Many of the Tydings’ attorneys have significant experience in legislative and administrative matters. The firm maintains an active practice before various state agencies and boards, as well as political subdivisions and local governmental entities.
We provide our clients services in:
- Regulatory and administrative law;
- Government contracting law;
- Legislative advocacy & representation;
- Election and campaign finance law; and
- Litigation challenges to business regulations.
Regulatory and Administrative Law
Tydings is widely experienced in all aspects of government regulation and has represented businesses in complex regulatory issues involving federal, state, and local authorities. Services include:
- Assisting clients in complying with existing laws and regulations in daily operations;
- Developing and implementing corporate compliance programs;
- Investigating and resolving threatened administrative and civil actions involving fraud, abuse, related enforcement issues, and Qui Tam actions; and
- Providing representation in adversary proceedings where necessary to protect clients' business interests.
The firm has represented large foreign commercial banks, domestic banks and thrifts, broker-dealers, investment banks, insurance companies, registered investment advisors, and private and registered investment companies.
The firm has particular experience in all aspects of health care regulation, including Medicaid and Medicare reimbursement, managed care, hospital and physician law, fraud and abuse, compliance, tax exemption, licensing, survey and certification enforcement, and disciplinary cases. For more information on the firm's health care practice, visit Health Care.
Government Contracting Law
We have nearly 50 years of experience in government contracts law. Our attorneys handle a wide range of government contracts matters. Among many other matters, we have:
- Negotiated teaming agreements, prime contracts, and subcontracts;
- Counseled clients on General Services Administration (GSA), Department of Defense, and U.S. Postal Service contract issues;
- Litigated bid protests and claims against the government;
- Assisted clients in complying with the socio-economic, ethics, and labor law provisions in government contracts; and
- Assisted businesses in attaining federal and state minority or disadvantaged business certification.
Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprises
Franklin Lee is one of the country’s leading authorities on socio-economic policies that promote the mainstream utilization of small, minority-, and women-owned businesses in government contracting. He represents companies, large and small, regarding regulatory compliance with such public policies, and has advised numerous state and local governments and federal agencies on the establishment and legal defense of commercial non-discrimination policies and other public contracting programs. With nearly 25 years of experience in this arena, Mr. Lee also counsels large multi-national corporations in private sector efforts to promote fairness and diversity in their use of commercial vendors.
Legislative and Executive Branches: Advocacy and Representation
Tydings' attorneys have extensive experience in legislative advocacy and public policy development. This work includes advocating before government officials on behalf of our clients, monitoring the activities of government agencies, establishing a presence on the political scene, and maintaining a high profile in civic and community affairs.
Litigation Challenges to Business Regulations
Tydings has mounted a number of successful challenges to anticompetitive and unfair business regulations. Acting on behalf of a large wholesaler to convenience stores, we had the Maryland Comptroller enjoined from enforcing a regulation regarding cigarette sales below cost. For more information on our antitrust, franchise, and trade regulation law practice, visit Antitrust, Franchise, and Trade Regulation Law. We have also combined our legislative advocacy and litigation skills to convince CMS to change a significant Medicaid regulation. For more information on our litigation experience concerning health care regulation, visit Health Care.
Leadership
Ferrier Stillman served as Assistant Secretary for Business and Regulatory Services at the Maryland Department of Health & Mental Hygiene (now Maryland Department of Health) before joining the firm. She is active with numerous organizations involved in the regulation of the health care industry. She currently is a member of the board of directors of the Beacon Institute, a statewide organization specializing in education for the senior housing and long-term care industries. She serves on LifeSpan Network, Inc.’s (LifeSpan) Legislative and Public Policy Committee as well as being a member of the Health Facilities Association of Maryland (HFAM). Previously, she was chair of the board of a statewide health care provider, Planned Parenthood of Maryland, and served on the Board of Trustees of the Center for Healthy Maryland (a part of Med-Chi). She is also a past recipient of a Leadership in Law Award from The Daily Record.
Through the activities of Franklin Lee, the firm is also deeply engaged in regulatory matters affecting Women- and Minority Business Enterprise (W/MBE). He was the only attorney selected to serve on Maryland Governor Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.’s Task Force on MBE Reform in 2003. In May 2006, at the conclusion of the Task Force’s work, Governor Ehrlich signed into law groundbreaking MBE legislation crafted largely by Mr. Lee. In addition, Mr. Lee was appointed by Governor O’Malley to serve as a member of the Maryland Task Force on Minority Business Enterprise and Equity Investment Capital.
Representative Matters
Among other matters, the Government Relations and Administrative Law Group has:
- Represented an industrial customer before the Maryland Public Service Commission;
- Represented multiple companies before agencies of Maryland State Government and local governments, including advocating for health care providers and professionals in regulatory and administrative matters;
- Advocated for clients seeking assistance from the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development and local economic development agencies;
- Advocated for various clients before the Governor’s Office and other state and local agencies and officials;
- Handled bid protests before the Board of Estimates of Baltimore City and Maryland State Board of Contract Appeals;
- Advocated at legislative hearings before Committees of the Maryland House of Delegates and Senate as representative for clients’ positions on pending legislation;
- Negotiated the long-term lease between the Maryland Stadium Authority and the Baltimore Orioles Baseball Club;
- Developing the lease and financing package that was the prototype for the agreement with the Baltimore Ravens;
- Attended administrative hearings involving zoning cases, contractor qualification, Medicaid eligibility, Medicaid cost reports and reimbursement, health care and senior housing regulatory issues, and minority business enterprises;
- Obtained Minority Business Enterprise, Women Business Enterprise, and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise certifications from state and local governments;
- Advised numerous governmental agencies on Minority Women Business Enterprise, Small Business Enterprise, and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise programs; and
- Drafted appellate briefs as amicus curiae and as an intervening party in numerous constitutional challenges to federal, state, and local minority business programs.
Representative Clients
The firm has represented or currently represents the following clients:
- The Cities of Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Columbia SC, San Antonio, and San Diego
- FMC Jetway
- Glass Health Systems
- Ivy Hall Geriatric Center
- McLane Company, Inc.
- Prime Care Properties LLC
- Sunrise Senior Living, Inc.
- Trans Healthcare, Inc.