Richard J. Magid

SENIOR COUNSEL
BALTIMORE
T: 410.347.8716
F: 410.223.3496

Mr. Magid focuses his practice on business litigation and securities. He served as the lead counsel for the defense of two major railroads in a contract dispute in the United States District Court for the District of Oregon. He also gave counsel for a securities broker in the defense of claims of violations of federal and state securities laws before an arbitration panel of the National Association of Securities Dealers. Aside from being an established lawyer, he is the author of two books, The Extra Burden of the Black Hat and Suing Your Own Client: Disqualification? Don't Be So Sure.

Recognitions

  • Benchmark Litigation, Maryland Business Litigation and Appellate "Local Litigation Star" (2010)
  • The Best Lawyers in America®, Commercial Litigation (2009–Present)
  • Maryland Super Lawyers®, Business Litigation and Securities Litigation (2007, 2010–2018)
  • AV Preeminent®: Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™
 

Memberships & Activities

  • Court Appointed Mediator:  Circuit Court for Baltimore City, 1999-Present
  • Court Appointed Mediator:  Orphans Court for Baltimore City, 2004-Present
  • Volunteer Pretrial Settlement Attorney:  Bar Association of Baltimore City
  • Chair: Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee, Bar Association of Baltimore City, 2003-2006
  • Co-Chair: Judich Administration Committee, Bar Association of Baltimore City, 2008-2009
  • Member: Maryland State Bar Association
  • Member: American Bar Association
  • Arbitrator and Panel Chair: Financial Regulatory Authority

Business Litigation

  • Lead counsel for the defense of a major railroad against the claims of multiple corporate and governmental plaintiffs in connection with the Baltimore tunnel fire/derailment litigation in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland (Bennett, J.) and the Circuit Court for Baltimore City (Cannon, J.)
  • Lead counsel for the defense of two major railroads in a contract dispute in the United States District Court for the District of Oregon (Jones, S.J.). The jury returned a defense verdict after a two week trial
  • Lead counsel for a defendant major railroad in breach of contract actions brought in United States District Courts in Houston, Texas; Buffalo, New York; Alexandria, Virginia; Newark and Trenton, New Jersey; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Toledo, Ohio, alleging delays in rail service as a result of the division of the assets of Conrail Corp.
  • Lead counsel for a defendant major railroad in a contract action in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan (Detroit) (Edmonds, J.). After a one week bench trial and adverse judgment, the case was settled on appeal to the Sixth Circuit.
 

Alternative Dispute Resolution

  • Lead counsel for a major health insurer/claimant in a contract dispute before the American Arbitration Association. An award favorable to claimant was issued.
 

Securities Litigation

  • Counsel for a securities broker in the defense of claims of violations of federal and state securities laws before an arbitration panel of the National Association of Securities Dealers. The award in favor of the broker was affirmed by the United States District Court for the District of Columbia (Kennedy, J.)
INSIGHTS

Author:  The Extra Burden of the Black Hat, The Journal of the Section of Litigation, American Bar Association, Vol. 31, No. 2, Winter, 2005

Author: Suing Your Own Client: Disqualification? Don't Be So Sure, The Journal of the Section of Litigation, American Bar Association, Vol. 29, No. 2 , Winter, 2003

ARTICLES

Suing Under the Maryland Securities Act

The story is all too familiar these days. Your client, a successful businessman or professional, was convinced by a friend of a friend to invest a substantial sum of money in a business which has recently gone sour. Your client tells you that initially he received a respectable return on his investment, but in the ensuing months the payments became smaller and less frequent and ultimately dried up. He reports that now there is talk that the business is having cash flow problems and may not make it.


A Record 87 Whiteford Attorneys Listed in Best Lawyers in America 2024, Ten Selected as “Ones to Watch”

87 lawyers from Whiteford, Taylor & Preston have been selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2024 (copyright 2023 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken S.C.). New practice areas of recognition include CleanTech Law and Entertainment and Sports Law. The lawyers selected are based in the firm’s Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington offices. Client comments are posted on the Best Lawyers website, at bestlawfirms.com.

57 WTP Attorneys Listed in Best Lawyers in America 2019, Four Named "Lawyer of the Year"

57 lawyers from Whiteford, Taylor & Preston have been selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2019 (copyright 2018 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken S.C.). The lawyers selected are based in the firm’s Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and Washington offices. Client comments are posted on the U.S. News & Best Lawyers web site.

59 WTP Attorneys Listed in Best Lawyers in America 2018, Two Named "Lawyer of the Year"

59 lawyers from Whiteford, Taylor & Preston have been selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2018 (copyright 2017 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken S.C.). The lawyers selected are based in the firm’s Maryland, Washington and Virginia offices. Client comments are posted on the U.S. News & Best Lawyers web site, at bestlawfirms.com.

In addition, two lawyers were selected as “Lawyer of the Year” for their particular areas of practice.


59 Whiteford, Taylor & Preston Attorneys Listed in Best Lawyers in America, 2017, Eight Named as "Lawyers of the Year"

Fifty-nine lawyers from Whiteford, Taylor & Preston have been selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2017 (copyright 2016 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken S.C.). The lawyers selected are based in the firm’s Maryland, Washington and Virginia offices.

In addition, eight lawyers were selected as “Lawyers of the Year” for their particular areas of practice. 


Whiteford, Taylor & Preston Recognized in 2016 Benchmark Litigation

The 2016 edition of Benchmark Litigation has ranked Whiteford, Taylor & Preston as “Highly Recommended” in Maryland.  The ranking is the publication’s top rating and identifies those firms it deems “dominant” in the state.

In addition, Benchmark Litigation named eight lawyers from the firm as Maryland “Local litigation Stars.”   The selected lawyers represent the broad diversity of the firm’s litigation experience, from sophisticated business litigation to bankruptcy to products liability.


63 Whiteford, Taylor & Preston Attorneys Listed in Best Lawyers in America, Four Named as "Lawyers of the Year"

Sixty-three lawyers from Whiteford, Taylor & Preston have been selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2015 (copyright 2014 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken S.C.). The lawyers selected are based in the firm’s Maryland, Washington and Virginia offices.

In addition, four lawyers were selected as “Lawyers of the Year” in the Baltimore region for their particular areas of practice.


Fifty-Four Whiteford Attorneys Named Super Lawyers and Rising Stars in Maryland

Whiteford, Taylor & Preston is pleased to announce that 54 of its Maryland-based attorneys are listed among the 2014 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars.

The firm is particularly proud of the young lawyers who are recognized as “Rising Stars” and the three partners who received special recognition -- Edward Buxbaum and Dwight Stone in the Top 100, and Mary Claire Chesshire in the Top 50 Women.


Whiteford, Taylor & Preston Recognized in 2014 Benchmark Litigation and Benchmark Plaintiff

The 2014 editions of Benchmark Litigation and Benchmark Plaintiffs have ranked Whiteford, Taylor & Preston in the top tier of litigation firms in Maryland.

Eight lawyers from the firm were named as Maryland “Local litigation Stars” in Benchmark Litigation, and three of them were also named in Benchmark Plaintiffs. In addition, Daniel Griffith, the head of the firm’s Wilmington office, continued to be listed as a “Future Star” in the rankings for Delaware.


61 Whiteford, Taylor & Preston Attorneys Listed in Best Lawyers in America; Nine Named as "Lawyers of the Year"

Sixty-one lawyers from Whiteford, Taylor & Preston have been selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2014 (copyright 2013 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken S.C.). The lawyers selected are based in the firm’s Maryland, Washington and Virginia offices, including the firm's new Roanoke office.

In addition, nine lawyers were selected as “Lawyers of the Year” in their jurisdictions and areas of practice.


Sixty-Four Whiteford Attorneys Named Super Lawyers and Rising Stars in Maryland, Delaware, Virginia

Whiteford, Taylor & Preston is pleased to announce that 64 of its attorneys are listed among the 2013 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars in three states.

The firm is particularly proud of the young lawyers who are recognized as “Rising Stars”; the four partners who are listed in the Top 100 in Maryland – Edward Buxbaum, Edwin Fee, William Ryan, and Dwight Stone; and the 16 who are named for the first time this year.


60 Whiteford, Taylor & Preston Attorneys Listed in Best Lawyers in America Five Named as "Lawyers of the Year"

Sixty lawyers from Whiteford, Taylor & Preston have been selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2013 (copyright 2012 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken S.C.).

This represents an increase of seven over last year.  The lawyers selected are based in the firm’s Maryland, Washington and Virginia offices.

In addition, five lawyers were selected as “Lawyers of the Year” in their jurisdictions and areas of practice.


Harborview Condominium Wins Summary Judgment In Clark v. Zalco Realty, Inc.

On April 9, 2012, Judge Lawrence Fletcher-Hill released his opinion granting summary judgment to the unit owners of Harborview Condominium and Zalco Realty, Inc., the condominium’s property management company.  The plaintiff had claimed $2.5 million in compensatory damages and an additional $2.5 million in punitive damages.


Forty-Six Whiteford, Taylor & Preston Attorneys Named Super Lawyers and Rising Stars in Maryland; Five in Maryland Listed in “Top 100”

Whiteford, Taylor & Preston is pleased to announce that 46 of its attorneys are listed among the 2012 Maryland Super Lawyers and Rising Stars.

The firm is particularly proud of the five who are listed in the Top 100 in Maryland – Edward Buxbaum, Edwin Fee, Paul Nussbaum, William Ryan, and Dwight Stone. Selection of the Top 100 lawyers in a jurisdiction is strictly based on the highest scores in the Super Lawyer judging process, and Whiteford is one of the two firms with the most names on the list.

Whiteford, Taylor & Preston and 11 Attorneys Listed in Benchmark Litigation 2012

The 2012 edition of Benchmark Litigation: The Definitive Guide to America’s Leading Litigation Firms & Attorneys has once again ranked Whiteford, Taylor & Preston in the top tier of litigation firms in Maryland, with more ranked lawyers than any other firm on the list.

Ten lawyers from the firm were named as “Local litigation stars” and one as a “Future Star.”

Only seven firms in Maryland received the highest ranking of “Highly recommended,” which indicates those firms deemed “dominant” in the state.


Whiteford, Taylor & Preston and 12 Attorneys Listed in Benchmark Litigation 2010

Ten lawyers from Whiteford, Taylor & Preston in Maryland and two in Delaware have been selected by Euromoney's Legal Media Group as "leading litigation attorneys." Their names appeared in the 2010 edition of the guide Benchmark Litigation: The Definitive Guide to America's Leading Litigation Firms & Attorneys. This is an increase of six over last year. In Maryland, the firm has substantially more ranked lawyers than any other firm on the list.


36 Whiteford, Taylor & Preston Attorneys Named Maryland Super Lawyers

Whiteford, Taylor & Preston LLP (WTP) is pleased to announce that 36 WTP attorneys have been named in Maryland Super Lawyers publication. Maryland Super Lawyers will appear in a special advertising section in the January 2007 issue of Baltimore Magazine and in the Maryland Super Lawyers magazine.