Two of the legal minds behind one of the largest civil court settlements in Maryland's history are leaving their chief partner, Stephen L. Snyder, and opening the doors on their own law firm in Lutherville today.
Arnold M. Weiner, who made a name for himself defending prominent white-collar criminals in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and Robert Weltchek, who has won some of the largest medical malpractice verdicts in state history, plan to take on top business consultants in much the same way they helped Snyder take on accounting firm Ernst & Young in a precedent-setting case that netted a $185 million settlement in 1999. Weiner joined the firm about four years ago and Weltchek about three years earlier.
The move breaks up part of a relatively small but ambitious legal team that has won numerous multimillion-dollar verdicts and is renowned for its skill in captivating juries in malpractice cases. But the partners say the split was amicable and not based on any falling out at the firm of Snyder, Weiner, Weltchek and Vogelstein.
"They're two quality lawyers, and I wish them the best," Snyder said. "I know they'll do fine and so will I. I hold [them] in very high esteem."
Despite their age difference - Weiner is 67 and Weltchek is 46 - the partners in Weiner & Weltchek say they share a common vision and wanted a chance to capitalize on their unique working relationship.
"We work together almost like a team of bridge players who have been playing bridge together for many years," Weiner said. "We understand and anticipate each other's moves."
Money and quality of life issues may also have played a role in the decision, say colleagues interviewed yesterday. By all accounts, working for Snyder's firm was very rewarding financially for Weiner and Weltchek. The Ernst & Young case alone brought the firm more than $70 million in fees, and Weiner and Weltchek are credited with doing much of the heavy lifting in the case.
With financial worries out of the way, the two are free to focus on cases that provide new intellectual challenges, while also freeing up more time for family. Both Weiner and Weltchek are known for keeping long hours when preparing for trial.
"They're all in an economic position where they can take some quality time to smell the roses," said William H. Murphy Jr., a top criminal defense lawyer and former judge, who says Weiner served as a mentor early in his career. "The second thing is, they've all been so successful that they can pick and choose their cases so they can see how they want to practice law for the next five or six years."
