Edward J. Levin, Member
As an experienced and respected real estate lawyer, Ed has learned how to help clients meet their business goals quickly and efficiently. Ed is effective because he thoroughly understands each deal, including the specific legal requirements and each party’s issues in every transaction. He tailors his services to negotiate every matter skillfully to get to closing smoothly. Equally important, clients value his experience, skills and sense of humor, which make each project as enjoyable as possible. Ed considers the success of his clients his greatest professional achievement.
Ed is a member of the Firm's Real Estate Practice. He focuses on helping clients with real estate matters involving financing, leasing, purchase and sale, workouts, foreclosure, and rendering third-party opinion letters. Ed has also served as an expert witness on cases relating to real estate and professional liability matters. In addition to his work for specific client matters, Ed has been honored for successfully helping to pass legislation that restructured how recordation tax applies to indemnity deeds of trust (IDOTs) and other security instruments in Maryland, as well as legislation that changed the Rule Against Perpetuities as it applies to commercial transactions in Maryland. On March 8, 2017, Ed testified before the House Economic Matters Committee on the Maryland Commercial Receivership Act, House Bill 1180.
Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business has recognized Ed as a “first-rate lawyer” and “national leader” among real estate attorneys in Maryland. Ed has been instrumental in developing and writing numerous bar and professional association reports and publications regarding third-party opinion letters, and he co-authored a book on real estate leasing forms. He regularly writes and lectures on opinion letters, leasing and financing issues. Ed has been honored by numerous legal, banking and professional organizations for his contributions to his profession and to the community.
Honors
Recipient of the F. Patrick Hughes Legislative Award presented by NAIOP Maryland, April 24, 2014
Named Baltimore's Real Estate "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers in America ®, 2012
Recipient of The Daily Record’s “Leadership in Law” Award, 2007
Named "Distinguished Maryland Real Property Practitioner" by the MSBA Section of Real Property, Planning and Zoning, 2006-2007
Named "Mortgage Associate of the Year" by the Maryland Mortgage Bankers Association, 2004
Named to Best Lawyers in America® for Real Estate Law since 1989
Named to Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business top tier of real estate attorneys in Maryland since 2008
Named to International Who's Who of Real Estate Lawyers since 2008
Named to Maryland Super Lawyers® in Real Estate since 2007
Named to Maryland Super Lawyers® Top 50, 2007 and 2008
AV Preeminent™ rating in Martindale-Hubbell®
News
Professional and Civic Involvement
Member, American Bar Association (ABA)
Member, ABA Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law; Chair, Legal Opinions in Real Estate Transactions Committee, 2009-2013
Group Chair, ABA Section of Real Property, Trust and Estate Law, Real Estate Financing Group, September 2014-August 2016
Member, Maryland State Bar Association (MSBA)
Chair, MSBA Section of Real Property, Planning and Zoning, 1988-1990
Member, MSBA Section of Real Property, Planning and Zoning, Legislative Liaison Committee, 1983-present; Chair, 1983-1985
Co-Chair, Special Joint Committee on Lawyers' Opinions in Commercial Transactions of the MSBA and the Bar Association of Baltimore City, 1987-1989
Member, Special Joint Committee on Lawyers' Opinions in Business Transactions of the MSBA Section of Business Law and Section of Real Property, Planning and Zoning, 2004-2009; Chair, 2009-2010
Member, American College of Real Estate Lawyers (ACREL); Chair, ACREL's Attorneys' Opinions Committee, 1993-1999
Member, Joint Drafting Committee of the ABA, ACREL, ACMA collaborative that prepared the Real Estate Finance Opinion Report of 2012, 47 Real Prop. Tr. & Est. L. J. 213 (2012)
Co-Editor, Local Counsel Supplement to the Real Estate Finance Opinion Report of 2012, 51 Real Prop. Tr. & Est. L. J. 167 (2016)
Legal Counsel, Maryland Mortgage Bankers Association, Inc., 1995-present
Member, Baltimore Metropolitan Area Advisory Board, Chicago Title Insurance Company, 1997-2013
Fellow, ABA Foundation
Life Fellow, Maryland Bar Foundation
President, Baltimore Board of Jewish Education (now known as the Louise D. and Morton J. Macks Center for Jewish Education), 1989-1991
Publications and Lectures
- Co-Presenter, “Electronic Signatures and Remote Notarizations in Maryland,” James Macgill American Inns of Court webinar , October 14, 2020.
- Co-Presenter, “Navigating UCC Issues in Real Estate Finance Opinions,” The ABA/ACMA/ACREL/ACCFL UCC Opinion Report, Strafford Publishing Continuing Legal Education webinar, September 3, 2020.
- Co-Presenter, “Recent Cases Regarding Real Estate,” Maryland State Bar Association’s Real Property Section, Commercial Real Estate Discussion Group Lunch, May 12, 2020.
- Co-Panelist, “Drafting Real Estate Opinion Letters: It’s All about the Details,” American Law Institute Continuing Legal Education webinar, May 27, 2020.
- Maryland State Appellate Real Property Cases: May 1, 2016 – April 30, 2017, MSBA Real Property Section Commercial Real Estate Discussion Group, May 11, 2017
Links
Teams
Education
J.D., University of Virginia, 1976
B.A., Johns Hopkins University, 1973
Bar Admissions
Maryland, 1976