As the Assistant Attorney General for the Maryland Transit Administration 1994-2001, an in-house business/corporate "general counsel" position, Ms. Masterton handled diverse legal matters, including contract negotiation and disputes, real estate and land use, labor and employment, administrative law, police issues, environmental law, licensing, civil rights defense, disability rights issues, finance matters, and many others.  Coupled with her earlier regulatory and appellate work in the Washington, D.C., law firm, of Donelan, Cleary, Wood and Maser, P.C.,  she has over fourteen years experience as a business lawyer.

           In 2001 she was appointed Assistant Attorney General in the Courts Division of the Attorney Generals Office, serving as counsel to the Maryland Registers of Wills and the Maryland Orphans Court judges, the officials who handle probate of decedents' estates in Maryland.  As their attorney, she developed a unique perspective in the law of wills, trusts, estates, taxation, and guardianships.  She had an unusual opportunity to assist State officials in best administering the probate process when problems arise.  As the State's designee to secure the public interest in charitable trusts, she has worked in the area of planned charitable giving.  Also since 2001, she served as counsel to the Maryland Office of Administrative Hearings, the independent adjudicator of state agency decisions.  She also is  a certified mediator, available to resolve disputes outside the forum of the courts.

             The legal profession is a "second career" for Ms. Masterton; earlier, she worked in the horse industry in New York State, training horses and riders in hunt seat equitation, hunter/jumper, and pleasure skills.  After earning a degree in Equine Science from Cazenovia College, she managed Cold Comfort Farm in Jamesville, NY, and staffed a Thoroughbred breeding operation preparing horses for the Saratoga sales.  These experiences give her an especial affinity for the legal problems faced by horse owners and farm operators.

DETAILED RESUME

EXPERIENCE

Law Offices of Kathleen J. Masterton, P.C., Lutherville, MD, 2004-Present.

Founder and sole shareholder in law firm focusing on estate planning and administration, business law, and mediation. 

Office of the Attorney General, Baltimore, MD

          Assistant Attorney General   

          Courts and Judicial Affairs Unit, 2001-2004.

Represent and advise all Registers of Wills and Orphans'  Court Judges in all phases of administrative and judicial probate, guardianship, and inheritance tax proceedings. Advise and represent Office of Administrative Hearings on personnel, public information act, contract, procedural, and other matters.

          Assistant Attorney General

          Department of Transportation--Mass Transit Administration, 1994-2001

Counsel officials on employment, environmental, procurement/contract negotiation, licensing, administrative, marketing, real estate, civil rights, regulatory, constitutional, and transportation legal issues; represent large State agency and its police force in all stages of civil litigation and appeals at State and Federal level, and in administrative and arbitration proceedings; negotiate and draft agreements, leases, deeds, option contracts, and other instruments; draft legislation and regulations.

Recipient, Baltimore City Council Resolution of Appreciation

Attorney, Donelan, Cleary, Wood, and Maser, P.C.,Washington, D.C., 1987-1993

Represent energy and shipping clients before federal regulators; prepare appellate briefs and arguments; counsel clients on regulatory, environmental, and contract law; defend suits involving bankruptcy, transportation, and administrative law; draft pleadings, motions, opinion letters, and comments on proposed rulemakings; conduct discovery and settlement negotiations.

 Law Clerk, 1985-1987:  United States Department of Justice Summer Honors Program, U. S. Marshals Service, McLean, VA; Rogovin, Huge & Lenzner, Washington, D.C.; Koonz, McKenney & Johnson, Landover, MD.       

Draft pleadings, memoranda & discovery; prepare negligence & malpractice cases for trial; investigate & adjudicate administrative tort claims; research & draft briefs in civil rights litigation; review environmental aspects of Trans-Alaska Pipeline System; aid administrative litigation against pipeline builders; research legislative history & statutory interpretation.

Non-legal experience includes teaching riding, training horses, showing extensively (hunters, pleasure, equitation), & management of Cold Comfort Farm, Jamesville, N.Y.

EDUCATION

Washington College of Law, American University, Washington, D.C., 1987; Juris Doctor.

A.B.A. National Appellate Advocacy Competition--National Semi-Finalist

Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y., With Distinction, 1983; Bachelor of Science, Environmental Science.

Ivy League Conference on Issues of Nuclear Arms 1983 research competition

Cornell Equestrian Team--Member

Cazenovia College, Cazenovia, N.Y., 1978; Associate of Applied Science, Equine Science.

MEDIATION

Maryland Certified Mediator trained to mediate non-domestic civil legal disputes; advanced training in Estate & Probate Disputes.  Have mediated roughly seventy cases.

PUBLICATIONS/PUBLIC EDUCATION

"Tax Advantages of Conservation Easements," BCBA's' newsletter The Advocate, July & September 2005 (2 part article)

Frequent guest on "PSA's Planning Pays" financial planning radio show, WCBM 680 a.m.. Saturdays 9:00 a.m.

Lecturer, Smith-Barney CPA Education Class May 2005 on "Retained Interests or Powers & Family Business Entities"

Author, "Administering Estates in Maryland," 2004 Update, Office of the Attorney General

Seminar Lecturer, Fall 2002 Orientation training for newly elected Maryland Judges of the Orphans' Court

Seminar Lecturer, Maryland Association of Orphans' Court Judges Conferences, Fall 2001, Spring 2002, Fall 2002, Spring 2003, Fall 2003

Seminar Lecturer, Maryland Register of Wills Association Conferences, Fall 2001, Spring 2002, Fall 2002, Spring  2003, Fall 2003

Frequent Lecturer at Baltimore County Senior Citizen's Centers on wills and estate planning, advance medical directives, medical assistance, age discrimination, etc.

Author, "Drafting Agreements: Rules for Arbitration," American Bar Association's Barrister Magazine, Fall 1989

PUBLIC SERVICE/PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

Maryland State Bar Association--member, Estates and Trusts, Business Law, Labor/Employment, & Solo Practice sections

Baltimore County Bar Association

    Estates & Trusts Committee, Alternate Dispute Resolution Committe

Court of Appeals Standing Committee on Rules of Procedure, Probate

     Subcommittee, Consultant 2001-2004

Baltimore City Orphans' Court,

       Mediation Committee

Baltimore Women's Bar Association

     Vice President, 1997-99; Executive Committee, 1995-2000

Knollbrook Community Association

     President, 1995-1996; Board of Directors, 1993-1995

Maryland Women's Bar Association

     Judicial Selections Committee, 1998-99

Maryland Chiefs of Police Association

     Legal Adviser's Committee, 1994-2001

Circuit Court for Baltimore City

     Civil Settlement Officer,1999-Present

Maryland Horse Council

Daily Record Maryland's Top 100 Women Award--1998 Nominee

 Baltimore Estate Planning Council

 Cazenovia College Young Alumna Award-1997 Recipient

Valleys Planning Council