Tydings is home to some of the most experienced and respected litigators in the State of Maryland. For more than 80 years, multinational corporations, pension plans, closely held businesses, financial institutions, and individuals have trusted us to be their tenacious and untiring advocates. Our record of success in all kinds of disputes of varying complexity has earned the trust of leading businesses throughout the region for decades.
We provide vigorous representation of plaintiffs and defendants in civil actions large and small. Our experience runs the gamut of complex cases from antitrust to highly technical product liability matters. We serve as regional counsel to clients across the country and as regular litigation counsel to Maryland companies. Though we pride ourselves on our dogged representation of clients in the courtroom, we are equally proud of our skills as arbitrators, mediators, and negotiators in early dispute resolution.
Our vast array of litigation experience includes the following areas:
- Antitrust, franchise, and trade regulation law;
- Appellate;
- Bankruptcy and creditors' rights;
- Breach of contract;
- Business torts;
- Civil rights;
- Commercial free speech;
- Complex personal injury;
- Construction;
- Contract disputes;
- Defamation;
- Director and officer liability;
- Distributor termination;
- Employment and discrimination;
- Environmental;
- ERISA and employee benefits;
- Estates and Trusts;
- Fiduciary duty;
- Financial Services;
- Insurance defense and coverage;
- Intellectual property;
- Intentional torts;
- Joint venture and partnership;
- Medical malpractice and health care;
- Premises liability;
- Products liability and toxic tort;
- Professional liability;
- Punitive damages;
- Real estate;
- Securities; and
- Tax (state and local).
Budgeting and Case Management
At Tydings, we have a track record of winning cases cost effectively. Given that many of our litigation partners have been practicing for more than 20 years, we know how to manage cases.
Early in any complex litigation, we identify a team of lawyers, paralegals, and other staff who are devoted to the case through its conclusion. This saves the client the costs of retraining and duplicating efforts. Each person on the team is assigned tasks based on that individual’s skill and experience level and the cost of his or her time. Essentially, the professional who can do the job most cost-efficiently without sacrificing the quality of work performed will be assigned the task. The partner on the case oversees all of the work, manages all of the timekeepers involved, and remains fully committed and accountable to the client. Once litigation goals are set, we devise a strategy, a plan of defense, and a budget. During litigation, we communicate with each client regularly to report developments in the case, strategy recommendations, and budget status. We take great pains to delegate resources thoughtfully; organize pleadings, facts, and records shrewdly; and capitalize on our partners’ depth of experience in handling cases efficiently.
Strategizing for the Most Beneficial Outcome
Litigation, no matter how efficiently it is handled, is inevitably time consuming and costly. Yet not every case necessitates a protracted courtroom proceeding. We work closely with clients to determine the best strategy based on the particular circumstances, the clients’ resolve and budget, and a variety of other factors. When appropriate, we consider alternative dispute resolution techniques, such as mediation, arbitration, and expedited case treatment as ways to reach a quicker, less expensive solution. Our lawyers are as skilled at the negotiating table as they are in the courtroom.
When clients determine that litigation is the most beneficial strategy, our litigators will be staunch, resolute advocates on their behalf. When budget or time constraints and other factors prevail over clients’ desires to have their day in court, our lawyers are equally competent in achieving settlement quickly and deftly.
Leadership
Tydings' attorneys serve in leadership roles within the American Bar Association Section of Litigation, the Defense Research Institute, and the Maryland Defense Counsel. Our lawyers are also members of the Maryland State Bar Association, the Bar Association of Baltimore City, the District of Columbia Defense Lawyers Association, the Maryland Legal Mutual Insurance Society, and the Circuit Court for Baltimore City’s Mediation Program.
Representative Matters
- Represented a national health care franchisor in an arbitration concerning a violation of a non-compete provision in a franchise agreement; our client prevailed in judgment and was awarded damages.
- Procured the United States Supreme Court's review and reversal of the district court in Hughes v. Alexandria Scrap Corp., 426 U.S. 794.
- Represented the State of Maryland as the receiver of an insolvent, state-chartered savings and loan in its trial that recovered on the institution’s officers’ and directors’ liability policy.
- Defended IBM Corporation in an eight-week trial brought by the EEOC alleging employment discrimination.
- Defended IBM Corporation in suit for alleged patent infringement.
- Defended IBM Corporation in hundreds of suits in Maryland, D.C., Virginia, and West Virginia, alleging repetitive stress injuries from use of computers or supermarket scanners, all of which were either dismissed before trial or won on motion before trial.
- Defended Mercedes Benz, USA in a series of antitrust cases that challenged the manufacturer’s parts distribution practices.
- Represented a Fortune 100 company in sales and use tax litigation.
- Defended Stroh Brewery Company in suit brought by former distributor.
- Prosecuted a civil breach of ERISA fiduciary claims on behalf of a pension plan against former plan trustees, of malpractice claims against former plan attorneys.
- Represented one of the world’s largest pension funds in litigation involving ownership interests in a real estate portfolio valued in excess of one-half billion dollars.
- Represented developers, contractors, and subcontractors in construction claims including contract claims, mechanic’s lien claims, Miller Act and Little Miller Act claims.
- Represented plaintiffs in price-fixing cases relating to the real estate brokerage industry and the retail gasoline business.
- Managed the trial of numerous consolidated products liability and mass tort cases in which punitive damages were at issue and multiple plaintiffs defendants were involved.
- Managed multi-state litigation involving the hiring, supervision, and direction of local counsel, devised and implemented litigation management systems, all within a budget.
- On behalf of investors and minority shareholders, represented plaintiffs in numerous class actions in state and federal court, in cases that have established the leading authorities in this jurisdiction on securities fraud and the rights of minority shareholders during an insider takeover.
- Represented clients in a matter that established that Maryland’s statute of repose applies to breach of contract claims.
- Defended Tartan Farm's 1980 Preakness victory before the Maryland Racing Commission.
- Represented clients in trials in various administrative courts, including the Maryland Tax Court.
Representative Clients
We have represented or currently represent the following clients:
- 84 Lumber
- All Risks, Ltd.
- American Building Maintenance Industries, Inc.
- American Office Equipment Company
- AT&T Communications of Maryland, Inc.
- Atlantic Richfield Company
- CB Richard Ellis, Inc.
- Cloverland/Greenspring Farms Dairy, Inc.
- CVS of Maryland, Inc.
- Dryvit Systems, Inc.
- Fox Chevrolet LLC
- Greater Baltimore Medical Center, Inc.
- IBM Corporation
- M&T Bank
- McLane Company, Inc.
- Mercedes-Benz USA, Inc.
- Merck-Medco Managed Care, Inc.
- STO Corp.
- Sun Microsystems, Inc.
- Sunrise Senior Living, Inc.
- Teachers Insurance & Annuity Association
- Tobacco Technology, Inc.
- W.R. Grace & Company
- Wal-Mart, Inc.