Anne Talbot Brennan, a longtime litigator with the Baltimore law firm of Whiteford, Taylor & Preston and a colorectal cancer activist, died Saturday of the disease at her home in Phoenix, Baltimore County. She was 50.
Anne Talbot Hardy was born in Baltimore and raised in Lutherville and Long Green Valley.
After graduating from John Carroll School, she earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Virginia in 1980.
Mrs. Brennan began her career as a litigator at Whiteford, Taylor & Preston after graduating from the University of Baltimore School of Law in 1984.
Mrs. Brennan, who had significant experience in civil litigation cases in Maryland throughout the years, also represented insurers and corporations in insurance regulatory matters, as well as companies in general casualty, personal injury, product liability and property damage claims.
She was known for establishing and maintaining lasting, strong relationships with her clients, including one she was assigned to on her first day at the firm and represented until her death.
Mrs. Brennan had been managing partner from 2002 to 2006 of the firm's Towson office, where she had spent most of her career.
"I was very close to Anne, and I had nothing but the highest accolades for her as a person and an attorney," said Albert J. Mezzanotte Jr., a managing partner of Whiteford, Taylor & Preston.
"She was an amazingly courageous, tenacious and wonderful person. She was a fabulous lawyer, and I was blessed to practice law with her for all these years," he said.
He recalled that Mrs. Brennan had a "great personality" and a "personal charm" that she brought into the courtroom.
"Anne always felt very comfortable in a courtroom setting," he said.
Mrs. Brennan was named a Leadership Law Winner by The Daily Record in 2008 and was ranked among Maryland's "super lawyers" by the newspaper in 2007 and 2008. She was also named one of the state's "top 100 women" by The Daily Record in 2006.
In 2005, Mrs. Brennan was diagnosed with advanced colorectal cancer, and while being treated at the Johns Hopkins Colon Cancer Center, decided to use her advocacy skills and contacts in Baltimore to help others battling cancer.
"She created a platform to promote awareness and raise funds for two organizations dedicated to eradicating this deadly disease - the Johns Hopkins Colon Cancer Center and the Colon Cancer Alliance," said Kristin L. B. Lemmert, the law firm's marketing communications manager.
