Curtis H. Booth, Partner

Curtis Booth has practiced law since 1996 and is a founding member of the firm. He spent his first 19 years of practice with the Cowdrey Thompson law firm and was a shareholder for 15 years. Curt’s primary practice area is civil litigation with a particular expertise in defending health care providers in professional liability matters. He also maintains a diverse general civil practice which includes personal injury claims, as well as the representation of individuals, non-profits, and small businesses in all types of transactional work. He also prepares wills in connection with estate planning and administers estates. His practice includes real estate matters and he is a shareholder in Eastern Shore Title Company.

Curt was born in Olean, New York. He obtained his undergraduate degree from Bucknell University, cum laude, in 1993. He obtained his J.D. in 1996 from the Washington and Lee University School of Law, magna cum laude. While in law school he was a member of the law review and selected to the Order of the Coif. He obtained an L.L.M. in Taxation from Georgetown University in 2005.

He is a member of the Maryland Bar, the US District Court in Maryland as well as the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. He has successfully defended hundreds of professional liability claims, has tried dozens of complex civil trials to verdict and has successfully handled many matters in the Maryland appellate courts. His reported cases include: Green v. North Arundel Hospital, 366 Md. 597, 785 A.2d 361 (2001); Piselli v. 75th Street Medical, 371 Md. 188, 808 A.2d 508 (2002); Landon v. Zorn, 389 Md. 206, 884 A.2d 142 (2005); Williams v. Peninsula Regional Medical Center, 213 Md. App. 644, 75 A.3d 359; Williams v. Peninsula Regional Medical Center, 440 Md. 573, 103 A.3d 658 (2014); Rosebrock v. Eastern Shore Emergency Physicians, LLC, 221 Md. App. 1, 108 A.3d 423 (2015); University of Maryland Medical System Corporation v. Kerrigan, 456 Md. 393, 174 A.3d 351 (2017).

He was named a Super Lawyers Rising Star from 2009-2011 and a Super Lawyer every year from 2012 to the present. He also maintains a Martindale Hubbell AV (preeminent) rating with his peers. He has been a Fellow of the Maryland Bar Foundation since 2019 and was inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers in 2022. He also was appointed as Chair of the Trial Courts Judicial Nominating Commission for District Sixteen (Caroline, Dorchester and Talbot Counties) from 2020 to 2022.

Curt lives in Easton with his wife Brynja and their two children. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Talbot Paramedic Foundation and was previously the President of Talbot Lacrosse Association for several years. He also previously served on the Board of Governors of the Talbot Country Club and as a Trustee of The Country School. He is active in the St. Marks United Methodist Church. He is an avid sports fan and coached youth lacrosse and basketball for 10 years. He also still participates in the management of the Polled Hereford beef cattle farming operation where he grew up.

Hugh Cropper IV, Partner

Hugh Cropper IV was born in Salisbury, Maryland.  He graduated from Worcester Preparatory School in Berlin, Maryland (1981), the College of William & Mary, (B.A., 1985), and the University of Maryland, School of Law (J.D., with honors, 1988).

Hugh is a founding member of the firm, and previously operated the Ocean City office of Cowdrey Thompson, P.C. for 13 years.  He was formerly an associate, then partner, with Anderson, Coe & King in Baltimore (1988-2002).  His primary practice areas include land use, zoning and property rights, administrative law, as well as general civil litigation.  Hugh also represents a limited number of domestic clients in complex domestic law matters.

Hugh is the former attorney for the Town of Ocean City, Board of Adjustments and Appeals (1990-1991), and the Town of Ocean City, Board of Zoning Appeals (1991-2002).

Hugh is a member of the Board of Directors at the Bank of Ocean City (1996-Present).  He has served as Chairman of the Board since January of 2013.

Hugh was Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Atlantic General Hospital (2017-2018), and a member of the Board of Trustees (2010-2018).  He was the former Chairman of the Recruitment and Retention Committee (2010-2012), and he was the Chairman of the Patient Safety Committee (2012-2018).  Hugh is currently a member of the Atlantic General Hospital Corporation.

Hugh was also the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Lower Shore Land Trust (2017-2023).  He was a member of the Board of Directors (2015-2023).

In 2023, Hugh received the Stephen N. Parker Conservation Legacy Award, in recognition of leadership and significant contributions to private land conservation on the lower Eastern Shore.

In 2020 and 2023, Hugh was named as Best Attorney in Worcester County by Coastal Style Magazine.

In 2022, Hugh was named Alumni of the Year by Worcester Preparatory School.

From 2022-2023, Hugh served as a member of the Board of Trustees at the Buckingham Presbyterian Church in Berlin, Maryland.

Hugh is a member of the Maryland Bar, the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, and the Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.  He is a member of the Worcester County and Maryland State Bar Associations.  He served on the Board of Governors for the Maryland State Bar Association (June 2013-2014).  Hugh was a member of the trial court Judicial Nominating Committee (2017-2024).

Hugh and his wife Jennifer live just outside the Town of Berlin.  Their twins, Myra and Hugh Thomas, attend college at William & Mary and High Point University.  Jennifer is the office manager of the firm’s Ocean City office.  Hugh and his family enjoy spending time outdoors.

Thomas C. Marriner, Partner

Thomas Marriner has been practicing law since 1995 and he is a founding member of the firm.  Tom’s primary practice area is civil litigation, with a focus on defending professional liability matters for individual health care providers and institutions. Additionally, he represents physicians in matters pending before the Maryland Board of Physicians. He also handles personal injury claims.

Tom was born in Salisbury, Maryland. He obtained his undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland in 1991. He obtained his J.D. in 1995 from the University of Baltimore School of Law. After graduating, he was law clerk to the Honorable Daniel M. Long, in the Circuit Court for Somerset County.

He is a member of the Maryland and District of Columbia Bars, as well as the U.S. District Court in Maryland, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court. He has litigated matters throughout the State of Maryland and in Washington, DC. He has successfully defended hundreds of professional liability claims, tried many civil trials to verdict and argued multiple times in the Maryland appellate courts. His reported cases include: Lockshin v. Semsker, 412 Md. 257, 987 A.2d 18 (2010); Kearney v. Berger, 416 Md. 628, 7 A.3d 593 (2010); Marcantonio v. Moen, 406 Md. 395, 959 A.2d 764 (2008). He has been named a Super Lawyer and maintains a Martindale Hubbell AV (preeminent) rating with his peers.

Tom lives in Severna Park with his wife and their four children. He is an avid sports fan and he enjoys outdoor activities with his family.

Lyndsey Jones Ryan, Partner

Lyndsey Jones Ryan joined the law firm in 2016 after completing a clerkship for the Honorable Brett W. Wilson in the Circuit Court for Dorchester County. Lyndsey’s primary practice areas include: municipal and local government, real estate, land use, zoning, and general civil litigation. She is currently the Town Attorney for the towns of Oxford, Trappe, Queenstown, Greensboro, and Federalsburg, and the attorney for the Queen Anne’s County Board of Appeals and the Talbot County Board of Elections. She also has extensive experience representing clients with complex land use matters. She is also the Vice-Chair of the Character Committee for the First Appellate Circuit of Maryland.

Lyndsey was born in Easton, Maryland and graduated from Saints Peter & Paul High School. She obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Policy from Roanoke College, where she also played Division III field hockey and lacrosse. Lyndsey graduated from the University of Baltimore School of Law in 2015. During law school, she was a Staff Editor for the University of Baltimore Journal of Land and Development and a Rule 16 student attorney for the University of Baltimore Community Development Clinic.

Lyndsey was named a Super Lawyers Rising Star from 2021 to the present. She is a member of the Maryland bar and the United States District Court for the District of Maryland. She is also a member of the Talbot County Bar Association, the Maryland State Bar Association, and the Maryland Municipal Attorneys Association.

Lyndsey, her husband, DB, and their two sons live in Easton. In her free time, she enjoys outdoor activities and spending time with her family.

Kristina L. Watkowski, Associate

Kristina headshot

Kristina was admitted to practice law in 2007. She began her legal career clerking for the Honorable Judges Theodore R. Eschenburg and Thomas C. Groton III, in the Circuit Court for Worcester County, Maryland. Her clerkship proved to be an invaluable experience that gave her insight and working knowledge into all manner of cases that come before the Circuit Court including land use, civil and criminal. Kristina went on to work with the Maryland Office of the Public Defender where she ultimately became the Supervising Attorney for the Worcester County office. It was there that she gained extensive experience litigating diverse issues before the Court, representing clients charged with both minor and serious criminal offenses, and developing long-lasting relationships with partner agencies. Kristina has appeared in each of the District and Circuit Courts in Worcester, Wicomico, Somerset, and Dorchester counties.

Kristina was born in Silver Spring, Maryland, and moved to the Eastern Shore in 1998. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Finance from Salisbury University in 2002. Kristina obtained her Juris Doctorate degree in 2007 from the Widener University School of Law in Wilmington, Delaware. During law school, she was an active member of the Environmental Law Society. At graduation, Kristina received a Pro Bono Distinction for her work with the Mid-Atlantic Environmental Law Center.

Kristina lives in Berlin, Maryland with her husband and their son. Her husband, Chris, is a USCG Licensed Charter Boat Captain. The family enjoys spending their time traveling and fishing together.