Email: gelson@levanruff.com

Gary Elson has been practicing law in Maryland since 1981. He worked for a small firm in Baltimore City handling personal injury and workers’ compensation cases before starting his own law practice, which he maintained for 29 years.

For the City of Annapolis, Gary served under seven mayors as a contractual attorney before being appointed Assistant City Attorney, a position which he held until his retirement from government service in 2019. On three occasions during that time, he served as Acting City Attorney under two different Mayors..

Bar Admission

Maryland Court of Appeals, 1981

United States District Court for the District of Maryland, 1982

U. S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, 1985

Education

University of Baltimore School of Law, Baltimore, MD, J.D., 1981

University of Maryland M.A. History, 1976

University of Maryland, B.A. History, 1973

Positions

• Gary M Elson, Attorney at Law, 1983 – 2012

• City of Annapolis

  • Contract Attorney, 1986 – 2007

  • Assistant City Attorney, 2007 – 2019

Experience

• City Code interpretation and enforcement

• Litigation in state and federal trial and appellate courts, as sole or lead litigator, primarily engaged in the defense of the City of Annapolis and City staff.

• Regular advisor to the Mayor and Mayor’s staff and to all Department directors and department staff

• Preparing and negotiating contracts and other legal documents

• Preparing legislation and testifying before the standing committees of the Annapolis City Council

Types of Municipal Boards and Commissions Represented

• Zoning Board of Appeals

• Planning Commission

• Historic Preservation Commission

• Building Board of Appeals

• Alcoholic Beverages Control Board

• Board of Supervisors of Elections

• Board of Port Wardens

• Ethics Commission