Michelle McGeogh

Michelle M. McGeogh

Partner She / Her / Hers
Baltimore

Michelle McGeogh has extensive experience in real estate litigation on behalf of property owners, investors, and developers. Michelle is experienced in a diverse range of real estate and commercial litigation, including commercial foreclosures, lender liability and landlord/tenant law. She regularly represents commercial landlords in state court proceedings and bankruptcy proceedings, and has defended landlords from breach of contract, negligence, and fraud claims. Michelle also represents financial institutions and special servicers of mortgage loans in disputes involving lender liability, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and foreclosure. She has successfully obtained receivers and enforced orders appointing receivers in connection with defaulted commercial loans.

Michelle also represents employers across industries in a broad range of employment disputes. She co-leads the firm's Accessibility Team. Michelle regularly advises clients in matters involving discrimination, retaliation, wage and hour issues, reductions in force, restrictive covenants, the Family Medical Leave Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act. She provides guidance and training to employers looking to implement effective workplace policies and conducts internal investigations. She partners with clients to proactively identify issues and create legal solutions, specifically tailored to the client's workforce and business needs. Michelle has advised numerous clients with respect to matters involving allegations of workplace sexual harassment, providing advice on how to implement effective programs that encourage a professional work environment. 

Experience 

Representative Matters

Real Estate and Construction Litigation

  • Defended a University against a lawsuit brought by a developer. The developer alleged the University improperly terminated the developer's contract and sought an injunction to prevent the University from proceeding with the development of the parcel with another developer, in addition to $22,000,000 in damages. The Court entered a judgment in favor of the University after eight day bench trial and awarded the University attorneys' fees and expenses. The Court's judgment was affirmed on appeal. Howard Town Ctr. Developer, LLC v. Howard Univ., 730 F. App'x 1 (D.C. Cir. 2018).
  • Represented numerous commercial landlords in connection with the exercise of rights against defaulting tenants
  • Represented commercial landlord against tenant's claims that it overcharged common area maintenance expenses

Professional Highlights

Pro Bono Experience

Michelle is dedicated to representing pro bono clients. She negotiated a positive settlement for a client who lost a home without notice. She also represents a prisoner in connection with an excessive force case. Michelle's pro bono efforts are the subject of a profile by the University of Baltimore School of Law and an article in The Baltimore Sun.

Judicial Internships

Hon. Thomas J. Bollinger, Sr., Baltimore County Circuit Court

Professional Activities

Co-Chair, Maryland Legal Aid's Equal Justice Council

Member, International Council of Shopping Centers U.S. Law Conference Program Committee

Recognition & Accomplishments

Recipient of multiple Ballard Spahr Alan J. Davis Awards - 2011, member of the Asylum Initiative; 2013, member of the Prisoner Civil Rights Team; 2014, member of the Families in Crisis Team; 2018, member of the Juvenile Sentencing Reform Team; 2019, Advocates for Southeast Immigrant Freedom Initiative

Speaking Engagements

Speaker, “You’re Vaccinated, Now Let’s Immunize Your Lease From the Litigators,” ICSC U.S. Law Conference, October 26, 2022

Speaker, "Current Digital Accessibility Litigation Landscape and Increased DOJ Enforcement of Title III of the ADA – How Can Risk be Effectively Mitigated?" axe-con 2022, March 17, 2022

Speaker, "Litigation - Is It Implied In Your Lease?" ICSC U.S. Law Conference, October 16, 2020

Panelist, "What You Can't See Can Hurt You – Lessons from Litigating Invisible Provisions and Implied Covenants," ICSC U.S. Law Conference, San Diego, CA, October 24, 2019

Speaker, "ADA Compliance for Websites," New York Press Association Spring Conference and Trade Show, New York, April 5, 2019

Board Memberships & Community Service

Board of Directors, Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service

Board of Directors, Cradlerock Children's Center

Publications

Co-author, "Am I Liable for That?" Legal-Ease column BOMA magazine, November/December 2017

Co-author, "Weed in the Workplace: Employment Law Nightmare," Executive Counsel, June/July 2011

"The Environmental Protection Agency's New Standard for CERCLA All Appropriate Inquiry: More Time and Money for Compliance, but Well Worth the Cost to Avoid CERCLA Liability," 14 Univ. Balt. J. Envtl. L. 159, 2007

Credentials 

Education

University of Baltimore School of Law (J.D. 2007, magna cum laude)
Publications Editor, University of Baltimore Journal of Environmental Law; Member, Women's Bar Association and Environmental Law Society

Salisbury University (B.A. 2004, summa cum laude)
Recipient, Justin Shen Award for Outstanding Student in Political Science

Admissions

District of Columbia

Maryland

New York

U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland

U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit

U.S. Supreme Court