Byron L. Warnken
Byron L. Warnken, Esq.
Byron L. Warnken, Esq. has been a practicing attorney for more than 30 years. He is the founding member of Warnken, LLC, Attorneys-at-Law. Also a law professor with more than three decades of experience, Warnken’s career has been diverse and filled with accolades.
Warnken’s cases consist of criminal post-verdict matters, appellate litigation, law enforcement representation, and ethics issues. He is also an expert witness in police misconduct cases, other law enforcement and LEOBOR matters, and in criminal post conviction cases.
Appellate Litigation
As an appellate litigator, Professor Byron L. Warnken has been involved in 200 appeals, including six cases in the Supreme Court of the United States. He is routinely in both state and federal courts including the Maryland Court of Appeals, the Maryland Court of Special Appeals, and the Fourth Circuit in Richmond.
Warnken has extensive experience in both criminal and civil appeals. He is the author of How to Choose an Appellate Lawyer, discussing the vast differences between good trial and good appellate counsel. His criminal appeal successes have included numerous overturned convictions and numerous new trials. His civil appeal successes have included sustained judgments, as well reversed judgments. He is brought in by both plaintiff’s counsel, as well as defense counsel. He is often called a lawyer’s lawyer and is known for his expertise in appellate courts.
The appellate and litigation support practices are handled by Warnken and James Nichols, Esq.
Law Enforcement Representation
Professor Warnken formerly taught Issues in Law Enforcement at the University of Baltimore School of Law. He also authored one of the most cited law review articles on LEOBOR in history. Warnken, LLC has represented the Maryland Troopers Association for nearly 15 years. Warnken and the Firm have represented law enforcement officers in more than 30 different local, state, and national agencies. While still extensively advised by Warnken, the law enforcement practice is now run by Rebecca Smith, Esq.
Criminal Representation
The criminal post verdict practice – which now handles cases from trial all the way through parole – is known for its successes. The practice has had over 175 successes in criminal post verdict matters – a simply unheard of number. Inmates throughout Maryland know if you want to get out of jail, you call Warnken.
Awards
In 2008, Byron L. Warnken was named Maryland’s “Top Lawyer” by the Daily Record. Chosen among 35,000 Maryland lawyers, and voted to the top spot by his peers, this award marks the pinnacle of a successful legal career. Less than 10 other Maryland lawyers have ever won this award.
In addition, Warnken has won mentor of the year among 9000 statewide professors and mentor of the year among Baltimore city lawyers. He has gotten the professor of the year award five times from the Black Law Students Association and the professor of the year award from the Women’s Bar Association. He has won the Nancy Moran award for prisoners rights, the Pete Lawer Memorial award for greatest “non-cop” contribution to the nation’s law enforcement community, and the University of Baltimore Spirit of Excellence Award. The remainder of his awards are simply too numerous to list here. The University of Baltimore Consolidated Moot Court is named after Warnken. Over 3000 students and current lawyers have relied on Warnken, over the years, to get a placement with a judge in Maryland. Warnken has appeared in the media – local and national – over 1000 times.
Warnken is very selective about the matters he personally handles. To request representation by Byron L. Warnken, please call 443-921-1100.