Pierce Murphy is a versatile business litigation attorney at Silverman Thomson with deep experience in high-stakes and high-publicity cases, particularly those involving allegations of sophisticated fraud or financial crime.

Mr. Murphy specializes in representing clients facing non-routine legal issues and is known for his ability to learn and adapt to the unique aspects of his clients’ complex businesses, situations, and legal needs. Rejecting the “one-size-fits-all” approach, he is adept at crafting individualized strategies toward a favorable result under each case’s individual facts and circumstances.

Mr. Murphy represents the firm’s clients in the investigation and litigation of frauds and other intellectually demanding areas of law, including civil rights litigation, class actions, and appeals. He has a strong background in commercial finance, real estate, and related business matters, such as commercial bankruptcy, equipment leasing, foreclosures, federal and state receiverships, secured transactions and litigation under the Uniform Commercial Code (“UCC”).

In connection with his commercial finance work, he assisted in editing several of the American Bar Association 50-state surveys of lending law. Mr. Murphy is proven and confident in representing clients in emerging fields like cannabis law, internet harassment and defamation, and start-up businesses of all types, whether in litigation or in transactions and deals. He also represents select clients in personal injury, criminal, and regulatory matters.

A Baltimore native and member of the Maryland bar, Mr. Murphy also is admitted in Virginia and all its federal courts, including notably the Eastern District of Virginia’s “rocket docket” where he has represented several clients involved in the region’s intelligence and defense contracting industries.

Honored as a Maryland Super Lawyer Rising Star for five consecutive years, Mr. Murphy has gained recognition for his persuasive writing and oral advocacy, as well as his fluency in financial investigation.

Mr. Murphy began his career clerking for the Honorable James R. Eyler on the Maryland Court of Special Appeals and since then has participated in appeals nationwide, including with the United States Courts of Appeal for the Second, Fourth and Sixth Circuits, United States District Court and the Maryland Court of Special Appeals, as well as certiori petitions to the Court of Appeals of Maryland and the United States Supreme Court.

Assistant

Tara Haupt
443.909.7501
thaupt@silvermanthompson.com

Education

University of Baltimore School of Law - J.D. - 2011
cum laude
University of Maryland College Park - B.A. - 2007
Journalism and Philosophy
University Honors Citation, University of Maryland College Park - 2007

Practice Areas

Business Litigation
Asset-Based Lending & Commercial Finance, Equipment Lease Financing and Secured Transactions
Bankruptcy, Receivership and Creditors’ Rights
Corporations and Unincorporated Business Entities
Business Transactions

Significant Cases

Most notably, Mr. Murphy and Silverman Thompson obtained a multimillion-dollar fraud judgment against notorious CIA imposter and convicted felon Garrison Courtney, in Capefirst Funding v. Garrison Courtney, et al., Circuit Court for Fairfax County Virginia, and Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc. v. Capefirst Funding LLC et al., United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Courtney was described in the New York Times as "one man [who] conned the Beltway" and the Washington Post as "a 'diabolical' former DEA staffer [who] conned the intelligence community."

Mr. Murphy and his colleagues were not conned by Courtney, and successfully sued him years before he was indicted following a classified investigation by the CIA, FBI, DOJ and other federal investigatory and national security agencies.
Unlike other victims of Courtney's fraud, the Firm’s client recovered 100% of its losses, due to the efforts of Mr. Murphy and his team. Pierce represents other clients confronted with complex cases and substantial risk, including national banks, U.S. Government employees facing allegations of constitutional violations, and private firms and lenders in numerous contested federal, bankruptcy and state court matters nationwide, as well as related appeals.

Peroutka, Jr. v. Kevin Sniffen, et al., Circuit Court for Baltimore County, Maryland. Represented businesses accused of assisting Ponzi scheme by cashing checks and transferring funds. Obtained dismissal and withdrawal at trial of substantial portion of claims and favorable trial verdict on many others.
Currently represents commercial bank in numerous lawsuits, demands, and other matters nationwide related to large commercial loan facility secured by tax lien receivables.
Represented commercial bank as largest creditor in first successfully confirmed Chapter 11, Subchapter V plan of reorganization in history of United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maryland and obtained substantial recovery in same.
Currently represents largest independent inventory finance company in North America in commercial loan disputes throughout Mid-Atlantic region.
Successfully defended sexual assault victim in internet defamation actions in state and federal court.
Represented individual alleged to have stolen hundreds of thousands of dollars of firearms and other valuables and obtained complete defense verdict in civil jury trial.
Served as local class counsel in various class actions against international “household name” corporations.
Routinely represents banks, commercial finance companies and equipment leasing companies in state, federal and bankruptcy court matters.

Honors/Awards/Appointments

Maryland Super Lawyer Rising Star 2019-2021

University of Baltimore School of Law

Best in Competition; Best Brief – 2010 Byron L. Warnken Annual Moot Court Competition
Highest grade (A+) in class, Contracts I (2008); Law and Literature (2011)

Eagle Scout, Boy Scouts of America

Government Service

Judicial Clerk, Hon. James R. Eyler, Maryland Court of Special Appeals, 2011-2012
Law Clerk, Federal Communications Commission, 2010
Law Clerk, Maryland Attorney General, Office of General Assembly Counsel
Law Clerk, Maryland Office of the Public Defender, Appellate Division, 2009-2010
Judicial Intern, Honorable Glenn T. Harrell, Jr., 2009

Community Service

Pro Bono Intern, DLP Piper, 2011

Research Inter, Finding Justice Project, 2010-2011

Publications

Allen v. Dackman: Subsequent Developments and Unanswered Questions Regarding Its Impact and Potential Impact on Limited Liability Principles
Maryland Bar Journal, September 2014

Assistant Editor, American Bar Association’s Commercial Lending Law – A State-by-State Guide

Assistant Editor, American Bar Association's The Law of Guaranties – A Jurisdiction-by-Jurisdiction Guide to U.S. and Canadian Law

Teaching Experience

University of Baltimore School of Law - Professional Roles and Contributions