Cathleen F. Ward, Esq.
Cathleen F. Ward, Esq.
President
About
I founded this firm in 1997. At that time, I had a handful of clients and made quite a leap of faith by branching out on my own. However, I had a great mentor, the late Paul B. Rodbell, Esq., and truly helpful experience through earlier employment at two highly regarded Maryland law firms. When this firm first opened, I operated from a small office, sublet from a generous attorney and friend. Slowly and carefully, I built my practice and the firm. Today, I have a full staff and moved in 2011 to our newly re-developed office building in the Glen Burnie Town Center.
I decided to become a lawyer while in high school and have been licensed to practice since 1990. I knew early on that the law was the right profession for me and I graduated from the University of Maryland – College Park with a degree in Law Enforcement. However, I wasn’t sure at the start of law school (University of Maryland at Baltimore, this time) what practice areas would be most interesting to me and, at the same time, best fit my skill set. During law school, I was truly blessed by working in the office of the General Counsel the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission. Here, I was able to work on a range of issues, from the commission’s police force to zoning and land use. The zoning experience at the commission paved the way to my next great experience working for a law firm in Prince George’s County where I expanded my zoning practice along with general business law and real estate transactions. I then became an associate at a law firm in Howard County, Maryland where I further expanded my zoning practice into Howard and Anne Arundel Counties and in more complex real estate transactions and financing, representing both lenders and borrowers for residential and commercial transactions.
Currently, I truly enjoy all manner of real estate and business cases often because I like solving the mathematical complexities presented by cases involving business matters and property issues. I jokingly call this area ‘math law’. I concentrate my practice in areas such as real estate, bankruptcy, financing, business transactions, zoning and contracts. Client success in these areas requires meticulous attention to detail and the innate ability to follow the numbers to the desired result. It is precisely these traits that I put to the service of our clients.
I decided to become a lawyer while in high school and have been licensed to practice since 1990. I knew early on that the law was the right profession for me and I graduated from the University of Maryland – College Park with a degree in Law Enforcement. However, I wasn’t sure at the start of law school (University of Maryland at Baltimore, this time) what practice areas would be most interesting to me and, at the same time, best fit my skill set. During law school, I was truly blessed by working in the office of the General Counsel the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission. Here, I was able to work on a range of issues, from the commission’s police force to zoning and land use. The zoning experience at the commission paved the way to my next great experience working for a law firm in Prince George’s County where I expanded my zoning practice along with general business law and real estate transactions. I then became an associate at a law firm in Howard County, Maryland where I further expanded my zoning practice into Howard and Anne Arundel Counties and in more complex real estate transactions and financing, representing both lenders and borrowers for residential and commercial transactions.
Currently, I truly enjoy all manner of real estate and business cases often because I like solving the mathematical complexities presented by cases involving business matters and property issues. I jokingly call this area ‘math law’. I concentrate my practice in areas such as real estate, bankruptcy, financing, business transactions, zoning and contracts. Client success in these areas requires meticulous attention to detail and the innate ability to follow the numbers to the desired result. It is precisely these traits that I put to the service of our clients.
Education
- University of Maryland School of Law, Baltimore, Maryland
- J.D. - 1990
- University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
- B.A. cum laude - 1987
- Honors: Dean’s List
- Honors: Phi Eta Sigma
- Honors: Phi Kappa Phi
- Honors: Golden Key Honor Society
Employment
- Reese and Carney, LLP, Associate, 1993 - 1997
- Meyers, Billingsley, Shipley, Curry et al, Associate, 1990 - 1993
Ancillary Businesses
- Owner of Absolute Title Group, Incorporated - a full title service company
Bar Admissions
- Maryland, 1990
- U.S. District Court District of Maryland, 1991
Professional Associations & Memberships
- Maryland State Bar Association
- Anne Arundel Bar Association