASES APPEARING IN THE NATIONAL MEDIA:

The Maryland Office of the State Prosecutor's Investigation and Prosecution of the Baltimore City Mayor and Other Political Figures 

Since late 2007, Larry Nathans and Booth Ripke have served as criminal defense counsel for the entities and employees associated with a prominent Baltimore land developer regarding the Maryland State Prosecutor's Grand Jury investigation and prosecution of the Mayor of Baltimore City and several others.

Walter Lomax -

Walter Lomax, was freed on December 13, 2006, after serving 39 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. Booth Ripke and Larry Nathans began representing Mr. Lomax in 2005, after an exhaustive investigation revealed never before presented evidence of innocence. The firm filed a Motion to Reopen in the decades old case.

After reviewing pleadings drafted by Mr. Ripke, the Circuit Court for Baltimore City intervened. A previously scheduled hearing was moved up by the Court based on the compelling issues we presented that raised doubt about the entire case. In the end, the court granted relief "in the interests of justice."

Mr. Lomax was released that same day directly from the courthouse and into the arms of family and friends who stood by him for over four decades.

Man Is Set Free After 39 Years Behind Bars - Baltimore Sun 

MD Man Freed After 39 Years in Prison - Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project

Baltimore City Council - Successful public corruption defense of the Baltimore City Council - On March 18, 2005 the Maryland United States Attorney announced that he was closing out the 1 1/2 year public corruption investigation of the elected Baltimore City Council members and declining to bring any criminal charges. Mr. Nathans represented nine of the Councilpersons and was the lead defense counsel in this matter.

City Hires Two Attorneys To Represent Council Members Being Investigated - Baltimore Sun

Subpoenas Issued To Council Members In Probe - Baltimore Sun

U.S. Investigation of City Council Ends Without Charges - Baltimore Sun

Michael Austin - Freeing an innocent man, Michael Austin, from prison - Mr. Nathans was engaged by Centurion Ministries, a New Jersey based organization committed to free wrongfully imprisoned individuals. Mr. Austin was serving a life sentence for the 1974 armed robbery/murder of a convenience store clerk. Larry Nathans and Booth Ripke mounted a successful challenge to Mr. Austin's conviction, based upon Mr. Austin's innocence and significant constitutional violations leading to his conviction. The case received significant local and national press coverage including an appearance by Mr. Austin and Mr. Nathans on ABC's Good Morning America news program. In November 2003, Mr. Austin received a full pardon from Governor Robert Ehrlich (story featured in the Washington Post on January 22, 2004). On November 17, 2004 the Maryland Board of Public Works (BPW) awarded Mr. Austin over $1.4 million dollars in compensation (the largest award ever given in Maryland).  At the BPW hearing, Governor Ehrlich praised Mr. Austin's Nathans & Biddle attorneys for their work in representing Mr. Austin.

The Governor Did The Right Thing - The Daily Record (Baltimore) 

Brookins v. State - Successful campaign finance defense pertaining to the Governor's election - The firm represented an individual in a campaign finance prosecution involving the Maryland gubernatorial campaign. Larry Nathans and Booth Ripke succeeded in having all charges dismissed and convincing the Prince George's County Circuit Court and the Maryland Court of Appeals that the 25 year old law was an unconstitutional violation of the First Amendment.

Judge Strikes Down Walk-Around Money Law - The Daily Record (Baltimore)

Court Gives Reasons For Striking Walk-Around Money Law - The Daily Record (Baltimore)

See the Practice Overview section for a summary of selected other significant cases.

PRO BONO

The firm's attorneys have taken an active role in pro bono projects.  Examples include:

Nathans & Biddle persuaded a Baltimore federal judge to enter a temporary restraining order barring the Federal Bureau of Prisons ("BOP") from transferring a client from a local halfway house, to an out of state federal prison, after the BOP changed the eligibility requirements.

The firm paired with the Maryland Disability Law Center in a case involving representation of a minor who was abused while residing in a state mental health facility. After considerable negotiation, the client received a substantial settlement.

Recent Speaking Appearances:

Mr. Nathans participated in the plea negotiation panel at the Nineteenth Annual Seminar on the Federal Sentencing Guidelines in St. Petersburg, Florida on May 14, 2010. 

Mr. Nathans served as a trial practice panel member at the Federal Bar Association, Maryland Chapter's Primer on Federal Criminal Law in Baltimore, Maryland on April 23, 2010.  He discussed the filing of federal criminal pretrial motions and 17(c) subpoenas.

Mr. Nathans lectured about his firm's success in freeing Michael Austin, a man who spent 27 years in prison for a crime he did not commit, at the Catholic Law School, in Washington, D.C. on February 22, 2010. 

Mr. Nathans was selected to participate in the University of Maryland School of Law's Leadership, Ethics and Democracy Building (LEAD) program. The forums have been held on December 3, 2009, May 29, 2009 and December 5, 2008.

Mr. Nathans participated with several federal judges, on a September 14, 2009 Federal Judiciary Center panel in Washington, D.C. examining the most effective use of federal courtrooms in civil and criminal matters. 

Mr. Biddle discussed issues related to federal defendants prior criminal history at the Federal Criminal Justice Panel Training in Baltimore, Maryland on May 15, 2009. 

Mr. Nathans was asked to lecture with United States Attorney Rod Rosenstein in the Baltimore Bar Association's May 13, 2009 Talking Lecture Program regarding current federal sentencing issues. 

Mr. Biddle lectured on victim impact involvement in federal sentencing at the Criminal Justice Panel Training Program in Baltimore, Maryland on May 2, 2008. 

Mr. Biddle presented on Mitigating Evidence since the Supreme Court's decision in Booker and Fanfan at a federal criminal defense regional training program in Baltimore, Maryland on September 6, 2007. 

Mr. Ripke lectured on freeing his innocent client after 39 years in prison, Walter Lomax, on May 20, 2007 in Princeton, New Jersey.

Mr. Ripke appeared on WBAL with former Senator Clarence Mitchell to discuss legal relief for innocent persons in prison on May 18, 2007.

Mr. Biddle lectured on the defense of multi-defendant federal cases at a regional federal criminal defense training program in Baltimore, Maryland on January 19, 2007.

Mr. Nathans discussed federal sentencing departures and post - Booker sentencing mitigation at the Fifteenth Annual National Sentencing Guidelines Seminar in Miami, Florida on June 1, 2006.

Mr. Biddle lectured about the effective use of defense mental health experts in obtaining lower federal sentences at the Federal Criminal Justice Panel Training program in Greenbelt, Maryland on May 26, 2006.

Mr. Nathans and Mr. Ripke analyzed the pending Supreme Court decision in House v. Bell (actual innocence case) at the University of Maryland School of Law Moot Court Board's Speakers Series Event in Baltimore, Maryland on April 19, 2006.

Mr. Nathans lectured about investigating and cross-examining informants at the national Life in the Balance seminar in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on March 6, 2006.

Mr. Nathans testified before the Maryland House Judiciary Committee in favor of two bills requiring uniformed police procedures during the taking of statements and identification procedures in Annapolis, Maryland on March 1, 2006.

Mr. Nathans appeared on National Public Radio's Weekend Edition morning program discussing State of Maryland v. John Thanos on December 1, 2005.

NPR Radio Broadcast 

Nathans & Biddle recently served as a sponsor of the ABA Criminal Justice Section 2005 Fall Meeting in Baltimore, Maryland on November 4-6, 2005.

Mr. Nathans lectured about investigating and cross-examining informants and accomplices at the Maryland State Public Defender's Conference in Ocean City, Maryland on June 2, 2005.

Mr. Nathans lectured about federal sentencing guidelines downward departures at the 14th Annual National Seminar on the Federal Sentencing Guidelines in San Francisco, California on May 26, 2005.

Mr. Nathans and Mr. Ripke spoke about overturning innocent clients' convictions at the Maryland Criminal Defense Attorneys Association's Annual Spring Conference in Baltimore, Maryland on May 13, 2005.

Mr. Nathans spoke about the ramifications of Blakely v. Washington at the Maryland Institute for Continuing Professional Education of Lawyers seminar in Baltimore, Maryland on October 11, 2004.

Mr. Nathans lectured on the Destruction of Accomplices by Effective Investigation and Impeachment at the Florida Public Defender's Annual Seminar in Ponte Vedra, Florida on July 30, 2004.

Mr. Biddle spoke at two programs at the 25th Annual Capital Punishment Training Conference hosted by the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, Inc. in Warrenton, Virginia on July 25, 2004. The programs were: Winning Impossible Cases: Lessons from Malvo, Nichols and a Locally Infamous Gang Case; and "There Are No Children Here" -Child Development In Violent Places program.

Mr. Nathans was selected to conduct Defense Attorney Training at the 13th Annual National Seminar on the Federal Sentencing Guidelines in Miami, Florida on May 21, 2004.

Mr. Nathans spoke about freeing an innocent client from prison at the Johns Hopkins University Lecture Series on April 28, 2004.

Mr. Nathans was on a panel discussing Civility and Professionalism in the Law at the American University School of Law on April 16, 2004.

Mr. Nathans lectured on Using Subpoenas to Tear Up Witnesses on Cross-examination at the Maryland Criminal Defense Attorney's Association meeting on February 3, 2004.

Mr. Nathans was a panel member on Federal Sentencing: Downward Departures at the 12^th Annual National Seminar on the Federal Sentencing Guidelines in Miami, Florida on May 29, 2003.

Mr. Nathans spoke on Raising Mental Health Issues at Sentencing at the Maryland Federal Criminal Justice Act Panel Training on May 9, 2003.

Mr. Nathans lectured on Dealing With the Press in High Profile cases at the Annual Women's Banquet at the University of Baltimore School of Law on April 11, 2003.