Baltimore County Announces Legal Steps to Support Ongoing Response to Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapse

TOWSON, MD – Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski today announced that the administration plans to partner with experienced and highly-specialized law firms, Grant & Eisenhofer P.A. and Bekman, Marder, Hopper, Malarkey & Perlin, LLC, to proactively pursue and address legal claims against all those responsible for the tragic Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse.

Through this partnership, Baltimore County will aggressively take steps to hold all potentially liable parties responsible and to mitigate the extensive losses that the County, residents, businesses, and other impacted stakeholders experienced due to this devastating catastrophe.

Following the tragic collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26, 2024, Baltimore County has consistently supported those impacted by this crisis and will continue to work with federal, state and local partners as part of a comprehensive and coordinated response to the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse.

A preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) showed that the M/V Dali experienced electrical problems impacting the ship’s power systems multiple times prior to colliding with the Key Bridge and that the vessel has a history of electrical issues.

As the NTSB, Coast Guard, FBI and other organizations continue investigations into this incident, Baltimore County is taking these proactive steps to ensure the County is prepared to address the immediate and long-term harm caused by the collision and collapse.

Grant & Eisenhofer has over 25 years of experience and is a global leader in complex, high-stakes plaintiff advocacy. The firm has recovered billions of dollars in losses suffered by state and local governments in areas including U.S. and international securities litigation, corporate governance, environmental, product liability, antitrust, bankruptcy, and consumer protection litigation, among others.

Bekman Marder Hopper Malarkey & Perlin has significant expertise in admiralty and maritime law. Managing Partner Paul Bekman is recognized as a top lawyer in the field of maritime law in Best Lawyers in America, certified as a Proctor in Admiralty with the Maritime Law Association of the United States, and is a member of the Admiralty Advisory Committee to the United States District Court for the District of Maryland.

This partnership will be considered by the Baltimore County Council during their work session on May 28, 2024 and is expected to be voted on during the Council session scheduled for June 3, 2024.