Maryland Approves Contingent Fee Contract for Key Bridge Collapse Litigation

Posted by
1 min read
May 13, 2024

BALTIMORE, MD – Attorney General Anthony Brown announced that the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) Board has approved a “contingent fee contract” for a team of five law firms to serve as Assistant Counsel in pursuing litigation related to the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse. The contract stipulates that the firms will be paid from any damages recovered by the state. The request will be presented to the Board of Public Works (BPW) on Wednesday, May 15.

“We will seek compensation from those responsible for the M/V Dali’s collision with the Key Bridge,” stated Attorney General Brown. He noted that the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) has assembled a team of law firms with expertise in maritime disasters, tort litigation, insurance recovery, and dispute resolution. The selected firms are Kelley Drye & Warren, Liskow and Lewis, Partridge LLC, The Lanier Firm, and the Maryland firm Downs Ward Bender Herzog & Kintigh, serving as local counsel.

Attorney General Brown expressed gratitude to the MDTA for its prompt approval and to Willcox & Savage for their interim assistance during the competitive selection process. The newly selected team will work with the OAG to address the harms caused by the bridge collapse.

Phil Stilton

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.

Facebook

Don't Miss