Lord & Whip's admiralty and maritime practice includes representing vessel owners, insurers, stevedores, maritime contractors, marine surveyors, product manufacturers, cargo interests and recreational boaters. The Firm provides representation in both the defense and prosecution of civil lawsuits, Jones Act claims, vessel arrest proceedings, limitation of liability proceedings, maritime insurance issues, longshore and harbor workers' claims, cargo claims, and all aspects of maritime personal injury.

The Firm represents clients before the National Transportation Safety Board and the United States Coast Guard in connection with Joint Boards of Inquiry.  For example, the Firm provided this type of representation in connection with the sinking of the S/V PRIDE OF BALTIMORE and the M/V EL TORO II.

Members of the Firm participate in the Maritime Law Association of the United States and the Admiralty Committee of the Baltimore City Bar Association. The Firm's attorneys routinely serve as speakers at maritime-related events and provide educational talks and workshops with respect to maritime issues.

Lord & Whip's agricultural practice group provides legal services on a full range of issues in the agricultural industry.  The agricultural law practice developed out of the firm's representation of clients in the horse industry.  Lord & Whip's attorneys are well-versed in issues affecting the agricultural industry and represent clients in the following areas:

• Litigation
• Legislative and regulatory practice
• Plant and animal health
• Disaster planning and response
• Animal welfare
• Property insurance issues
• Pesticide issues
• Death or injury to farm animals
• Veterinary malpractice
• Contractual disagreements regarding animal purchase
• Federal and state laws involving animals

Lord & Whip provides service to clients in arbitration and mediation. The Firm represents individuals, business entities and insurers in both voluntary and mandated arbitration and mediation proceedings in several practice areas, including personal injury, construction, product liability, and insurance.

The Firm can also resolve disputes through arbitration and mediation in areas of personal injury, contracts, insurance, product liability, and general civil litigation.

Lord & Whip represents clients in asbestos-related personal injury and product liability lawsuits in Maryland and the District of Columbia. The Firm defends negligence and product defect claims against manufacturers and distributors of asbestos-containing products where workers claim injury and damages from using or being exposed to asbestos containing materials.

The Firm's attorneys have a comprehensive understanding of the historical, legal, medical and scientific issues that are involved in this litigation. We have developed the expertise, resources and staff to enable our attorneys to provide a thorough defense of these claims.

The Firm represents a number of companies that manufactured or supplied various products, and is involved in thousands of cases in state and federal courts. Lord & Whip has successfully defended many of these cases and has also achieved success in the Maryland appellate courts.

Lord & Whip has represented clients in all types of automobile liability claims for decades. The Firm has represented many of the major auto liability carriers and their insureds. The Firm's automobile liability practice includes routine and more serious, complex and medically significant cases. Our lawyers are experienced and equipped to handle such cases, including excess exposure claims.

Lord & Whip provides representation for pilots, aircraft product manufacturers and aviation insurers in connection with various aircraft matters, including the defense of lawsuits arising out of accidents involving both private and commercial aircraft, as well as air cargo claims. The Firm's experience includes representing clients in aviation matters in state and federal court, as well as in Federal Multidistrict Litigation.

Lord & Whip handles both prosecution and defense of construction claims on behalf of individuals, public and private contractors, builders, designers and insurers for private, residential, commercial and governmental construction in both federal and state courts. The Firm also provides coverage analysis to insurers for construction claims.

Lord & Whip provides representation to individuals, business entities and insurers in environmental law, including enforcement actions. The Firm also provides coverage analysis to insurers on environmental claims. The Firm has represented clients in premises liability claims related to underground storage tanks and soil and hazardous waste management. Our lawyers have appeared on behalf of clients before state and federal courts, and have experience interacting with state and local governmental environmental agencies.

Lord & Whip has represented manufacturers, builders, designers, owners and insurers in numerous fire loss litigation cases. The Firm's participation in such cases is as varied as its client base. Cases have included representing manufacturers whose products are alleged to have caused the fire and ensuing loss, builders and designers of private and commercial structures, and matters involving fire protective systems and design standards. Some cases have involved seeking recovery from responsible parties for subrogated insurers. In all types of cases, Lord & Whip's attorneys are experienced and call upon experienced and knowledgeable fire cause and origin experts, mechanical, electrical, chemical, and building or design experts as appropriate.

Lord & Whip offers a wide range of legal services to clients engaged in the funeral profession. We are experienced in matters related to federal and state regulations governing funeral service, licensing issues, as well as in general business matters, and insurance defense.

Our attorneys understand the complex issues that confront a funeral director, as well as the practices and procedures of the funeral profession. The Firm has served as corporate counsel to funeral corporations and represents the Maryland State Funeral Directors Association in regulatory matters, and the National Funeral Directors Association as OSHA counsel and lobbyists in Washington, D. C.

We represent our funeral director clients in the following areas of practice: negligence claims, malpractice claims, premises liability, workers' compensation, contract preparation and claims, purchase agreements, release agreements, and contract negotiation and interpretation; regulatory defense, including matters arising under state and federal OSHA standards and regulations, matters arising before the Maryland State Board of Morticians, matters arising under the Americans with Disabilities Act, labor relations, and wage and hour issues and legislative representation, including legislative oversight and lobbying.

Links to areas of interest:
National Funeral Directors Association

The majority of Lord & Whip's active cases are personal injury cases. The Firm has historically defended personal injury cases for its corporate, manufacturing and insurance clients. The firm also represents individuals in personal injury cases where there is no conflict with our traditional clients.

Personal injury work, as with many areas in today's legal practice, has matured such that the Firm sees less of the routine small soft tissue type claims. Our present practice more typically handles cases of significant medical consequence, disfigurement, and death. Lord & Whip's experienced attorneys are well equipped to handle the serious personal injury claims, with most partners having twenty or more years of personal injury litigation experience.

Lord & Whip provides representation in personal injury actions in the state and federal courts in Maryland, the District of Columbia and other jurisdictions. Our well-established practice includes extensive experience working with insurance companies, third parties, administrators, manufacturers, and corporations in all aspects of personal injury defense. We have successfully litigated numerous complex cases involving all areas of personal injury litigation including motor vehicle accidents, slip and fall, premises liability, medical malpractice, injuries from defective products and injuries at work.

Insurance Coverage
Lord & Whip's attorneys have considerable expertise with respect to all types of insurance coverage issues, including, commercial general liability insurance, marine insurance, homeowners' insurance, motor vehicle insurance, builders' risk insurance, property insurance, professional malpractice insurance, and primary and excess coverage issues. The Firm regularly provides our clients with pre-litigation analysis, regardless of the complexity of the coverage. We have resolved a number of our clients' issues through declaratory judgment actions, and have defended insurance litigation in the federal and state courts, and at the appellate level. Reports regarding recent significant coverage issues are often found in the Firm's newsletter, the Lord & Whip Report.

Insurance Defense
A significant portion of Lord & Whip's practice has included insurance defense. The firm has built its reputation here. The nature of this practice has been as broad as the multitude of coverages available from the insurance industry. Marine claims, product liability, comprehensive general liability, legal and medical malpractice, premises liability, auto liability, construction liability, toxic torts, aviation liability and environmental claims are but some of the areas regularly handled by the Firm. Please visit these practice areas for more detailed descriptions.

Lord & Whip represents clients in a wide range of labor and employment matters. The firm specializes in the defense of its clients before the EEOC, the Maryland Human Relations Commission, the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation as well as before, Federal and State courts. The firm represents clients in matters arising under the Federal and State Wage and Hour laws, the Americans With Disabilities Act, matters relating to discrimination, sexual harassment and employment practices, under Family and Medical Leave Act, and in matters arising under employment contracts and employee handbooks.

The firm also represents clients in matters arising before licensing boards, the State Legislature, the United States Congress and before other State and Federal agencies relating to labor and employment practices and issues.

Lord & Whip represents property owners and management companies in lead paint litigation throughout Maryland. The Firm defends claims asserting that children were exposed to chipping and flaking paint as tenants in rental properties. The Firm has successfully defended the owners of rental properties, the property managers who manage and maintain rental units, and contractors and others involved in real estate management and maintenance.

The Firm actively investigates and defends the damage claims which generally allege neuropsychological injuries. Our attorneys work with medical doctors, child psychologists and other experts to fully investigate and advise our clients, and to present an appropriate defense.

Our attorneys also represent clients facing regulatory claims and clients who face matters involving local and state environmental enforcement agencies.

Lord & Whip specializes in the representation of individuals and regional, national and international companies in civil litigation pending in state and federal courts and before administrative agencies. Our experienced trial lawyers represent clients involved in both commercial and personal injury litigation.

The Firm's lawyers regularly represent clients in admiralty and marine casualty claims, employment and discrimination disputes, product liability claims, insurance coverage disputes, automobile and negligence claims, professional malpractice claims, aviation disputes, construction law matters, claims of injury resulting from lead paint and asbestos exposure, and claims for workers' compensation benefits. We are trial and appellate litigators in all state and federal courts.

The Firm's trial lawyers are active participants and hold or have held leadership positions in the Defense Research Institute, Maryland Defense Counsel, Inc., the Maryland State Bar Association, Inc., and the Bar Association of Baltimore City. Our lawyers draw on resources available from all of these groups to successfully litigate cases.

We regularly try cases and work closely with our clients, including insurers, claims administrators, and risk managers, to devise effective case management strategies. It is our practice to assist clients in selecting and implementing the most cost effective form of dispute resolution, whether through court proceedings or alternative dispute resolution techniques.

Lord & Whip attorneys have provided successful representation in multiple areas of claimed medical malpractice including both physicians and hospitals. Such cases have included failure to diagnose, delayed diagnosis, incorrect diagnosis, surgical and obstetrical misadventure. Other claims have involved obstetric and gynecological care, complications of delivery, orthopedic care, radiation therapy and chemotherapy in treatment of cancer, and adverse drug reactions.

The firm has also represented hospitals in claims brought against them for negligence of hospital personnel, including nurses, interns and residents for individuals acts or failure to act, as well as claims of potential liability under the doctrines of alleged agency and respondeat superior for acts committed by physicians holding privileges at the hospital for care rendered during hospital admissions.

Lord & Whip has an extensive and well-established product liability practice. We have represented leading manufacturers and designers of products widely used across the country. We have litigated and tried personal injury and death cases for manufacturers of domestic and imported automobiles, electrical equipment and appliances, pleasure and commercial vessels, outboard motors, recreational products, heavy equipment, ladders and construction tools and equipment, ski equipment, aircraft and components, natural and propane gas controls and equipment, heating and cooling equipment, and toxic substances. Our attorneys' are knowledgeable regarding engineering design, manufacturing practice, mechanical principles and building and construction standards. Many of our clients rely on our attorneys mechanical, nautical and aviation understanding and experience to review cases prior to suit.

The Firm represents clients throughout the State of Maryland and in the District of Columbia. Current and past significant product matters include mass tort claims, fire loss claims, building explosions, aircraft crashes, vessel collisions and sinkings, gas asphyxiation and component malfunctions.

Lord & Whip represents attorneys, accountants, title agents, real estate brokers, physicians, hospitals, insurance agents and brokers, health care workers and other professionals in the defense of professional malpractice claims in state and federal courts. The Firm has also defended malpractice cases brought as adversary proceedings before the United States Bankruptcy Court. We also defend professionals involved in licensure disputes, and have recently represented clients in proceedings pending before the Attorney General Commission, the Disciplinary Committee of the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, and the Board of Nursing.

Clients have been drawn to the Firm by our reputation and experience in these areas. The Firm's members serve in various capacities that enhance our ability to defend professional liability claims.  For example, our lawyers serve on the Peer Review Panel for the Attorney Grievance Commission of Maryland, Maryland State Bar Association and Maryland Defense Counsel Committees on Judicial Appointments, and the Professional Ethics Committee of the Bar Association of Baltimore City.

Lord & Whip represents clients in a wide range of regulatory matters. The Firm specializes in regulatory defense before the Federal and Maryland Occupational Safety & Health Administrations, in matters relating to safety and health, regulations and standards.

The Firm represents clients in matters arising under the Americans With Disabilities Act, the federal wage and hour laws, discrimination, sexual harassment and employment practices.

The Firm represents clients before the Maryland Department of Health & Mental Hygiene, various licensing boards, ethics commissions, the Maryland State Legislature, the United States Congress and before state and federal agencies relating to regulatory reform and regulatory issues.

Lord & Whip provides representation for insurance companies, self-insured employers, third-party administrators, and other business organizations with workers' compensation claims in Maryland and the District of Columbia, and in federal claims arising under the Longshore and Harbor Workers\' Compensation Act.

The Firm's workers' compensation practice has been a mainstay of the Firm for most of its ninety year history. Our lawyers have a broad range of experience, from traditional workplace injuries and illnesses to such modern day concerns as sick building syndrome and stress claims.

Members of the Firm actively participate and hold or have held leadership positions in workers\\\\\\\' compensation organizations including the Maryland Workers\\\\\\\' Compensation Educational Association, Maryland Self-Insured Employers Compensation Association, Baltimore Claims Association, Maryland Association of Defense Trial Counsel and Defense Research Institute.

Our primary objective is to provide our clients with a high degree of specialized expertise on a cost effective basis that is superior to other firms in the same practice area.