Firm Overview
Professor Byron L. Warnken graduated cum laude from the University of Baltimore School of Law (UofB) in 1977. After one year of practicing as a tax attorney with the Office of Chief Counsel of the Internal Revenue Service in Washington, D.C., while teaching as an adjunct law professor at UofB, he joined the full-time faculty.
 Between 1978 and 1992, Professor Warnken handled less than 50 cases, mostly appeals, criminal cases, and representation of law enforcement officers in administrative disciplinary proceedings. In November 1992, he and his spouse, Bonnie L. Warnken, Esq, started Warnken and Warnken. Today, that practice, which is located in Towson, Maryland, is known as Warnken, LLC.
We have opened more than 4,000 files. Our attorneys are licensed in all state courts in Maryland and Pennsylvania, in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and the Supreme Court of the United States. The Firm is a general practice law firm with numerous areas of concentration. Each concentration area is explained in greater depth in this Website.
We handle (or provide advice for) civil and criminal state appeals in Maryland and federal appeals in the United States Courts of Appeal for the Fourth and Fifth Circuits, as well as the Supreme Court of the United States. We have been involved in more than 175 appeals, with more than 110 appellate briefs, certiorari petitions and answers, and applications, and more than 55 appellate arguments. The Supreme Court of the United States appointed Professor Byron L. Warnken as “Counsel or Record” to brief and argue against United States Attorney General Janet Reno and Maryland Attorney General J. Joseph Curran, Jr.
We handle state, federal, and Supreme Court appeals; post-trial motions; sentencing motions; petitions for post conviction relief and motions to reopen closed post conviction proceedings; habeas corpus proceedings; petitions for writs of error coram nobis; petitions for expungement; petitions for writs of mandamus; proceedings before the Maryland Parole Commission; and clemency petitions for commutation and pardon before the Governor. We have obtained some form of post-verdict relief for more than 125 individuals.
We defend individuals charged in any state court in Maryland or Pennsylvania or charged in federal court in Maryland.
We provide advice and representation to individuals on family law issues of separation, marital property agreements, divorce, alimony, custody, visitation, adoption, and guardianship.
We represent individuals with job-related injuries.
We provide advice and representation for small businesses and individuals in actual or potential civil litigation before administrative agencies and in any state court in Maryland or Pennsylvania and in federal court in Maryland. We provide advice and document preparation for non-litigation transactional matters, such as contracts and real estate.
We represent bar candidates before the Character Committee, the State Board of Law Examiners, and/or the Court of Appeals of Maryland on licensure issues, such as fitness to practice law and exam accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act. We represent attorneys, against Bar Counsel, on disciplinary proceedings and reinstatement proceedings, before the Attorney Grievance Commission of Maryland, a Circuit Court, and/or the Court of Appeals of Maryland. We represent physicians on licensure and discipline issues before the State Board of Physicians and/or the Office of Administrative Hearings. We represent nurses on licensure and discipline issues before the Nursing Board and/or the Office of Administrative Hearings.
We provide planning advice, document preparation, and probate on matters involving wills, trusts, durable medical powers of attorney (living wills and medical powers of attorney), and general powers of attorney.
We provide advice and litigation based on constitutional challenges under the United States Constitution and the Maryland Constitution.
We serve as general counsel to the Maryland Troopers Association and its 2,400 members on issues of administrative discipline, departmental grievances, workers’ compensation, and retirement disability. We have represented law enforcement officers on such issues in 32 agencies (5 federal, 6 state, 11 county, and 10 municipal agencies). We have represented and/or provided legal advice for 29 law enforcement agencies, prosecutors’ office, and pro-law enforcement organizations.
For 15 years, Professor Byron L. Warnken has provided expert opinions and testimony in judicial proceedings in cases involving civil rights, attorney malpractice and ethics, and petitions for post conviction relief. For 18 years, he has provided expert opinions and testimony in legislative proceedings on issues involving constitutional law, federal preemption of state laws, statutory interpretation, criminal law and procedure, and civil litigation involving law enforcement officers and punitive damages. For 16 years, he has provided expert opinions and testimony for local government. For 28 years, he has provided expert opinions for national, state, and local media (television, radio, and print) on issues such as the Supreme Court, constitutional law, criminal law and procedure, and civil litigation.
Having been in the bar review business for 27 years, Professor Byron L. Warnken provides private tutoring for candidates for the Maryland bar exam. |
Appeals and Appellate Practice Criminal Post-Verdict Practice Criminal Trial Practice Family Law and Divorce Practice Workers' Compensation Practice General Civil Practice Representation of Legal 
