Harvard Law School

Saying he wanted to continue his family's legacy of public service, John P. Sarbanes entered the race for Maryland's 3rd Congressional District yesterday, pledging to work for universal health care and delivering sharp jabs against the Bush administration. Sarbanes, 43, is the son of Paul S. Sarbanes, who is retiring as Maryland's longest-serving U.S. senator. John Sarbanes joins a crowded Democratic field seeking the seat now held by Rep. Benjamin L. Cardin, who is running for Senate.

Robert L. Bogomolny took on the role of president of the University of Baltimore on Aug. 1, 2002. A Harvard College and Harvard Law School graduate, Bogomolny came to UB from G.D. Searle & Co., where he served as corporate senior vice president and general counsel from 1987 to 2001. From 1977 to 1987, Bogomolny served as professor of law and dean of the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law at Cleveland State University. Bogomolny has moved aggressively to develop UB's curriculum and programs, developing a joint M.B.A.

WASHINGTON -- John Payton, a lawyer who argued one of the most significant civil rights cases of the last decade before the Supreme Court, has emerged as a leading candidate to head the civil rights division in the Justice Department, according to Clinton administration officials.Mr. Payton, who is currently the corporation counsel for the District of Columbia, represented the city of Richmond in its unsuccessful effort to defend a program that set aside 30 percent of its business for minority contractors.

The University of Maryland law school has chosen Donald G. Gifford, the head of West Virginia's law school, to be its new dean, according to several sources.Mr. Gifford, 39, has been dean of the West Virginia law school since August 1989 and is credited with increasing private contributions and strengthening the school's minority student recruitment program.He would replace Michael Kelly, who resigned last July, after 17 years as dean, to become a vice president of Georgetown University.Mr.

A. Stephen Hut Jr. OCCUPATION Hut is a partner at WilmerHale law firm in Washington, vice chairman of its litigation department and co-chairman of its pro bono and community service committee. IN THE NEWS He has led the legal team of death row inmate Vernon L. Evans Jr., whose appeal generated a ruling last week by Maryland's highest court. The Court of Appeals denied Evans' request for a new trial and sentencing hearing but ordered a halt to executions in the state, ruling unanimously that procedures for putting prisoners to death were never submitted for the public review required by law. CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Hut clerked for a federal appellate judge in New York from 1972 to 1973 before joining Wilmer Cutler and Pickering, a 35-person firm in the nation's capital.

New positionsDevine to head human resources at Harbor Court HotelHarbor Court Hotel announced the selection of Eva M. Devine as director of human resources. She will have responsibility for implementing regulatory and corporate personnel policy and will also sit on the hotel's executive committee. Before joining the luxury hotel, the Sweet Briar College graduate was operations director for the Pride of Baltimore and the former marketing director for Baltimore-based Faidley's Seafood. Berkshire Consulting Group, in Ellicott City, announced Donna T. Rawlings has joined the firm as a senior consulting associate.

Banking and finance Gavlick is trust manager at Farmers & Mechanics Farmers & Mechanics Bank hired Blase Gavlick as manager of the Frederick-based bank's trust department. Formerly a personal trust services regional manager for Allfirst Trust Co. of Pennsylvania, the Frederick resident holds a law degree from Widener University in Wilmington, Del., and an M.B.A. from Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. Aument joins benefits unit of Brooks Financial Group Brooks Financial Group of Timonium hired Michael D. Aument for its corporate benefits division.

The Senate confirmed two Baltimore judges to vacancies on the U.S. District Court for Maryland last night.Judge Catherine C. Blake, a U.S. magistrate, and Baltimore Circuit Judge Andre M. Davis are expected to be sworn in in the next few days, bringing Maryland's federal bench to full strength for the first time in more than two years.Both were nominated by President Clinton in early May."It's a great day for the District Court," said Chief U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz. "It's like signing Cal Ripken and Rafael Palmeiro on the same day."

* Stanley L. Kaufman, 81, a lawyer who specialized in bringing lawsuits on behalf of disgruntled stockholders, died of cancer Saturday in New York. In the 1950s, he successfully represented mutual-fund shareholders in the first case in which the courts required management fees to be substantially reduced as the mutual funds grew. The case set an industry standard. The Harvard Law School graduate was previously an attorney with the Securities and Exchange Commission.70, a Broadway and off-Broadway theater critic for the Newhouse News Service, died on Saturday at New York University Medical Center.

Benjamin R. Civiletti, the longtime managing partner of Baltimore's Venable, Baetjer and Howard law firm, said yesterday that he was relinquishing that role to partner William J. McCarthy.Mr. Civiletti, a U.S. attorney general under President Jimmy Carter, will continue to be chairman of Baltimore's largest law firm, which had 285 attorneys as of last fall.Mr. Civiletti, in a statement, said the change "evolves from the marked expansion of the firm over the past five years, both in practice areas and geographic locations."