Zuckerman Spaeder Congratulates Former Partner and Magistrate Judge Adam B. Abelson on Presidential Nomination to U.S. District Court Seat

Zuckerman Spaeder LLP congratulates former partner Adam Abelson on his nomination to serve as a District Judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. Judge Abelson was nominated by President Biden. His nomination will advance to the U.S. Senate for confirmation.

Judge Abelson was a partner at Zuckerman Spaeder before being appointed to serve as a Magistrate Judge for the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland in the fall of 2023. His complete tenure at the firm spanned 11 years, beginning in the firm’s Washington office as an associate in 2012, before a shift to Baltimore in 2014.

“Adam’s nomination is tremendously well deserved, and all of us who have worked with him feel a great sense of pride in his accomplishments,” said Caroline Mehta, partner and firm co-chair. “Adam became a significant part of the Zuckerman Spaeder fabric during his time with us. During his exceptional career in private practice, Adam’s unimpeachable integrity, sharp legal instincts, remarkable judgment, and signature humility were on full display. I have no doubt that these qualities will continue to serve him well, and that he will prove to be a fine and highly respected district court judge.”

Baltimore-based partner and American College of Trial Lawyers President, William J. Murphy, shared, “In his years of practice at the firm, Adam distinguished himself as an accomplished litigator, possessed with keen insights, thoughtful legal analysis and writing skills, and dedication to the firm and the causes of its clients. We are confident that he will prove to be an outstanding jurist, and a credit to the federal judiciary. President Biden could not have done better than to nominate Magistrate Judge Abelson to the District Court.”

During his time at Zuckerman Spaeder, Judge Abelson represented clients in complex civil litigation, white collar criminal defense, and government investigations. His criminal defense practice included alleged financial, securities, and health care fraud. In his civil litigation practice, Judge Abelson focused on securities enforcement actions, complex commercial disputes, and antitrust and legal malpractice matters. He also represented health care providers and their patients in high-stakes disputes.  

Judge Abelson maintained an active pro bono practice, a reflection of a deep-rooted commitment to justice, and was always deeply involved in the community and legal profession. He served as the Chair of the American Bar Association (ABA)’s Working Group on Building Public Trust in the American Justice System and served on the board of the Job Opportunities Task Force.

For his commitment to his clients and community, Judge Abelson has received several prestigious recognitions in recent years from The American Lawyer, the Maryland Daily Record, and the Baltimore Business Journal.

Earlier in his career, Judge Abelson served as a judicial law clerk to the Hon. Andre M. Davis of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and the Hon. Catherine C. Blake of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. He earned his J.D., magna cum laude, from the New York University School of Law and his bachelor’s degree, cum laude, from Princeton University.