In a recently reported opinion, the Appellate Court of Maryland referred an attorney representing the appellee in a family law appeal to the Attorney Grievance Commission after the attorney filed a brief containing multiple fictitious, AI-generated citations. See Chukwuemeka Mezu v. Kristen Mezu, No. 361, Sept. Term 2025, Slip Op. (filed Oct. 29, 2025). The…
As of July 1, 2025, Maryland Rule of Professional Conduct (“MRPC”) 19-301.15 was changed to prevent attorney’s from utilizing “earned upon receipt” fee arrangements with clients. Maryland previously followed the District of Columbia Supreme Court decision in In re Mance, which permitted earned upon receipt fee agreements, provided an attorney received the client’s informed consent to…
In Estefany Martinez v. Amazon.com Services LLC, the Supreme Court of Maryland upheld the use of the de minimis doctrine in wage and hour disputes. The de minimis doctrine analyzes whether small fractions of time are compensable under wage and labor laws. See Anderson v. Mt. Clemens Pottery Company, 328 U.S. 680 (1946). In Martinez,…
Effective October 1, 2024, New Liability Rules for Exculpatory Clauses Most recreation businesses, think your local fitness center, swimming pool, or ice skating rink around the holidays, require customers to sign a waiver of liability before allowing a customer to enter the facility and engage in conduct that could result in injuries. Case law…
On June 6, 2024, Ocean City, Maryland, served as the backdrop for the MSBA Legal Summit and Annual Meeting. Among the standout sessions at this year’s event was a presentation co-led by Attorney Stephen Cornelius from Eccleston & Wolf. The session, titled “Ethical Considerations and the Role of Attorneys and Employers Handling Employment Decisions and…
Virtual court skills are now part of the ever-increasing demands upon lawyers. Trial courts and appeals courts have engaged in the use of virtual technology to allow judicial proceedings to continue notwithstanding the Coronavirus pandemic raging through the country. Appearing virtually in court presents new and unanticipated challenges to the Bar. Here, the experienced attorneys…
This month on October 5th, Maryland resumed jury trials, hoping to bring some sense of normalcy to this tumultuous and unprecedented year. However, although some courts have reopened, it is important to note that there have been many procedural changes that vary by county. Here, the attorneys at Eccleston & Wolf discuss the changes to…
The law has grown for centuries, using precedence as a means of determining certain cases. Two of these cases include Frye v. United States (1923) and Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals (1993), both of which relate to the admissibility of expert witness testimony. Here, the Maryland attorneys at Eccleston & Wolf discuss the use of…