General Counsel Staff List

Nancy S. Appel, Assistant County Attorney

Received B.A., magna cum laude, from Barnard College/Columbia University (1988); J.D. from Georgetown University (1991). Admitted to the Maryland Bar in 1991; joined the County Attorney's Office in 2004. Also admitted to practice in Maryland state and federal courts, the District of Columbia, multiple federal circuits of appeal, and the U.S. Court of Claims. Member of the District of Columbia Bar Association. Received the Columbia University Young Leadership Council award. Previously a litigation attorney with Arent, Fox; Attorney Advisor with the Securities Industry Qualified, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission; Attorney Counselor with Trial Lawyers Care, 9/11 Compensation Fund; Special Contractor, U.S. Department of Interior (tribal litigation, trust assets, and Tri-State Natural Resource Damage Activities and Restoration). Agency counsel to the Human Rights Commission; Taxicab regulatory issues.

Eileen T. Basaman, Associate County Attorney

Received B.A. from the University of Maryland (1980); J.D. from the University of Maryland School of Law (1983). Received American Jurisprudence Awards in criminal law and administrative law. Member of the Law School Honor Board (1982-1983). Admitted to the Maryland Bar in 1983; joined the County Attorney’s Office in 1999. Also admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court for Maryland (1984). Also member of the Maryland, Montgomery County, and Women’s Bar Associations. Chair of the Unauthorized Practice of Law Subcommittee (1999-2000); and Chair of the Mock Trial Committee (1992-1995). Received Community Service Awards (1993, 1994, 1995); and the University of Maryland Mock Trial Program Outstanding Community Service Award (1996). Co-author and co-editor of the Maryland Land Use Guide (1992). MICPEL Instructor, Common Ownership Communities seminar (1995, 1999). Agency counsel to the Department of Housing and Community Affairs, the Department of Public Works and Transportation, and the Historic Preservation Commission. 

Joanne M. Brown, Associate County Attorney

Received B.A. from University of California, Berkeley (1968), MSW from University of California, Berkeley (1970), J.D. from University of California, Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law (1973). Admitted to Maryland Bar in 2004; joined the County Attorney's Office in 2004. Also admitted to practice in California (1973) and New Mexico (1979). Member of the Maryland, California, and New Mexico Bar Associations. Author for the Continuing Education Bar (California). Auditor for the American Correctional Association. Faculty member of the National Institute of Trial Advocates. Areas of concentration are landlord tenant and corrections.

Betty N. Ferber, Associate County Attorney

Received B.A. in History from the University of Chicago (1968); M.A. in Humanities from the University of Chicago (1972); J.D. cum laude from the Boston College Law School (1977); and M.L.T. (Master of Laws in Taxation) from Georgetown University Law Center (1985). Admitted to the Maryland Bar in 1989; joined the County Attorney's Office in 1991. Also admitted to practice in Massachusetts (1977) and District of Columbia (1978). Member of the Maryland, Montgomery County, and District of Columbia Bar Associations and the Women's Bar Associations of Maryland, D.C., and Montgomery County. Former law clerk to the Justices of the Massachusetts Superior Court (1977-1978); Senior Trial Attorney, Tax Division, U.S. Department of Justice (1978-1986). Previously in private practice in Montgomery County (1990-1991). Areas of concentration are taxation (federal, state, and local), procurement and administrative law. Agency counsel to the Board of Investment Trustees, Board of License Commissioners, Commission for Women, Electric Deregulation Task Force, and Tax Duplication Task Force.

John J. Fisher, Associate County Attorney, Principal Counsel for Contract Disputes

University of Virginia,(1971-1974); B.A., magna cum laude, American University (1976); J.D. with honors the George Washington School of Law (1980). Clerkship, 12th Virginia Judicial Circuit, (1979-1980). Admitted to the Maryland Bar 1984; joined the County Attorney's Office in 1992. Also admitted to practice in Virginia (1980) and D.C. (1984), the U.S. District Court for Maryland, the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Western Districts of Virginia, and the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. Member of the Maryland, Virginia, and D.C. Bar Associations. Previously a Partner with Odin, Feldman & Pittleman P.C. (1984-1992), concentarting on commercial financings and commercial and construction litigation and the inancial programs manager for the Treasury Division of the Department of Finance (1994-1995). Areas of concentration are contracts, state and local tax, procurement, finance, and condemnations. Agency counsel to the Department of Economic Development, Department of Finance, and Bethesda Urban District Corporation.

Scott R. Foncannon, Associate County Attorney

Received degree in Economics from the University of Maryland (1974); J.D. from the John Marshall Law School (1978). Admitted to the Maryland Bar in 1979; joined the County Attorney's Office in 2001. Also admitted to practice in Illinois (1978), Colorado (1983), the United States Supreme Court, and the United States District Courts for Maryland and Colorado. Member of the Colorado Bar Association; Colorado County Attorney Association; past president, Colorado Association of School Board Attorneys; Colorado Bar Foundation; and member of the Colorado Bar Board of Governors. Previously employed as County Attorney for Otero County, Colorado (1989-2001); County Attorney for Crowley County, Colorado (1987-2001); City Attorney for Rocky Ford, Colorado (1987-2001); member and past president of the Rocky Ford Lions Club (1983-2001). Area of concentration is recordation tax. Agency counsel to the Finance Department.

Vickie L. Gaul, Associate County Attorney

Received B.A. from The George Washington University (1984); J.D. from the University of Maryland (1987). Admitted to the Maryland Bar in 1987; joined the County Attorney's Office in 2000. Also admitted to practice in D.C. (1988) and the U.S. District Court for Maryland (1989). Previously employed with the State of Maryland Attorney General's Office, concentrating in administrative law, and in private practice, concentrating in real estate and commercial transactions. Current areas of concentration are land use, real estate transactions, contracts, and code enforcement litigation.

Marc P. Hansen, Chief, Division of General Counsel

Received B.A., cum laude with honors, in History from MacMurray College (1968); M.A.T. from Washington University, St. Louis (1969); and J.D. from the American University, Washington College of Law (1975). Admitted to the Maryland Bar in 1975; joined the County Attorney's Office in 1984. Also admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court for Maryland (1976), the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals (1977), and the U.S. Supreme Court (1980). Member of the Maryland and Montgomery County Bar Associations. Previously in private practice (1975-1984). Former Mayor, Washington Grove, Maryland (1987-90); member Board of Appeals of Washington Grove. Areas of concentration are government operations, procurement, legislation, and ethics. Agency counsel to the County Council, Charter Review Commission, and Office of Intergovernmental Relations.

Barbara L. Jay, Associate County Attorney

Received B.A. from the University of Virginia (1986); J.D., cum laude, from the Georgetown University Law Center (1989). Admitted to the Maryland Bar in 1990; joined the County Attorney's Office in 2005. Member of the Maryland State Bar Association, Real Property, Planning and Zoning Section. Previously employed by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, concentrating on fair housing, legislation, and appropriations law issues. Currently agency counsel to the Board of Appeals.

Diane Schwartz Jones, Associate County Attorney

Received B.A. from the University of Maryland; J.D. from the University of Baltimore Law School (1983). Admitted to the Maryland Bar in 1983; joined the County Attorney's Office in 1986. Also admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court for Maryland (1986), the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals (1986), and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. Member of the Maryland and Montgomery County Bar Associations. Areas of concentration are the Life Sciences Center, solid waste, condemnations, real property acquisitions, public private joint ventures, and transactions. Agency counsel to the Department of Public Works and Transportation and Silver Spring Regional Services Center.

Bernadette Fowler Lamson, Associate County Attorney

Received B.A. in Sociology from Catholic University (1982); J.D. from the University of Baltimore Law School (1986). Admitted to the Maryland Bar in 1987; joined the County Attorney's Office in 1996. Also admitted to practice in D.C. (1988) and Pennsylvania (1987). Previously judicial law clerk to the Honorable Ernest A. Loveless, Jr., Chief Judge of the Seventh Judicial Circuit (1986-1988); Associate County Attorney, Prince George's County Attorney's Office (1989-1996). Professor, Montgomery College (1997-present). Speaker at the Independent Women's Forum on sexual harassment in the work place. Extensive experience training supervisory and subordinate employees in sexual harassment. Areas of concentration are personnel/labor issues. Agency counsel to the Office of Human Resources.

Edward B. Lattner, Associate County Attorney

Received B.A. in Psychology from the University of Maryland (1983); J.D. from the University of Baltimore Law School (1986). Admitted to the Maryland Bar in 1986; joined the County Attorney's Office in 1988. Also admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court for Maryland (1987), the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals (1987), the D.C. Court of Appeals (1989), and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims (1995). Member of the Montgomery County Bar Association. Previously staff editor for the University of Baltimore Law Forum. Member of Psi Chi (National Honor Society in psychology). Previously judicial clerk to the Honorable Deborah K. Chasanow, U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland (1987-1988). Speaker at the International Municipal Lawyer's Association on government use of Internet filtering software and e-mail privacy. Areas of concentration are civil rights, labor law, employment discrimination, land use, and administrative practice. Agency counsel to the Division of Consumer Affairs, the Human Relations Commission, the Department of Information Systems and Telecommunications, the Department of Recreation, the Merit System Protection Board, the Regional Services Centers, and the Board of Supervisors of Elections.

Richard H. Melnick, Associate County Attorney

Received B.S., cum laude, in Business and Management/Finance from the University of Maryland (1982); J.D. from University of Maryland School of Law (1985), Articles Editor, Maryland Law Forum (1984-1985). Admitted to the Maryland Bar in 1986; joined the County Attorney's Office in 1988. Also admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court for D.C. (1987), D.C. (1987), and the U.S. District Court for Maryland (1988). Member of the Maryland, D.C., and Montgomery County Bar Associations. Previously Judicial Clerk to the Honorable John J. Mitchell, Circuit Court for Montgomery County (1985-1986). Research Assistant to the Commission on the Future of Maryland Courts (1996), and member of the Central Maryland Board of the Maryland ADR Commission. Areas of concentration are contracts, procurement, commercial law, land use, administrative law, and litigation. Agency counsel to the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Liquor Control, Office of Procurement, and Fire and Rescue Services.

Amy Moskowitz, Associate County Attorney

Received B.A., magna cum laude, from Dickinson College (1992); J.D. from University of Baltimore, magna cum laude (1995), LLM in Taxation (1998). Admitted to the Maryland Bar in 1995; joined the County Attorney's Office in 2005. Also admitted to practice in Connecticut (1995) and the District of Columbia (1998). Member of the Maryland, D.C., and American Bar Associations. Previously an associate with Smith Downey and Gordon, Feinblatt, Rothman, Hoffberger & Hollander (1997-2004). Areas of concentration are Board of Investment Trustees and benefits.

Jerome Allen Nicholas, Jr., Assistant County Attorney

Received B.A. from Morehouse College (1975); J.D. from the University of Maryland School of Law (1978). Admitted to the Maryland Bar in 1978; joined the County Attorney's Office in 2001. Also admitted to practice in Florida (1979), United States Supreme Court (1984), Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals (1984), and United States District Court (1978). Member of the Maryland State Bar Association. Retired from the Baltimore City Solicitor's Office after 22 years. Previously employed as Chief Counsel for the Baltimore City Police Department and the Baltimore City Public Schools; former chief of the contracts unit, Department of Public Works, and litigation division; private contract and construction practice. Legal advisor to the Police Department's Office of Internal Affairs.

Clifford L. Royalty, Associate County Attorney

Received B.A., cum laude with honors, in Political Science from Randolph-Macon College; J.D. from the University of Maryland School of Law (1989). Admitted to the Maryland Bar in 1989; joined the County Attorney's Office in 1994. Also admitted to practice in D.C. (1991, currently inactive) and the U.S. District Court for Maryland. Member of the American Bar Association and the Federal Communications Bar Association. Areas of concentration are civil rights litigation, land use, and telecommunications law.

William A. Snoddy, Associate County Attorney

Received B.A. degree in Journalism from Howard University (1987); J.D. from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (1995). Admitted to the Maryland Bar in 1995; joined the County Attorney's Office in 2005. Also admitted to practice in Court of Appeals of Maryland (1995), U. S. District Court for the District of Maryland (1998), and U. S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (2000). Member of the J. Franklyn Bourne Bar Association (President, 2005) and Prince George's County Bar Association (Director, 2002-present). Maryland State Bar Association Leadership Academy Fellow (2001). Previously employed by Prince George's County Office of Law, Litigation Section. Counsel to the Montgomery County Police Department.

Malcolm F. Spicer, Jr., Assistant County Attorney

Received B.A. from the University of Maryland (1969); J.D. with honors from the University of Maryland School of Law (1974). Admitted to the Maryland Bar in 1974; joined the County Attorney's Office in 2000. Also admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court for Maryland (1975), the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court. Member of the Maryland and Baltimore County Bar Associations. Former County Attorney for Baltimore County (1983-1987). Areas of concentration are zoning, building, and land use. Agency counsel to the Department of Permitting Services.

David E. Stevenson, Associate County Attorney

Received B.A. in History from the University of Maryland (1973); J.D. from the University of Maryland School of Law (1977). Admitted to the Maryland Bar in 1977; joined the County Attorney's Office in 1985. Also admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court for Maryland (1979) and the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals (1986). Member of the Montgomery County Bar Association. Previously law clerk to the Honorable James Macgill, Circuit Court for Howard County (1976-1977); Assistant State's Attorney for Howard County (1980-1981); Assistant State's Attorney for Montgomery County (1981-1983); and Assistant Public Defender for Montgomery County (1983-1985). Area of concentration is labor and employment law. Agency counsel to the Department of Correction and Rehabilitation, the Criminal Justice Coordinating Commission, and the Office of Human Resources.

Andrew Thompson, Assistant County Attorney

Received B.S. from Northern Michigan Universtiy (2000); J.D. from George Washington University (2003). Admitted to the Maryland Bar in 2003; joined the County Attorney's Office in 2003. Member of the Maryland Bar Association. Perviously clerk for Ashcroft and Gerel and Classic Settlements. Areas of concentration are contract review and code enforcement.

Walter E. Wilson, Associate County Attorney

Received B.A. from Morgan State University (1980); M.P.A. from University of Baltimore (1987), and J.D. from University of Maryland (1991). Admitted to the Maryland Bar in 1991; joined the County Attorney's Office in 1999. Also a member of the Pennsylvania Bar (1992), District of Columbia Bar (1993), and admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for Maryland (1992) and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (1992). Previously Senior Associate Counsel for the International Municipal Lawyers Association. Areas of concentration are environmental law, common ownership communities, contracts, and procurement.

Anne T. Windle, Assistant County Attorney

Received B.A. in Health Education from the University of Washington (1976); M.S. in health-related behavior from the University of Washington (1979); and J.D., cum laude, from the American University Law School (1996). Admitted to the Maryland Bar in 1996; joined the County Attorney's Office in 1996. Also admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court for Maryland (1997) . Member of the Maryland and Montgomery County Bar Associations. Previously worked for the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, handling public health education, training, and personnel/labor relations issues. Areas of concentration are personnel/labor relations and issues related to health and human service delivery.