Hon. Fred Smalkin (Ret.), when he was a United States Magistrate for the District of Maryland, concentrated on pioneering the role of Federal Magistrates in civil litigation, especially as settlement mediators. He successfully settled hundreds of cases and taught mediation skills to others. He has taught by invitation for many institutions, bar associations, and professional organizations and was recognized with a number of awards for excellence in teaching.
After ten years of service as a U.S. Magistrate, Judge Smalkin was appointed a United States District Judge for the District of Maryland in 1986 and became Chief Judge on October 19, 2001, serving as such until January 6, 2003, and becoming a Senior Judge on January 8, 2003. He retired from judicial office in 2011.
ADR Experience
- Admiralty
- Broker Liability
- Complex Litigation and Class Actions
- Employment
- Medical Malpractice
- Personal Injury
- Products Liability
Representative Opinions
As a U.S. District Judge for the District of Maryland, Judge Smalkin has authored over 350 published opinions including the following:
- Admiralty
- AccaiSpeciali Terni USA v. M/V BERANE, 181 F.Supp. 2d 458 (2002), 182 F.Supp. 2d 503 (2002)
- Hawksphere Shipping Co. v. 65 Bundles of Secondary Aluminium, 178 F.Supp. 2d 486 (2001)
- Compania Sud Americana de Vapores, S.A., v. I.T.O. Group, 940 F.Supp. 855 (1996)
- Antitrust
- Berlyn, Inc. v. Gazette Newspapers, 223 F.Supp. 2d 718 (2002)
- Aviation
- Walsh v. Avalon Aviation, Inc., 118 F.Supp. 2d 675 (2000), 125 F.Supp. 2d 726 (2001)
- Powell v. Erb, 78 F. Supp. 2d 496 (1999)
- Old Republic Ins. Co. v. Gormley, 77 F.Supp. 2d 705 (1999)
- Banking
- Harrington v. McNabb, 163 F.Supp. 2d 583 (2001)
- Powers v. American Express Fin. Advisors, Inc., 82 F.Supp. 2d 448 (2000)
- Northwestern Nat’l. Life Ins. Co. v. Laurel Fed. Sav. Bank, 979 F.Supp. 354, 359 (1996)
- Construction Law
- Aetna Cas. & Sur. Co. v. George Hyman Constr. Co., 1995 U.S. Dist. Lexis 22094 (1995)
- Derivative Actions
- Raab v. General Physics Corp., 1993 U.S. Dist. Lexis 17443 (1993)
- Employment
- Lewis v. Forest Pharms., Inc., 217 F.Supp. 2d 638 (2002)
- Environment
- Sherwin-Williams Co. v. ARTRA Group, 125 F.Supp. 2d 739 (2001)
- ERISA
- Deaton v. Cross, 184 F.Supp. 2d 441 (2002)
- Md. Elec. Ind. Health Fund v. Levitt, 155 F.Supp. 2d 482 (2001)
- In re Paris, 44 F.Supp. 2d 747 (1999)
- Evidence
- Wilson v. Clancy, 747 F.Supp. 1154 (D.Md. 1990)
- False Claims Act
- United States v. Southern Md. Home Health Servs., 95 F.Supp. 2d 465 (2000)
- FLSA
- Herman v. Mid-Atlantic Installation Servs., 164 F. Supp.2d 667 (2000)
- Insurance Law
- USAA Cas. Ins. Co. v. Mummert, 213 F.Supp. 2d 538 (2002)
- Roy v. Northwestern Nat’l. Life Ins. Co., 974 F.Supp. 508 (1997)
- Intellectual Property
- Lowry’s Reports, Inc. v. Legg Mason, Inc., 186 F.Supp. 2d 592 (2002)
- Takeall v. Pepsico, Inc., 809 F.Supp. 19 (1992)
- Internet Law
- Fare Deals, Ltd. V. World Choice Travel.com, 180 F.Supp. 2d 678 (2001)
- Legal Malpractice
- Royal Ins. Co. of America v. Miles & Stockbridge, P.C., 138 F.Supp. 2d 695 (2001)
- Riordan v. Jones, 793 F.Supp. 650 (1992)
- Medical Malpractice
- Roberts v. Fleury, 987 F.Supp. 940 (1997)
- Police Malpractice
- Moore v. Winer, 190 F.Supp. 2d 804 (2002)
- Practice of Medicine
- Freilich v. Bd. Of Dirs. Of Upper Chesapeake Health, Inc., 142 F.Supp. 2d 679 (2001)
- Products Liability
- Brown v. Lyon Ladder & Scaffolding Co., 2000 U.S. Dist. Lexis 20568 (2000)
- Stalnaker v. GM Corporation, 972 F.Supp. 335 (1996)
- Moser v. Agway Petroleum Corp., 866 F.Supp. 262 (1994)
- Giraldi v. Sears, Roebuck & Co., 687 F.Supp. 987 (1988)
- Higgins v. E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Co., 671 F.Supp. 1063 (1987)
- Railroads
- Bookhultz v. Maryland M. R. Co., 688 F.Supp. 1061 (1988)
- Religious Liberty
- Keeler v. Mayor of Cumberland, 928 F.Supp. 591 (1996)
- Secured Financing
- Equitable Bank, N.A. v. Ford Motor Co., 138 F.R.D. 455 (1990)
- Other Torts
- Fox v. Encounters, Int’l., 318 F.Supp. 2d. 279 (2002) (fraud)
- Hopkins v. Lapchick, 981 F.Supp. 901 (1997) (defamation)