News
NATHANS & BIDDLE HONORED BY U.S. NEWS
Nathans & Biddle, LLP, was selected for inclusion by U.S. News 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 as one of the premier White Collar Criminal Defense and Non-White Collar Criminal Defense law firms in Maryland.
LARRY NATHANS SELECTED BY BEST LAWYERS
Larry Nathans was selected by his peers for inclusion in the Best Lawyers in America for 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 (White Collar Criminal Defense and Non-White Collar Criminal Defense).
ALL NATHANS & BIDDLE, LLP, ATTORNEYS CHOSEN BY MARYLAND SUPER LAWYERS
Larry Nathans and Robert Biddle were chosen for inclusion in the Maryland Super Lawyers for 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 in the area of White Collar Criminal Defense. Booth Ripke was selected for inclusion on the 2009 Rising Star List.
NATHANS & BIDDLE WINS FOUR WEEK FEDERAL CRIMINAL JURY TRIAL
On December 19, 2012, a United States District Court jury in Greenbelt, Maryland acquitted Graci Bellosi after a four week federal criminal trial. She was indicted on 10 federal criminal counts including: prescription medication distribution; health care fraud; and aggravated identity theft. She was found not guilty on every count. Had she not prevailed, she was looking at a federal sentencing guidelines range of 20-30 years. Robert Biddle and Marisa Ruthven from Nathans & Biddle served as co-counsel for Ms. Bellosi with another law firm. Robert Biddle was the lead forfeiture counsel and was successful with the aid of the other law firm in retrieving over $6,000,000 of seized assets pretrial. Dunkirk Woman Acquitted of Drug Charges
BOOTH RIPKE WINS NEW TRIAL ON ACTUAL INNOCENCE CASE
On July 30, 2012, Nathans & Biddle, LLP, won an actual innocence petition and a new trial for George Seward in the Circuit Court for Baltimore County. Mr. Seward was serving a life sentence and had been in prison more than 25 years when he hired Booth Ripke to present newly discovered evidence of his innocence. Investigation decades after Mr. Seward's trial uncovered employment records showing he was actually at work when the crime occurred.
CIVIL APPELLATE VICTORY IN DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA LEGAL MALPRACTICE SUIT
In December, 2011, Booth Ripke won a published appeal in the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, reversing the lower court's dismissal of a $20 million dollar legal malpractice lawsuit. The decision is published at Crawford v. Katz, et al., No. 09-CV-301, http://caselaw.findlaw.com/dc-court-of-appeals/1587659.html
Former Nathans & Biddle Law Partner Fred Warren Bennett Dies
Fred Bennett, a courageous litigator and former law partner, died on July 1, 2007. Fred was the former Federal Defender for Maryland (1980-1992), the Prince George's County Public Defender (1978-1980) and a full time Law Professor at Catholic University (1992-1997) before entering private practice in 1998. Among his many high profile clients were accused spies Ronald Pelton and John Walker and several men he represented after they had received death sentences. Fred was an expert on evidence, federal trial practice and capital defense litigation. He won numerous awards, authored over 30 law related articles and lectured at many Maryland and national criminal defense seminars and was a mentor to a host of prominent Maryland criminal defense lawyers. He was survived by his wife Susan, two daughters Stephanie and Melanie, a brother and two sisters and his lovely granddaughter. He is severally missed.
RECENT NATHANS & BIDDLE, LLP, CASES APPEARING IN THE NATIONAL MEDIA:
Sentencing In Largest U.S. Historical Document Theft Case
Jason Savedoff was indicted in the United States District Court for Maryland for his involvement in the most prolific historical document theft scheme in United States history from numerous historical societies in several states including Maryland. After extensive pretrial and sentencing efforts, Larry Nathans and Booth Ripke, Nathans & Biddle LLP, were able to secure a sentence of one year and one day in a minimum security prison for Mr. Savedoff on November 9, 2012. This sentence was far less than the sentence the Government requested. It was also seven times less than the 84 month sentence given to his co-defendant, Barry Landau. National Archives' Treasures Targeted By Thieves - 60 Minutes story dated October 27, 2012
Jason Savedoff, Rare Document Thief, Sentenced To Year In Prison
'Con Artist' Who Pilfered Scores Of Historical Documents
New Republic article dated December 14, 2011
Canadian Charged With Theft of 'Breathtaking' U.S. Historical Artifacts
The Maryland Office of the State Prosecutor's Investigation and Prosecution of the Baltimore City Mayor and Other Political Figures
Larry Nathans and Booth Ripke 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
Centurion Ministries - Cases - Walter Lomax
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, LLP, attorneys for their work in representing Mr. Austin.
The Governor Did The Right Thing - The Daily Record (Baltimore)
UM Carey Law Watch (IN) JUSTICE for Michael Austin
Michael Austin - Patrick Crusade article dated November 2, 2003
After 27 Years In Prison, Austin Released
Austin's Lawyer Accuses Prosecutors of Trying to Block Review of Murder Case
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, LLP, 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.
