Michael J. Lentz

Michael Lentz is a trusted counselor and advisor to businesses of all sizes and their owners, directors, and officers. He also maintains an extensive fiduciary, trust and estate, and probate litigation practice. For the companies and individuals he represents, Michael serves as an invaluable partner who is both pragmatic and relentless when protecting and advancing their interests.

Michael understands that clients’ needs are rarely confined to traditional "business hours," and a lawyer must always be ready and available to answer a question, ease a concern, or address a crisis. He's also an accomplished courtroom advocate who appreciates that litigation, while sometimes unavoidable, is rarely the optimal way to resolve a dispute.  

 Leveraging almost three decades of insights and experience, Michael provides all-encompassing counsel focused squarely on achieving his clients' goals with as little cost and disruption as possible. While always seeking creative ways to resolve or avoid protracted disputes or overcome obstacles that could impede the resolution of critical litigation or the consummation of a significant transaction, he will not hesitate to stand firm or forcefully push back when warranted or required.

What makes Michael so effective – in the courtroom, at the negotiating table, or in the C-suite – is the diverse and complementary nature of his work. Each aspect of his practice informs the others. Michael's litigation experience allows him to quickly identify and address potential issues in transactions or day-to-day corporate governance that could lead to disputes, ensuring his clients are well-positioned and protected if a deal or relationship goes south. Conversely, his transactional and business perspectives, focused as they are on the financial, practical, and strategic implications of a given matter, facilitate his development of approaches focused on his clients' bottom lines.

Michael's commercial litigation work covers the full spectrum of business disputes, from employment claims to contract issues to shareholder and management conflicts to bet-the-company cases. In his fiduciary litigation practice, he represents trustees, personal representatives, and beneficiaries in all manner of cases and claims, balancing legal imperatives and client interests with the preservation of assets and the navigation of complicated interpersonal dynamics.

As a business counselor, Michael offers guidance on day-to-day operations, strategic planning, and complex transactions. He gets to know not only the management teams he works with but also all the critical aspects of their operations and the personnel who drive their success. Michael focuses on adding value for his clients with a combination of creativity and practicality, as well as a commitment to being accessible and responsive when questions come up during the day or concerns keep them up at night.

Proficient in Spanish, Michael has been frequently recognized for his professional accomplishments, including being named by Maryland Super Lawyers as one of the top attorneys in Maryland for business litigation from 2014 through 2018 and 2021-2023.