About Russ Smouse

Russ Smouse has been practicing law for over 50 years.  He was the head of litigation at Melnicove, Kaufman, Weiner & Smouse from 1985 through 1989, a firm of 80 lawyers.  He then served as head of litigation at Whiteford, Taylor & Preston, a firm of 120 lawyers, from 1989 to 1993. He became the head of general litigation at the Law Offices of Peter Angelos, a firm of 75 lawyers, in 1993.  In 1994, Russ became general counsel of the Baltimore Orioles, a position in which he negotiated player contracts, represented the team in litigation, and took over as lead presenter in the team’s arbitration cases.  Russ served as head of general litigation at the Angelos firm and general counsel for the team until 2015, when he founded Smouse & Mason, LLC.  He is a prominent member of the Judicial Conference of the Fourth Circuit, a member of the prestigious American College of Trial Lawyers, listed in The Best Lawyers in America in each edition from the original publication in 1983, and a Super Lawyer.  He has served as a member of the Board of Governors of the Maryland State Bar Association, as Chairman of the Baltimore Grievance Committee and as Chairman of the Judiciary Committee of the Bar Association of Baltimore City. Mr. Smouse is retired from the practice of law.

Admission Details

• 1958, Maryland
• U.S. District Court, District of Maryland
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit
• U.S. Supreme Court
• U.S. Tax Court

Law School Attended

• University of Maryland School of Law, Class of 1958, LL.B.

University Attended

• Princeton University, Class of 1955, A.B., Economics

Associations & Memberships

• Baltimore City Bar Association (Chairman: Grievance Committee, 1969-1970; Nominating Committee, 1980; Judiciary Committee, 1980-1981; Lawyers’ Committee for an Independent Judiciary, 1988-1997; Member, Executive Council, 1969-1970, 1980-1981); Maryland State Bar Association (Member, Board of Governors, 1981-1983), and American Bar Association

Areas of Practice

• Civil Litigation
• Personal Injury
• Toxic Torts
• Environmental Litigation
• Railroad Accidents
• Medical Malpractice
• Employment Discrimination
• Police Misconduct