Apparently, only two firms submitted proposals - Tucker's firm and Bright's firm. This was essentially what I suggested would happen months ago. Why? Because it was plainly obvious the current board majority wanted to hire Bright and other firms more or less knew preparation of a proposal would be a waste of time.

Bright also represents the Town of Ocean City. Some board members have concerns about a possible conflict on any issues involving Ocean Pines and Ocean City. For example, any issues related to the proposed work on Maryland Route 90 where the two entities may desire different approaches.

This seems more like political squabbling. Bright is an excellent attorney and speculation about possible conflicts of interest is just that -- speculation. Should any conflict arise, any reputable attorney would address those with his client.

What association members should hope is that the Board of Directors will have their counsel attend all regular board meetings, as was always the case until around 2010 when a board president said counsel was not needed at meetings, saying: "The board doesn't need an attorney at meetings. All this legal stuff is just common sense anyway."

OPA may be an HOA but it represents the largest population center in all of Worcester County. Counsel should attend board meetings, just as does counsel for the County and local jurisdictions smaller than OPA.

The law firm of Ayres, Jenkins, Gordy & Almand, P.A. (ajgalaw.com)

Bruce F. Bright

Bruce Bright was born in Washington, D.C., and grew up in Northern Virginia. After graduating from Widener University School of Law (Wilmington, Delaware) with honors, Mr. Bright practiced law briefly in the Midwest, then in Washington, D.C. and Annapolis, Maryland, before moving to the Ocean City area and joining AJGA in 2001.

Mr. Bright focuses his practice in the area of civil litigation, both trial and appellate. He has represented individuals, businesses, and other organizations in both state and federal trial courts and has handled and argued appeals in the Appellate Court of Maryland, the Maryland Supreme Court, and the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. Mr. Bright has been counsel for both plaintiffs and defendants in cases involving a variety of issues and claims, including: civil rights; personal injury (automobile tort, premises liability, product liability, and intentional torts); insurance law; municipal law; business disputes; trade secret matters; construction claims; real estate and other contract claims; community association law (condominiums, homeowners associations, and timeshares); and employment-related disputes. Mr. Bright also handles transactional matters involving sales and acquisitions of businesses and provides legal advisory services to businesses and other organizations.

Mr. Bright's litigation clients have included Perdue Farms, Certain Underwriters at Lloyd's of London, Tanger Outlets, the Cordish Companies, the Ocean City Chamber of Commerce, the Town of Ocean City, and the Town of Snow Hill.

AJGA is general legal counsel/city solicitor for the Town of Ocean City and, in that regard, Mr. Bright has primary responsibility within the Firm for handling litigation filed against Ocean City and its officials and employees, including at the trial and appellate levels (2019-present).

Mr. Bright has been selected for inclusion in Maryland Super Lawyers. Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters publication, selects attorneys using a rigorous, multi-phase process that includes peer nominations, evaluations, and independent research. No more than five percent (5%) of all lawyers in the State of Maryland are selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers. Mr. Bright has been selected in the general litigation and business litigation practice areas. Mr. Bright has also been selected for inclusion in the National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Trial Lawyers in the State of Maryland.

Mr. Bright has previously served on the Board of Directors of the United Way of the Lower Shore, including as President, as a member of the Executive Committee, and as Chairman of the Community Investment Committee. He lives in Ocean City with his wife, Arlette, and their three children.

Bar Admissions

Maryland; United States District Court for the District of Maryland; District of Columbia; Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals; Iowa (inactive); Illinois (inactive).

Education

University of Delaware (B.A., 1988); Widener University at Wilmington, Delaware (J.D., cum laude, 1994). Academic Honors: Phi Delta Phi; Phi Alpha Delta; Moe Levine Trial Advocacy Honor Society.

Reported Cases

Candolfi v. Allterra Group, LLC, 254 Md. App. 221 (2022); Mayor and City Council of Ocean City v. Commr's of Worcester County, 475 Md. 306 (2021); Eline v. Town of Ocean City, 7 F.4th 214 (4th Cir. 2021), cert. denied, 2022 U.S. Lexis 800 (Feb. 22, 2022); Eline v. Town of Ocean City, 452 F. Supp. 3d 270 (2020); Eichenwald v. Rivello, 321 F. Supp. 3d 562 (2018); O'Brien & Gere Engineers, Inc. v. City of Salisbury, 447 Md. 394 (2016); O'Brien & Gere Engineers, Inc. v. City of Salisbury, 22 Md. App. 492 (2015); Pines Plaza Limited Partnership v. Berkley Trace, LLC, 431 Md. 652 (May 21, 2013); Barufaldi v. Ocean City, Maryland Chamber of Commerce, Inc., 206 Md. App. 282 (June 29, 2012); Hill Construction v. Sunrise Beach, LLC, 180 Md. App. 626 (July 2, 2008); International Ground Transp. v. Mayor and City Council of Ocean City, et al., 475 F.3d 214 (4th Cir. 2007); Mayor and City Council of the Town of Ocean City v. Victor Bunting, 168 Md. App. 134 (2006); Dodson v. Dodson, 380 Md. 438, 845 A.2d 1194 (2004); Ocean City Police Dept. v. Marshall, 158 Md. App. 115, 854 A.2d 299 (2003); Downtown Brewing Company, Inc. v. Mayor and City Council of Ocean City, 370 Md. 145, 803 A.2d 545 (2002).

Affiliations

Maryland State Bar Association, American Association for Justice, Worcester County Bar Association.