Frederick C. Sussman

Of Counsel

[email protected]

T410-268-6600

F410-269-8409

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Bar/Court Admissions

  • Maryland
  • U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland
  • U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
  • U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals

Frederick C. Sussman

Mr. Sussman’s practice includes municipal law, zoning, planning and land use law, real estate and property law, condominium and homeowners association law, employment law, contract law, and civil litigation.

Mr. Sussman has had a very diverse career advising and representing public and private sector clients.  Mr. Sussman began his career in the Anne Arundel County Solicitor’s Office, and then served four years as the first full-time City Attorney for Annapolis.  Since entering private practice in 1986, in addition to representing businesses and individuals, Mr. Sussman has represented numerous municipalities, quasi-governmental agencies and entities and condominium, homeowner and community associations.  He has published articles and given speeches and seminars on a variety of municipal law, employment law and condominium and homeowners association law topics.

Professional Associations

  • American Bar Association
  • Maryland State Bar Association
  • Anne Arundel County Bar Association
  • International Municipal Lawyers Association
  • Maryland Municipal Attorneys Association
  • Community Associations Institute, Chesapeake Region Chapter
  • Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce
  • American Society of Human Resource Professionals

Community Involvement

  • Chair, City of Annapolis Financial Advisory Commission (2010 to present)
  • Chair, Financial Management Committee of Annapolis Mayor Michael Pantelides’ Transition Team (2014)
  • Chair, City of Annapolis Blue Ribbon Commission to Study City Finances (2009-2010)
  • Committee Chair, Anne Arundel County Public Schools Budget Task Force (2005)
  • City of Annapolis Code Revision Committee 
  • First Chairman, City of Annapolis Ethics Commission
  • Chairman, City of Annapolis 2001 Aldermanic Redistricting Committee 
  • Member, Anne Arundel County Council 2001 and 2005 Salary Standard Commissions.
  • Chair, Vice Chair Past Chair, Secretary-Treasurer, Chair of Government Relations Committee, member of Board of Directors, of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Chamber of Commerce
  • President, member of Board of Directors, and member of Legislative Committee, Greater Annapolis Chamber of Commerce  
     

Speaking/Teaching Engagements

  • “Municipal Hot Button Issues,” Maryland Municipal League Summer Convention 2013
  • “Municipal Issues in Court – An Update”, Maryland City and County Management Association Spring Conference 2011
  • “Municipal Hot Button Issues,” Maryland Municipal League Summer Convention 2010
  • “Municipal Legal Issues in Court,” Maryland Municipal League Fall Conference 2009”
  • “The Nuts and Bolts of Annexation in Maryland,” Maryland Municipal League Summer Convention 2007

Publications

  • “Local Government Lawyer – An Integral Part of the Process,”, Maryland Bar Journal, November/December 1998
  • “The Municipal Attorney:  A Vital Part of Your Local Government,” Municipal Maryland, October 1995

Honors / Awards

  • Municipal Litigation Reporter Editorial Advisory Board
  • What's Up? Annapolis Leading Lawyer
  • Anne Arundel Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame, Class of 2022

Representative Matters

Representative Clients

  • City Attorney for City of Aberdeen
  • Present or former Town Attorney for Towns of Capitol Heights, Cottage City, Highland Beach, Indian Head, La Plata, Leonardtown, Perryville and Riverdale Park
  • Ethics Counsel to City of Bowie and Town of Chesapeake Beach

Reported Appellate Decisions

  • Town of La Plata v. Faison-Rosewick, 434 Md. 496 (2013) (Authority of Town Manager in municipal annexation referendum process)
  • Gunby v. Olde Severna Park Improvement Association, Inc., 174 Md. App. 189 (2007) (Ownership of riparian rights)
  • Mayor and City Council of Rockville v. Rylyns Enterprises, Inc., 372 Md. 514 (2002)(Amicus Brief, Zoning of annexed land)
  • City of Seat Pleasant v. Jones, 364 Md. 663 (2001) (Municipal elections and voter registration)
  • Baltimore Neighborhoods, Inc. v. Rommel Builders, Inc., 40 F. Supp.2d  700 (USDC Md. 1999) (Landmark case involving interpretation of handicap accessibility requirements of Fair Housing Amendments Act as applied to multi-family condominium project)
  • Koch v. Strathmeyer, 357 Md. 193 (1999) (Implied easements to access navigable water)
  • Williams v. Anne Arundel County, 334 Md. 109 (1994) (Amicus Brief, History of Anne Arundel County special taxing districts)
  • Vytar Associates v. Mayor and Aldermen of the City of Annapolis, 301 Md. 558 (1984) (Refund of rental license fees unlawfully imposed; retroactive legislation)
  • Leibe v. City of Annapolis, 57 Md. App. 317 (1984) (Management rights and definition of “investigation” under Law Enforcement Officers Bill of Rights)
  • Kelser v. Anne Arundel County Department of Social Services, 679 F.2d 1092 (4th Cir. 1982) (Propriety of federal court abstention while State proceedings pending)
  • Apostol v. Anne Arundel County, 288 Md. 667 (1980) (Municipal tax differential)
  • Smith v. County Executive of Anne Arundel County, 47 Md. App. 65 (1980) (Propriety of dismissal of Circuit Court en banc review proceedings)
  • Ritchmount Partnership  v. Board of Supervisors of Elections of Anne Arundel County, 283 Md. 48 (1978) (Charter county referendum and amendments to comprehensive zoning maps)
  • Blumenthal v. Clerk of the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County, 278 Md. 398 (1976) (Interpretation of State recordation tax statute)

Education

  • Tulane University (J.D., 1974)
  • Tulane University (B.A., 1972)

Practice Areas

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