Famed law firm of Peter Angelos to be sold to three attorneys

The famed Law Offices of Peter G. Angelos will be sold to three of the firm’s attorneys under a deal approved this week by a Baltimore County judge.

Attorneys Jay Miller, James Zavakos and William Minkin want to buy the firm and bring it out of conservatorship. The law firm has been overseen by a court-appointed conservator for the past year after owner Peter Angelos, 94, fell ill and became unable to practice law.

Baltimore County Circuit Judge Keith Truffer on Wednesday approved the sale at the conservator’s request. Terms of the sale have been kept confidential.

There’s an issue pending in the courts about the continued use of Peter Angelos’ name for the firm. And the three attorneys declined to comment, saying the deal is not yet final. The sale was revealed in court records this week and first reported by The Baltimore Sun.

The court record includes a letter that the attorneys plan to send to clients of the firm. They promise no changes to the law firm’s fees or the attorneys assigned to cases.

“It has been our privilege to have worked with and to have been mentored by Mr. Angelos for many years,” they wrote, “and we intend to carry on his legacy and his commitment to fight for the rights of clients, a commitment that he instilled in us as we worked side by side with him over the course of our careers.”

In supporting the sale, conservator William J. Murphy also wrote that the deal will continue business as usual for the firm and ensure its clients retain their lawyers.

Peter Angelos rose to legal prominence, and enormous wealth, by suing asbestos manufacturers on behalf of thousands of the Marylanders who became ill from exposure. He was one of the first attorneys in the U.S. to litigate asbestos cases and in one consolidated lawsuit represented more than 8,000 steelworkers and other employees. His firm’s take from the case in the 1990s was estimated at $330 million.

He made enough money to buy commercial real estate, including the 22-story office tower of One Charles Center, and to serve as lead investor in a group that bought the Orioles in 1993.

The Angelos family has agreed to sell the Orioles to Baltimore native David Rubenstein. The sale still requires approval from at least 22 of 29 baseball team owners.

One Charles Center has also been listed for sale as the Angelos family settles his affairs. Famous for his work ethic and never missing a day in the office, Peter Angelos collapsed in October 2017 with heart trouble. His condition worsened and his mental abilities declined, according to court records. He did not return to work.

His two sons sued each other over his estate in 2022, bringing a monthslong fight in Baltimore County Circuit Court. Older son John Angelos serves as chairman and CEO of the Orioles. Younger son Louis Angelos took over running the law firm.

Louis Angelos accused his brother and mother of trying to push him out of the family fortune and the baseball team. Georgia Angelos, Peter’s wife and their mother, sued back and accused him of trying to steal the law firm. The brothers settled their dispute in February of last year. The terms of their settlement were confidential.

This story may be updated.

Tim Prudente

tim.prudente@thebaltimorebanner.com

Tim Prudente is an enterprise reporter for The Baltimore Banner.

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