Best's Insurance Professional Resources
Client-Recommended Attorneys, Adjusters and Experts
Best's Insurance Professional Resources
Client-Recommended Attorneys, Adjusters and Experts


Best's Recommended Insurance Attorneys - General Defense

1401 Bank of America Center, 100 South Charles Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21201-2725

Established: 1996

Practice Areas

  • Insurance Defense
  • General Liability
  • Casualty
  • Coverage Issues
  • Construction Litigation
  • Environmental Law
  • Product Liability
  • Professional Liability
  • Aviation
  • Marine

About Us

Ferguson, Schetelich & Ballew, P.A. was formed on February 1, 1996 from an established litigation and insurance defense practice at another Baltimore firm. The firm represents insurance carriers and self-insureds in litigation in Maryland, the District of Columbia, Virginia and Delaware. The firm's practice encompasses insurance defense, insurance coverage, general liability claims, maritime, aviation, products liability, transportation, professional liability, sports and recreation, condominium and homeowners' association claims, environmental law, and alternative dispute resolution. Additionally, the firm has attorneys with extensive experience in labor and employment, construction, business law, church law, and franchise law. Ferguson, Schetelich & Ballew's offices are conveniently located near Baltimore's Inner Harbor, adjacent to the Federal Courthouse and within a short distance of the Baltimore City Courts.

Client Information

Insurance Clients

Non-Insurance Clients

  • LAD Aviation, Inc.

    Personnel Information

    Partners


    Robert L. Ferguson, Jr.

    Baltimore, MD

    Practice Areas
    • Aviation
    • Construction Law
    • Insurance Law
    • Admiralty and Maritime Law
    Admitted
    • Maryland, 1972
    • District of Columbia, 1985
    • U.S. District Court, District of Maryland, 1972
    • U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, 1985
    • U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, Third and Fourth Circuits, 1985
    Memberships:
    • American and Maryland State Bar Associations
    • The Bar Association of Baltimore City
    • The District of Columbia Bar
    • The Maritime Law Association of the United States
    • Maryland Association of Defense Trial Counsel
    • Association of Defense Trial Attorneys
    • International Association of Defense Counsel
    • Defense Research Institute
    • Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers
    Education:
    • University of Maryland, B.S.E.E., 1968
    • University of Maryland, J.D. (with honors), 1972

    Born: 1945

    Thomas J. Schetelich

    Baltimore, MD

    Practice Areas
    • Business Law
    • Wills
    • Wills and Estate Litigation
    • Adoption
    • Business and Real Estate Transactions
    • Business Litigation
    • Business Ownership Litigation
    • Business Transactions
    • Church Law
    • Corporate Law
    • Estate Administration
    • Estate and Tax Planning
    • Estate Litigation
    • Estate Planning
    Admitted
    • Maryland, 1980
    • U.S. District Court, District of Maryland, 1980
    • U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia and Fourth Circuits, 1980
    • U.S. Supreme Court, 1999
    Additional Biographical Details:

    AV rated by Martindale Hubbell

    Memberships:
    • Maryland State Bar Association
    • The Bar Association of Baltimore City
    Education:
    • Kean College of New Jersey, B.A. (summa cum laude), 1977
    • Washington and Lee University, J.D. (magna cum laude), 1980

    Born: 1955

    Craig F. Ballew

    Baltimore, MD

    Practice Areas
    • Labor and Employment
    Admitted
    • Maryland, 1985
    • U.S. District Court, District of Maryland, 1985
    • U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit, 1993
    Memberships:
    • American and Maryland State Bar Associations
    • The Bar Association of Baltimore City
    Education:
    • University of Maryland, Baltimore County, B.A., 1981
    • University of Maryland, J.D., 1984

    Born: 1959

    Peter J. Basile

    Baltimore, MD

    Admitted
    • Maryland, 1990
    • District of Columbia, 1991
    • U.S. District Court, District of Maryland, 1992
    • U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, 2004
    • U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit, 2011
    • U.S. Supreme Court, 2018
    Memberships:
    • Maryland State and Prince George's County Bar Associations
    • The District of Columbia Bar
    • The Bar Association of Baltimore City
    Education:
    • State University of New York at Albany, B.S. (cum laude), 1987
    • The George Washington University, J.D., 1990

    Born: 1965

    Michael K. Hourigan

    Baltimore, MD

    Practice Areas
    • Business Law
    • Business Litigation
    • Corporate Law
    • Labor and Employment
    • Real Estate
    Admitted
    • Maryland, 1998
    • District of Columbia, 2001
    • U.S. District Court, District of Maryland, 1999
    • U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, 2004
    • U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit, 2007
    Memberships:
    • Maryland State and Anne Arundel County Bar Associations
    • The Bar Association of Baltimore City
    Publications:
    • Author: "Waskiewicz v. General Motors Corp.: Failing to Construe the Workers' Compensation Act Liberally" 56 Md. Law Rev. 1019 (1997)
    Education:
    • Loyola College, B.A. (Dean's List), 1995
    • University of Maryland, J.D., 1998
    Law Review:
    Maryland Law Review

    Born: 1973

    Jonathan D. Nelson

    Baltimore, MD

    Practice Areas
    • Civil Litigation
    • Insurance Defense
    • Construction Litigation
    • Appellate Practice
    Admitted
    • Maryland, 2009
    • District of Columbia, 2013
    • U.S. District Court, District of Maryland, 2011
    • U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, 2014
    Memberships:
    • Maryland State Bar Association
    • The Bar Association of Baltimore City
    • Maryland Defense Counsel
    • Defense Research Institute
    Education:
    • Washington University in St. Louis, B.A. (with honors), 2006
    • University of Baltimore School of Law, J.D. (magna cum laude), 2009
    Clerkship:
    Law Clerk to Hon. Pamela J. White

    Born: 1983

    Jocelyn S. Szymanowski

    Baltimore, MD

    Practice Areas
    • Real Estate
    • Banking
    • Business Law
    • Estate Planning
    • Trusts
    • Tax
    • Charitable and Religious Organizations
    Admitted
    • Maryland, 2003
    • U.S. District Court, District of Maryland, 2004
    Memberships:
    • Maryland State Bar Association
    • The Bar Association of Baltimore City
    Education:
    • University of Baltimore, B.S. (summa cum laude), 2000
    • Tulane University Law School, J.D., 2003
    • University of Baltimore School of Law, LL.M., 2005
    Clerkship:
    Law Clerk to Hon. John P. Miller, Circuit Court for Baltimore City

    Born: 1978

    Associates


    Jennifer K. Buell

    Baltimore, MD

    Practice Areas
    • Civil Litigation
    • Insurance Defense
    • Family Law
    Admitted
    • Maryland, 2006
    • U.S. District Court, District of Maryland, 2016
    Memberships:
    • Maryland State Bar Association
    • The Bar Association of Baltimore City
    • Maryland Defense Counsel
    Education:
    • East Carolina University, B.S., 2001
    • East Carolina University, M.S., 2003
    • University of Baltimore School of Law, J.D., 2006

    Ashley C. Fisher

    Baltimore, MD

    Practice Areas
    • Civil Litigation
    • Insurance Defense
    Admitted
    • Maryland, 2006
    • U.S. District Court, District of Maryland, 2016
    Memberships:
    • Maryland State Bar Association
    Education:
    • University of Delaware, B.S., 2000
    • University of Baltimore School of Law, J.D., 2005

    James K. Howard

    Baltimore, MD

    Practice Areas
    • Litigation Defense
    • Construction Law
    • Construction Liability
    • Construction Defect
    • Construction Litigation
    • Personal Injury Defense
    • Tort Claims Defense
    Admitted
    • Maryland, 2014
    • District of Columbia, 2016
    • U.S. District Court, District of Maryland, 2015
    • U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, 2016
    Education:
    • Boston College, B.A., 2011
    • American University, Washington College of Law, J.D., 2014

    Born: 1989

    Rafiq R. Gharbi

    Baltimore, MD

    Practice Areas
    • Labor and Employment
    Admitted
    • Maryland, 2015
    • U.S. District Court, District of Maryland, 2018
    Education:
    • Salisbury University, B.A. Political Science, 2012
    • University of Baltimore School of Law, J.D., 2015

    Timothy J. Dygert Jr

    Baltimore, MD

    Practice Areas
    • Civil Litigation
    • Insurance Defense
    Admitted
    • Maryland, 2015
    • District of Columbia, 2019
    • U.S. District Court, District of Maryland, 2018
    Memberships:
    • Maryland State Bar Association
    • The Bar Association of Baltimore City
    Education:
    • Loyola University Maryland, B.A. Economics, 2012
    • The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law, J.D. (cum laude), 2015
    Clerkship:
    Law Clerk to the Hon. Michael W. Reed, Court of Special Appeals of Maryland, 2015-17

    Born: 1989

    Jacob L. White

    Baltimore, MD

    Admitted
    • Maryland, 2013
    • District of Columbia, 2016
    Education:
    • Presbyterian College, B.A., Political Science and History, 2010
    • University of Baltimore School of Law, J.D. (cum laude), 2013

    Born: 1988

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