Baltimore City Law Department

Popular Services

What We Do

The Department of Law is a department of the City established by the City Charter. The head of the Department is the City Solicitor, who is appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the City Council. Under the City Charter, the City Solicitor is the legal adviser and representative of the City and its several departments, officers, commissions, boards, and authorities, and has general supervision and direction of the legal business of the City.

In addition to overseeing the Department of Law, the City Solicitor is a member of the Board of Estimates. The Board of Estimates formulates and executes the fiscal policy of the City. The Board holds formal hearings and approves operating and capital budget requests, and is responsible for awarding contracts and supervising all purchasing by the City. The City Solicitor serves on the Board of Estimates with the Mayor, the President of the City Council, the Comptroller, and the Director of the Department of Public Works.

Recent News

From left to right, Assistant Solicitor Derek VanDeWalle, Counsel to the Deputy Attorney General U.S. Department of Justice Bradley Pough, Director and Chief Equity Officer of the Mayor’s Office of Equity and Civil Rights Dana P. Moore, University of Baltimore School of Law Professor José F. Anderson, Baltimore City Solicitor Ebony M. Thompson, President of the Bar Association of Baltimore City Jim Motsay, and Asst. Solicitor Kendrick McLeod pose for a photograph at the Clarence M. Mitchell, Jr. Courthouse on Wed., Feb. 7, 2024. The Mayor’s Office of Equity and Civil Rights in collaboration with the Baltimore City Law Department sponsored the event Equality: Exploration of Baltimore City’s Past and Present Initiatives with guest speakers Moore, Anderson, and Thompson who shared their knowledge of Baltimore City’s racial past and discussed what the government is doing and can do to address lingering racial disparities.