Miles & Stockbridge is pleased to announce that Thomas E.(Tom) Lynch III, a devoted community advocate in Frederick and a lawyer and principal for 40 years with the law firm, was honored as an Influential Marylander by The Daily Record during a virtual event on June 1. The Influential Marylander award recognizes those who are leaving a mark on the community throughout the state.

Lynch has had a significant impact on the quality of life in Frederick County, through his service on countless nonprofit boards and community organizations for more than three decades. He also is known for efforts to advance professionalism and for his broad knowledge and experience on ethics matters, as the longest serving member of the Maryland State Bar Ethics Committee.

Making a difference in Frederick

Lynch moved to Frederick more than 30 years ago—despite having no prior ties there—to integrate a new Miles & Stockbridge office; he says his decision to move was “driven by the aspiration to be part of a community where I could make a difference.”

A longtime resident of downtown Frederick, Lynch says that he and his wife, Karlys Kline, do their best to serve the community as “a team for good.”

He has served in leadership roles for numerous community organizations, including serving as Board Chair for The Chamber of Commerce, the Frederick County Solid Waste Advisory Committee, the Frederick County Board of Education Ethics Committee, the Community Foundation and the Committee for Frederick County (a consensus building organization he founded).

He also served in board leadership positions with the YMCA, Daybreak Adult Day Care, Inc. and The Frederick Church of the Brethren Learning Center.

He has served on public committees and task forces related to campaign reform laws, juvenile justice, police, transportation, underage drinking and drug prevention, and brownfields, among other issues.

He has been recognized with the Volunteer of the Year award from the Frederick County Office of Economic Development, the Distinguished Community Leader Award from Leadership Frederick County, the Vision of Character Award from the Character Counts Council of Frederick County and the City of Frederick Helping Hands Award, among other honors.

An advocate for legal ethics and professionalism

He has been deeply engaged statewide in advancing ethics and professionalism in the law for decades. Since 1990, he has served on the Maryland State Bar Ethics Committee. In 2003, he was selected by the Maryland Court of Appeals to participate on a committee, which rewrote the Maryland Rules of Professional Conduct.

He also served for a number of years as vice chair of the Maryland Professionalism Center, a board appointed by the Maryland Court of Appeals. He is past president of the Bar Association of Frederick County and his colleagues have acknowledged his contributions to the law and the community by honoring him with the W. Jerome Offutt Award and the Gordon M. Cooley Award. He was voted “Best Attorney” by Frederick News-Post readers in 2019.

Current community involvement

In 2019, he was elected as president of the Maryland Bar Foundation and as vice chair of Frederick Community College’s board of trustees. He also currently serves on the County Executive’s Business and Industry Cabinet.

About Miles & Stockbridge

Miles & Stockbridge is a leading law firm with seven offices in the mid-Atlantic region. Its lawyers help global, national, local and emerging business clients preserve and create value by helping them solve their most challenging problems.

The Frederick firm of Rosenstock, Burgee & Welty merged with Miles & Stockbridge in 1987. With that merger, Miles & Stockbridge became a successor to a combination of various law practices with roots in the Frederick community since the 1920s.