Seven seek to fill Maryland Circuit Court vacancy

May 10, 2011

Maryland: Seven lawyers have applied for a position on the Second Circuit Court of Cecil County, Maryland. The seat to be filled was formerly held by O. Robert Lidums, who retired last October. The Cecil County Bar Association and the Maryland Association will interview and rate the applicants by May 27th and will send their recommendations to the Trial Courts Nominating Commission for District 2. The commission is then required to recommend three or more candidates to the Governor by June 7th. The judge appointed by the Governor will serve on the court until the next election, in which they must run for retention by voters.

The candidates are as follows:

• Jason Allison is a self-employed private practice lawyer who has worked out of Elkton, MD since 2004.
• Harry D. Barnes III has worked as a private practitioner since 1973.
• John Buck has 26 years of experience. He currently runs his own law office and works part-time as a prosecutor for the Cecil County State's Attorney's office.
• Thomas L. Klenk has worked as an assistant public defender of Cecil County since 1984 and previously worked as a private practice lawyer.
• Kevin B. Urick is a prosecutor for the Cecil County State's Attorney's Office, where he has worked since 2004. He also works in civil law through his private practice.
• Jane Cairns Murray has served as a full-time Cecil County domestic relations master since 2006, presiding over specific types of family law proceedings. She has practice law for 24 years.
• Ellis Rollins has practiced law, primarily in the private practice, for over 30 years and is currently the Cecil County State's Attorney.