Resume

Michael D. Berman, Esq.

• Rifkin, Livingston, Levitan, & Silver, LLC
• 7979 Old Georgetown Road, 4th Floor
• Bethesda, MD 20814
• Phone: 410-206-5049
• mberman@rlls.com

Experience

2008 – Present

Counsel, Rifkin, Livingston, Levitan & Silver, LLC. Civil Litigation.

2008

Senior Counsel, General Counsel’s Office, Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission. Civil litigation, management of office, supervision of attorneys, negotiation of transactions.

2001- 2008:

Deputy Chief of Civil Litigation, Office of the Attorney General of Maryland. Engaged in complex civil litigation at trial and appellate levels; supervised trial and appellate litigation; conducted in-house education; provided support to field offices.

1998 – 2001:

Tydings & Rosenberg LLP (firms merged). Civil Litigation.

1981 – 1998:

Kaplan, Heyman, Greenberg, Engelman & Belgrad, P.A. Civil Litigation.

1980 – 1981:

Law Clerk to the Honorable R. Dorsey Watkins, United States District Judge, United States District Court for the District of Maryland.

Education

• Juris Doctor, with honors, University of Maryland School of Law, 1980.
• Master of Arts, University of Maryland, 1977.
• Bachelor of Arts, University of Wisconsin, 1970.
• Center for Alternative Dispute Resolution Mediator Training, 2009.

Publications

• M. Berman, C. Barton, and P. Grimm, eds., Managing E-Discovery and ESI: From Pre-Litigation Through Trial (American Bar Assoc. July 2011).
• Co-author, “Discovery About Discovery: Does The Attorney-Client Privilege Protect All Attorney-Client Communications Relating To The Preservation Of Potentially Relevant Material?,” 37 U. Balt. L. Rev. 381 (2008).
• Co-author, “Proportionality In The Post-Hoc Analysis Of Pre-Litigation Preservation Decisions,” 37 U. Balt. L. Rev. 413 (2008).
• Co-author, “Maryland’s Discovery Protocol,” LexisNexis Discovery Services (2007).
• Co-author, “ESI Protocol,” The MSBA Litigator (2007).
• Co-author, “Construction Trust Fund Act May Dramatically Impact Industry,” Maryland Builder (Sept./Oct. 1988).
• Co-author, “Maryland’s U.S. Courts Need Detention Center,” Baltimore Sun, June 6, 2001, p.19A.
• Co-author, “The Use of Sanctions in Federal Court,” Maryland Bar Journal (Nov./Dec.1988).
• Co-author, “Termination of Extraordinary Medical Treatment,” Maryland Law Forum (April 1984).
• Co-author, “Civil Trial Procedures in Maryland,” National Business Institute, 1992.
• Co-author, “Effective Motion Practice in Maryland,” National Business Institute, 1998.
• “When Does a Litigation Hold End?,” Digital Discovery and e-Evidence (Bureau of National Affairs (Oct. 2009).
• “General Adverse Inference Instruction For Intentional Breach Of Duty To Preserve — Goodman v. Praxair Services, Inc., Digital Discovery and e-Evidence (Bureau of National Affairs, July 2009).
• “Tips to Avoid Mistakes with ESI Vendors,” ABA Technology for the Litigator (Summer 2009).
• “Motions to Compel ESI Denied,” ABA Litigation News (Fall 2009).
• “Give Peace a Chance: Lawyers Are Ethically Required to Cooperate in Discovery,” ABA Litigation News (Winter 2009).
• “Discovery Lapse Could Result in Loss of Privilege,” ABA Litigation News (Fall 2008).
• “Electronically Stored Information,” The MSBA Litigator (2007).
• “Interstate Compact for Adult Offender Supervision,” The Back Bench (Oct. 2002).
• “Low Cost Litigation Technology,” Maryland Bar Journal (Nov./Dec. 2000).
• “Religious Holidays, Public Schools,” Maryland Bar Journal (May/June 1995).
• “Unsealing Adoption Records,” Maryland Bar Journal (Sept./Oct. 1989).

Significant Cases

• Viscount Const. Co. v. DESCO, Inc., 68 Md. App. 362 (1980).
• C.T.C. v. Toshiba Corp., 576 F. Supp. 312 (D. Md. 1983).
• Ullah v. Canion Shipping Co., 589 F. Supp. 552 (D. Md.1984), aff’d, 755 F.2d 1116 (4th Cir. 1985).
• KKK v. Thurmont, 700 F. Supp. 281 (D. Md. 1988).
• S.O. Jennings Constr. Co. v. Sierra Leone, 1988 WL 75748 (D.Md. 1988) (unpublished).
• Kelson v. Spin Publications, Inc., 1988 WL 52192 (D.Md. 1988) (unpublished).
• Telesaver, Inc. v. U.S.T.S., 687 F. Supp. 997 (D. Md. 1988), aff’d, 923 F.2d 849 (4th Cir. 1991), cert. denied, 502 U.S. 812 (1991).
• Sipes v. BMZA, et al., 99 Md. App. 78 (1994).
• Davis v. State, 100 Md. App. 369 (1994) (amicus curiae).
• Ins. Co. of N. America v. Security Mgt. Corp., 72 F.3d 127, 1995 WL 729492 (4th Cir. 1995) (unpublished).
• Harbor Ct. Assoc. v. Kiewit Constr. Co., 6 F.Supp.2d 449 (D. Md. 1998).
• Rouse-Teachers Properties, Inc. v. Md. Cas. Co., 358 Md. 575 (2000).
• Bldg. & Constr. Trades Dept. AFL-CIO v. Allbaugh, 172 F.Supp.2d 67 (D.D.C. 2001), subsequent opinion, 172 F.Supp.2d 138 (D.D.C. 2001).
• Waterman v. Batton, 294 F.Supp.2d 109 (D.Md. 2003), rev’d, 393 F.2d 471 (4th Cir. 2005).
• CLUB v. Balt. City Bd. of Elections, 377 Md.183 (2003).
• Md. Green Party v. Md. Bd. of Elections, 377 Md. 127 (2003), subsequent opinion, 165 Md.App. 113 (2005), cert. denied, 390 Md. 501 (2006).
• Seipp v. Balt. City Bd. of Elections, 377 Md. 362 (2003).
• Banner v. U.S., 303 F.Supp.2d 1 (D.D.C. 1004), aff’d, 428 F.3d 303 (D.C. Cir. 2005), cert. denied, __ U.S. __ (2006).
• Suessman v. Lamone, 383 Md. 697 (2004).
• Ross v. State Bd. of Elections, 387 Md. 649 (2005).
• Schisler v. State, 394 Md. 519 (2006).
• Board of Elections v. Capozzi, 396 Md. 53 (2006).
• Liddy v. Lamone, 398 Md. 233 (2006).
• Schade v. Md. State Board of Elections, 401 Md. 1 (2007).
• Hufnagel, et al. v. State Board of Elections, No. 1534 (Md.Ct.Sp.Apls. 2007)(unpublished).
• Laurel Racing Assoc., Inc. v. Video Lottery Facility Comm’n, 409 Md. 445 (2009).
• Citizens Against Slots at the Mall, et al. v. PPE Casino Resorts Maryland, LLC, et al., 414 Md. 117 (2010)(decision of Court; opinion to follow).
• Anne Arundel County Taxpayers Association, Inc. v. Anne Arundel County Board of Elections, et al., 415 Md. 433 (2010)(summary affirmance by per curiam order).
• AFCO Credit Corp. v. Md. Insurance Admin., 198 Md.App. 218 (2011).

Bar Association Activities

• Member, Subcommittee on Electronically Stored Information (U.S.Dist.Ct.Md.).
• Past Co-chair, Federal District Court Committee, Maryland State and Federal Bar Associations (assisted in drafting ESI Protocol, selection of digital evidence presentation system, drafting of Discovery Guidelines, drafting of proposed pattern discovery, establishing unofficial web site for Court, and, planning of six Bench-Bar Conferences).
• Past Chair, Litigation Section Council, Maryland State Bar Assoc.
• Past Member, Special Committee on Editorial Advisory, Maryland Bar Journal.
• Former Associate Editor, ABA Litigation News Magazine.

Honors

• Order of the Coif.
• Bernstein Prize, University of Maryland.
• Phi Kappa Phi Honorary Society.
• U.S. Department of H.E.W. Fellowship.
• Chief’s Commendation, MD Transportation Authority Police.

Presentations

• Adjunct Professor, Electronic Discovery and Evidence Workshop, University of Maryland School of Law.
• Adjunct Professor, Electronically Stored Information Workshop, University of Baltimore School of Law.
• Moderator, Federal Bar Assoc., MD Chapter, “Electronically Stored Information: A to Z,”(United States Courthouse, 2009).
• Moderator, Maryland State Bar Assoc. Litigation Section Council Regional Meeting Panel Discussion on “ESI and the Maryland Rules” (Nov. 2008).
• Panelist, State Capital Group ESI Program (Charlotte, NC, 2011).
• Panelist, E-discovery program at Maryland State Bar Assoc. Annual Meeting (2009).
• Panelist, “Mastering the Discovery Process for the General Counsel,” (Incisive Media, NY, Nov. 2008).
• Participant, “Best Practices for Complex E-Discovery Matters (LexisNexis Applied Discovery, NY, 2008)
• Participant, University of Baltimore ESI Symposium (2008).
• Presenter, “The Relevance and Risks of Evidence and E-Discovery for Everyday Practice,” (Albuquerque, N.Mex. 2011).
• Presenter, Maryland Judicial Institute (Oct. 2011).
• Presenter, “2011 IQPC eDiscovery for Government,” (IQPC Wash., D.C. forthcoming 2011).
• Presenter, “ESI For All: Selected Hot Issues for Litigators and Non-Litigators Alike,”  National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) Southeast Regional Conference (2011).
• Presenter, “Creating Privilege Logs for Financial Institution Litigation,” 4th Annual eDiscovery for Financial Services (International Quality & Productivity Center, NY, 2011).
• Presenter, The Computer Forensics Show (2011).
• Presenter, “The Sedona Conference Cooperation Proclamation,” and “Overview of Admissibility of ESI,” Federal Bar Assoc., MD Chapter (2010).
• Presenter, Bar Assoc. of Montgomery Co., MD, 116th Annual Meeting & Law Day Celebration (2010).
• Presenter, “Navigating Computer Usage and Records Management Policies,” The Computer Forensics Show (NY 2010).
• Presenter, “Electronic Evidence,” Judicial Institute of Maryland (Annapolis 2009).
• Presenter, 5th eDiscovery Workshop (International Quality & Productivity Center, Las Vegas, 2008).
• Presenter, State & Local Government Law Institute, MICPEL (2008).
• Keynote Speaker, CT Summation Best Practices Summit (Washington 2008).
• Presenter, “The New Ethics of Discovery,” CT Summation Webinar (2008).
• Presenter, “Rule 26(g) Comes Out of the Shadows,” CT Summation Webinar (2008).
• Presenter, ESI Seminar, Maryland Disability Law Center (2008).
• Presenter, “Traps for the Unwary,” New York Office of the Attorney General (2008).
• Panelist, Transportation Research Board 46th Annual Workshop, part of the National Research Council, operating under the National Academy of Science (2006, 2008).
• Panelist, Trial Expert Webinar, LexisNexis Discovery Services (2007).
• Panelist, “Discovering Electronic Discovery,” Baltimore City Law Dept. (2007).
• Moderator, MICPEL Federal Rules Update (2000).

Bar Membership

• Maryland Court of Appeals.
• District of Columbia Court of Appeals.
• United States Supreme Court.
• United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
• United States District Court for the District of Maryland.

Military Service

Captain, United States Army. Awards included the Expert Infantry Badge, Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Korea Defense Service Medal, and Airborne (Paratrooper) Badge. Served 19 months in the Republic of Korea.