Joseph A. Schwartz, III

FOUNDING PARTNER

Mr. Schwartz, the Firm’s founding attorney, now serves “Of Counsel” and continues to provide the Firm’s clients and its attorneys with critical and strategic counsel on legislative, regulatory and legal matters. Mr. Schwartz has been selected by his peers for recognition as one of The Best Lawyers in America® within the area of Government Relations Law and Insurance Law. Best Lawyers® named him as the 2012 Baltimore Lawyer of the Year in Government Relations Practice. The publication “Corporate Counsel” lists him as one of America’s top lawyers.

His legislative reputation is long standing. After the 2003 General Assembly Session, the Daily Record (4/11/03) headlined a front page story on Mr. Schwartz as follows: “Schwartz leaves G.A. Session with a Slew of Wins.” The Gazette (4/11/03) said: “This lobbyist helped to kill slots and higher alcohol taxes on behalf of the Maryland State Licensed Beverage Association. He negotiated a deal on the board overseeing physician quality and helped, in his way, to stick a knife in the CareFirst deal. There isn’t a sandwich named after him at Harry Browne’s for nothing.”

Jay Schwartz grew up in the Washington, D.C. area and attended the University of Notre Dame where he received his Bachelor and Master of Arts degrees. In 1973, he received his law degree from the University of Virginia; while at the UVA Law School, he was a winner of the William Minor Lile Moot Court Competition. Upon graduation, he began practicing law at a large multi-specialty law firm in Baltimore. Mr. Schwartz opened his own law firm in 1978 and has over 40 years of experience before the Maryland General Assembly and the regulatory agencies of the State of Maryland. He has a reputation as a forceful, fair and effective advocate.