Attorneys

“At the end of the day, while burdensome and to be used as a last alternative, litigation is interesting, ever-changing, and stimulating. It is using hard work, creative approaches, and skill to get to a result; like sport without the perspiration.”

Glenn Cooper

Principal (He/Him)

301-951-9322
301-654-7354 FAX
gcooper@paleyrothman.com

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(He/Him)

Glenn Cooper is a senior member in the firm’s Litigation and Family Law practices, and was selected as the number one attorney in all of Maryland for four out of the last five years for Maryland Super Lawyers. He was selected as the number two attorney in the State the other of the five years. Glenn is currently the only attorney in the United States listed on Top 10 Super Lawyers lists in more than one jurisdiction. He frequently appears before federal and state courts at both the trial and appellate levels, and before arbitration panels and professional disciplinary boards. No matter whether he is litigating a matter of a business or domestic nature, Glenn aggressively defends his clients’ positions and pursues their desired outcomes. The majority of Glenn Cooper's practice is devoted to complex business, financial, commercial and domestic litigation involving significant business issues.

A number of Glenn's cases have helped shape the current state of the law in a number of areas. He is among a select group of active lawyers who have briefed and argued multiple civil cases in Maryland’s Court of Appeals, the state’s highest court. Glenn has earned the respect of his colleagues, having represented a number of lawyers and law firms in Montgomery County. He frequently lectures before various legal and professional associations, and has authored many articles on business issues.

Glenn Cooper is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, a national organization whose members are recognized for maintaining the highest degree of professionalism, integrity and excellence in the practice of family law. He is one of about 30 attorneys in the state of Maryland to be named to this prestigious group. Glenn is admitted to practice before a variety of federal and state courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court.

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Practice Areas
Bar Admissions

  • Maryland

  • District of Columbia

  • United States Supreme Court

Education

  • J.D., With Honors, University of Maryland School of Law, 1973
         - Law Review
         - Order of the Coif
         - Simon E. Sobeloff Prize for distinction in Constitutional Law

  • B.A., University of Maryland, 1970

Accolades & Awards

  • “Top Lawyers Hall of Fame,”  Washingtonian magazine (2022)

  • Best Lawyers in America - Best Lawyers (2006-2023)
         - Family Law

         - Family Law Arbitration 

         - Commercial Litigation

  • Best Law Firms – U.S. News & Best Lawyers
         - Tier 1 Metropolitan (D.C. area) Ranking for Commercial Litigation
         - Tier 1 Metropolitan (D.C. area) Ranking for Family Law

  • Maryland Super Lawyers (2007-2023)
         - "Ranked Number One," Maryland Super Lawyers (2019-2021, 2023)
         - “Maryland Top 10,” Maryland Super Lawyers (2012-2023)
         - “Maryland Top 100,” Maryland Super Lawyers (2012-2023)
         - “Maryland Top 50,” Maryland Super Lawyers (2009-2023)

  • Washington D.C. Super Lawyers (2007-2020)
         - “D.C. Top 10,” Washington D.C. Super Lawyers (2017-2020)
         - “D.C. Top 100,” Washington D.C. Super Lawyers (2008-2020)

  • "Top Lawyers" - Washingtonian magazine (2018, 2020, 2022)

  • "Top Attorneys," Bethesda Magazine ​(2019, 2021)
         - Family/Divorce

  • “Washington’s Best Lawyers,” Divorce and Family Law, Washingtonian magazine (2017)

  • “DC Family Law Lawyer of the Year,” Best Lawyers in America (2014)

  • “Top Family Law Attorneys” - Washingtonian magazine

  • “Top Divorce Attorneys” - Washingtonian magazine

  • "Top Divorce Attorneys" - Bethesda Magazine (2010, 2013, 2017)

  • Who’s Who in American Law

  • AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rated

In The News
Recent Publications

  • “Standards and Methods of Corporate (and LLC) Control – Maryland,” (prepared as primary resource material for and distributed by the courts to all judges throughout Maryland assigned to Maryland’s Business and Technology Case Management Program), March 2014; February 2013; October 2008; April 2006; March 2003

  • “A Brief History of ‘Internal Affairs’ in Maryland” 2012 MSBA Business Law Institute, 2012

  • “Derivative Claims: Maryland” 2012 MSBA Business Law Institute, 2012

  • "Embedded Taxes in the Asset Based Method of Valuation," Bar Association of Montgomery County, 2008

  • “The Financial End of the Affair: Today’s Divorce Lawyer needs as much Business Savvy as Legal Expertise,” Legal Times, 2004

  • "Employee Stock Options, Equivalents and Deferred Compensation," Judicial Institute, 2004

  • “Advising the Business Client, Shareholder Planning and Problems – Evolving Legal Standards and Methods in the Dynamics of Corporate Control,” MICPEL, 1998, 1990, 1986

  • “Opinions on Ethics and Professional Responsibility” (Co-Editor), Maryland State Bar Association, 2nd Ed., 1989

  • “Trade Secrets in Maryland for High Technology” (Co-Author), MICPEL, High Technology Law Institute, 1987

Civic & Community Involvement

  • Bar Association of Montgomery County
         - Past President
         - Member, Executive Committee
         - Past Treasurer
         - Bar Leader

  • Montgomery County Bar Foundation
         - Past President
         - Member, Executive Committee
         - Past Treasurer

  • Maryland State Bar Association
         - Member
         - Fellow
         - Past Chair, Committee on Ethics

  • American Bar Association
         - Member
         - Fellow
         - Past Delegate from Montgomery County

  • American College of Trial Lawyers - Fellow

  • American College of Matrimonial Lawyers - Fellow

  • Pro Bono Committee for Montgomery County - Past Chair

  • University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law - Board of Visitors

Selected Significant Reported Decisions

  • Andrews v. Anne Arundel County, Maryland, 931 F.Supp, 1255 (D. Md. 1996), aff’d 114 F. 3rd 1175 (4th Cir. 1997), cert. denied, 118 S. Ct. 600 (1997) – represented former elected and appointed officials of Anne Arundel County in constitutional challenge to recover lost benefits and for injunctive relief against enforcement of County’s retroactive reduction of pension benefits to affect cost-saving.

  • Bregman, Berbert & Schwartz, LLC v. United States , 145 F.3rd (4th Cir.1998) – represented law firm and lawyer (who was then President of the Bar Association of Montgomery County, Maryland) in wrongful levy action against the United States (IRS) to recover sums seized by U.S. from a second law firm with which client firm had a fee sharing agreement.

  • Chantel Associates v. Mt. Vernon Fire Insurance Company, 338 Md. 131, 365 A.2d 779 (1995) – established that insurer had a duty to defend lead-related personal injury claims based upon cellular injury, and that such duty can be determined in a declaratory judgment action before the underlying personal injury case is resolved.

  • Dominigues v. Johnson, 323 Md. 476, 593 A.2d 1133 (1991) – represented local lawyer; revised standards for review of child custody determination so that identifiable harm need not occur before change can be made; relocation alone of parent having joint or primary physical custody may justify a change of custody; established standards for use and review of Master’s findings by a Chancellor.

  • Goldberg v. Miller, 371 Md. 591, 810 A.2d 947 (2002) – represented local lawyer; determined that a trial court does not have authority to treat guardian ad litem fees as child support to allow garnishment of federal retirement benefits.

  • Grant v. Zich, 300 Md. 256, 477 A.2d 1163 (1994) – established standard that when the Court is characterizing property as non-marital or marital, the appropriate analysis is source of funds theory; no presumption of gift is applicable in making such characterization.

  • Hashem v. Taheri, 82 Md. App. 269, 571 A.2d 839 (1990) – Court determined that when shareholder derivative action is plead together with legal claims, claimant is entitled to jury determination of common questions of fact.

  • Holy Cross Hospital of Silver Spring, Inc. v. Health Services Cost Review Commission, 283 Md. 677, 393 A.2d 181 (1978) – Court set scope of authority of Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission over fees of hospital-based physicians.

  • Hurt v. Philadelphia Housing Authority, 806 F. Supp. 515 (E.D. Pa. 1992) – represented paint manufacturer in suit by low income housing tenants against multiple alleged manufacturers and sellers of lead-based paint and established that theories of enterprise liability and market share liability could not be used.

  • Jacobs, Trustee v. Mones, 169 Bkry. Rptr. 246 (D.C. 1994) – represented local lawyer in adversary proceeding against investment advisor, established that measure of securities fraud damages is the loss to the investor rather than the gain to the advisor; standards for claim of non-dischargability for securities fraud by investment advisor.

  • Lenkin-N Limited Partnership v. Nace, 568 A.2d 474 (D.C. App. 1990) – prevailed for landlord by establishing that law firm-tenant’s failure to adduce any evidence by experts in commercial construction to the effect that landlord’s delay in furnishing new office space was unreasonable, precluded tenant recovery.

  • Maryland National Bank v. United Jewish Appeal Federation of Greater Washington, Inc., 286 Md. 274, 407 A.2d 1130 (1979) – enforceability of charitable pledges.

  • Mendelson v. Brown, 371 Md. 154, 807 A.2d 632 (2002) – substantial compliance with notice provisions of local Government Tort Claim Act is sufficient (overruling prior case law).

  • Naedel v. Naedel, 115 Md. App. 347, 693 A.2d 60 (1997) – argued for and established that exception to limitation of garnishment under the Federal Consumer Protection Act is not applicable to non-modifiable alimony set forth in Agreement incorporated but not merged into Court Order.

  • Post v. Bregman, 349 Md. 142, 707 A.2d 806 (1998) – represented law firm and lawyer (then President of the Bar Association of Montgomery County, Maryland) in dispute with another law firm over fee sharing agreement and the role of the Maryland Rules of Professional Conduct in interpretation and enforcement of fee sharing arrangements.

  • Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad Company v. Virginia Central Railway Company, 222 Va. 167, 279 S.E. 2d 146 (1981) – established that railroad freight car-hire funds in the hands of a short-line railroad were trust funds held for intervenor-railroad car owners and were not subject to attachment by interline carrier; federal regulations did not prohibit car owners and short-line from determining by agreement to whom car hire funds were to be paid.

  • Swartzbauer v. Lead Industries Association, Inc., 794 F. Supp. 142 (E.D. Pa. 1992) – represented paint manufacturer in putative class action by painters in which court rejected enterprise, market share and alternative liability as bases for suit.

  • St. Luke Evangelical Lutheran Church v. Smith, 318 Md. 337, 568 A.2d 35, 58 U.S.L.W. 2427 (1990) – punitive damages jury award in defamation action against Church and Pastor; in calculating punitive damages a jury may consider attorneys fees in the underlying case.

  • William H. Metcalfe & Sons, Inc. v. Canyon Defined Benefit Trust, 318 Md. 565, 569 A.2d 669 (1990) – established priorities for distribution of surplus arising upon bulk foreclosure of first trust between mortgagee of a portion of the property and later lien holder on all parcels.

Speeches & Presentations

  • Speaker, "Selected Tax Issues in Divorce: Joint CLE presented by the Family and Tax Law Sections," Bar Association of Montgomery County, November 2020

  • Panelist, “Unique and Advanced Tax Issues in Divorce Cases,” Bar Association of Montgomery County Annual Law Day, April 2016

  • Faculty, “Uses and Abuses of Derivative Actions in Corporations, LLCs and Other Limited Liability Entities in Maryland” 2012 MSBA Business Law Institute, April 12, 2012

  • Faculty, “Business Control Issues,” Judicial Institute of Maryland, October 2010

  • Speaker, “Embedded Taxes in the Asset Based Method of Valuation,” Bar Association of Montgomery County, Family Law Section, December 2008

  • Speaker, “Business Control Issues and Minority Rights in Maryland, New Developments,” Bar Association of Montgomery County, combined program of the Business Law and Business Litigation Sections, April 2006

  • Faculty, “Division of Retirement assets in Divorce Cases,” Judicial Institute of Maryland, March 2004

  • Speaker, “Model Cross-Examination of a Mental Health Expert,” Eighth Annual Symposium on Family Law, An Advanced Seminar on Domestic Relations Practice and Procedure, November 11, 2003

  • Speaker and Panelist, “Winning Your Divorce Case Through Effective Use of Business Valuations and Expert Witnesses,” Bar Association of Montgomery County, Family Law Section, Continuing Legal Education Program, May 2003

  • Speaker and Panelist, “Traps for the Unwary Litigator,” Bar Association of Montgomery County, Federal Practice Section, Continuing Legal Education Program, April 2003