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Past President
Profile of a past MSBA President.
Attorneys sharing their experience of moving between legal sectors or advancing into leadership positions.
A BALTIMORE NATIVE, Judge Scurti received his J.D. from the University of Baltimore School of Law and was admitted to the Maryland Bar in 1991. He spent over a decade in solo and small firm practice before joining Pessin Katz Law, P.A., in 2007. There, Judge Scurti focused his practice on family law, LGBTQ legal issues, mediation, corporate startups, estate planning, and bankruptcy before then-Governor Martin O’Malley appointed him to the bench in 2013. He has been the recipient of numerous awards in the legal community including the prestigious Distinguished Community Service Award, GAYLAW, 2003, Maryland Leadership in Law Award, Daily Record, 2006, Top 100 Civil and Human Rights Award, Legal Aid Bureau of Maryland, 2011, Pro Bono Service Award, Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service, 2017.
The MSBA recently asked Judge Scurti to share his experiences as a past president during the COVID-19 pandemic and the challenges he faced. Read his story below.
Describe the primary issue you tackled during your year as MSBA President.
One of the major issues facing me at the start of my presidential bar year was how to implement a strategic initiative to provide diverse representation within the MSBA's sections and committees that included a wider geographic reach, type of practice, type of firm, age, gender, and ethnicity. As a member of the MSBA, I saw barriers to many sections and committees. You had to know someone to get appointed or involved, preventing many attorneys from active engagement. In addition, meetings were primarily held in Baltimore City or Columbia, thereby excluding members from more distant parts of the state.
Then the pandemic hit. I had to throw out my entire plan for the year and pivot with a new reality. But the pandemic helped facilitate wider participation as members had a place to meet, interact, chat, laugh, and connect on Zoom, Teams, or Skype, incorporating more voices and participation across the state. This was important to me because, as I served on the Board of Governors for several
years, members had discussed their frustration in trying to break the invisible barrier to get involved.
What were some of the challenges and highlights from your year as President?
We were struck by a pandemic. My whole agenda of in-person meetings, conferences, and trips was turned upside down, and I had to regroup and rethink my year in a new light. I was worried about how we were going to reach our members, keep things moving along, and stay relevant. We took the lead with the Governor's office to get assurance that attorneys would be prioritized when it came to the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine. We held regular meetings with the partners of the major law firms, deans of the Maryland law schools, and Chiefs of the United States District Court, the Supreme Court of Maryland, and the District Court of Maryland to discuss what was happening and learn best practices to keep everyone safe and have access to the courts and keep justice moving.
How has being part of the MSBA helped you in your career? I became a member of the MSBA when I was admitted to the MD Bar in 1991. I could not wait to become a member and get involved.
What’s your favorite hobby?
I truly love to travel and cook. Growing up, I used to join my grandfather at the Sons of Italy hall in Little Italy, where we would make gravy (sauce), gnocchi, ravioli, tortellini, and other Italian delicacies. Seeing people enjoy your culinary creation over a glass of wine is the ultimate satisfaction. Knowing that we were not able to meet in restaurants around the state during the pandemic, I created Cooking Connections, whereby I invited celebrity chefs from around the state to give us cooking classes that were broadcast via YouTube. I would cook from my kitchen while the chef was in their professional kitchen.
What cause or charity are you passionate about?
Pro Bono legal services. Pro Bono legal services, Pro Bono legal services. Being an out gay man growing up in the 1980s during the AIDS epidemic, I saw friends and friends of friends dying daily of this disease. I vowed that when I became an attorney, I would do whatever I could to help the HIV positive community and the greater LGBTQ+ community as a whole. In my early days, I drafted wills and other estate documents at H.E.R.O. (Health Education Resource Organization) in Baltimore City, usually for people on their deathbeds. Despite the despair, my pro bono clients were comforted in knowing their posses sions would be distributed to their partner and other loved ones upon their passing. This led to me and a number of law students, judges, and attorneys creating Free State Legal Project—the first ever free legal clinic for the LGBTQ+ community serving the state. I watched it grow into a successful program serving thousands of clients and protecting their rights throughout the state.
From there, I moved on to serve as President of the Pro Bono Resource Center of MD, and served on the Board of Maryland Legal Services Corp. When I practiced law, I took cases from the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service and the Legal Services to the Elderly program of the Bar Association of Baltimore City.
What’s your favorite restaurant?
Given my passion for food, this is a very tough question. As a judge, I ethically cannot give out my ultimate favorite to avoid any appearance of endorsement, so I will leave it at that. Perhaps you will have to join me sometime for a meal and see for yourself!
What’s your favorite vacation spot?
My favorite vacation spot will be turning into my future home upon retirement, that being Palm Springs, CA.
I vowed that when I became an attorney, I would do whatever I could to help the HIV positive community and the greater LGBTQ+ community as a whole. “
