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Searle E. Mitnick, Member

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  • I believe that the most important thing in life is relationships.

    Searle was named to Best Lawyers 2025 for Real Estate Law.

Contact

smitnick@gfrlaw.com
410-576-4107

vCard

For 50 years, Searle has gained a reputation providing legal counsel to real estate and business clients, including commercial real estate developers, residential apartment owners, and borrowers and lenders in loan transactions and workouts. He has formed entities, such as partnerships, limited liability companies (LLCs) and corporations, which own and operate real estate and other businesses, and has handled major leasing transactions representing national and local landlords and tenants in office buildings, and retail and multipurpose centers.

Searle's experience includes handling matters involving bond financing and mortgage insurance and/or subsidies from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and agencies of the State of Maryland. He has completed transactions involving the development and financing of many projects containing thousands of units. He has provided counsel in the creation of numerous condominium developments and ongoing advice regarding the legal issues encountered in their operation.

Searle has represented mortgage companies and banks with regard to acquisition, development and construction financing of real estate; sellers of real property to real estate investment trusts (REITS); and REITS. He has also represented major institutional clients in the sale and acquisition of large mixed-use projects. 

Searle represents property owners and developers on the often-daunting real estate issues involved with the development, construction and operation of solar facilities. He works closely with our Environment & Energy team to address these issues.

Out-of-state lawyers often rely on Searle to help with multistate transactions, which include one or more Maryland properties. He provides local counsel opinions and advice on Maryland legal requirements and customary practices. He also helps navigate the parties through the maze of Maryland transfer and recordation taxes, often resulting in substantial savings.

Searle also serves a number of clients as a trusted family advisor, often in a trustee capacity. He is experienced in dealing with as many as three generations of families and assisting them with the myriad types of issues that frequently arise. Searle confers regularly with outside financial advisors and Gordon Feinblatt’s Trusts & Estate, Business and Tax lawyers in arriving at creative solutions for their planning and administrative needs.

Searle has appeared in court as an expert witness on a number of occasions in cases involving real estate, business and professional liability matters. He has been a frequent presenter for numerous industry and professional seminars, including the American College of Real Estate Lawyers (ACREL), the Real Estate Section of the Maryland State Bar Association (MSBA), the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) Law Conference, and the Maryland Institute for Continuing Professional Education for Lawyers (MICPEL).

Prior to joining Gordon Feinblatt in 2003, Searle was a Partner in the Baltimore law firm of Tydings & Rosenberg LLP. Immediately prior to joining Tydings & Rosenberg, he was a Partner in the firm of Kaplan, Heyman, Greenberg, Engelman, Belgrad, P.A. Before joining Kaplan, Heyman, he served as a Law Clerk to the Hon. Frederick J. Singley, Jr. of the Court of Appeals of Maryland.

 

Honors

Awarded the 2022 Distinguished Real Property Practitioner by the MSBA's Real Property Section

Member and Fellow, American College of Real Estate Lawyers (ACREL)

AV Preeminent™ rating in Martindale-Hubbell®

Named Baltimore "Lawyer of the Year" in Real Estate Law by Best Lawyers in America®, 2023

Named Baltimore "Lawyer of the Year" in Real Estate Law by Best Lawyers in America®, 2021

Named to Best Lawyers in America®for Real Estate Law since 2007

Selected to Maryland Super Lawyers® list for Real Estate 2007-2009 and since 2012

News

Professional and Civic Involvement

Member, American Bar Association, Real Property Section

Member, Maryland State Bar Association (MSBA), Real Property Section Council

Former Member, MSBA Board of Governors

Member, Bar Association of Baltimore City

Past President, Maryland Institute for Continuing Professional Education of Lawyers (MICPEL)

Co-Chair, The Associated Jewish Charities Lawyers’ Committee

Publications and Lectures

Contact

smitnick@gfrlaw.com
410-576-4107

vCard

Links

LinkedIn

Teams

Business
Energy & Environmental
Real Estate

Education

J.D., University of Pennsylvania Law School, 1969
B.S., Loyola College, 1966

Court Admissions

U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
U.S. Supreme Court
U.S. Tax Court

Bar Admissions

Maryland, 1969