George Nilson, a well-known local lawyer and former deputy attorney general for Maryland, will be Baltimore?s next city solicitor, his office confirmed Monday.
The appointment will fill one of the key City Cabinet positions being vacated by current City Solicitor Ralph Tyler. Tyler is joining the O?Malley administration as its chief legal counsel.
The city solicitor is the Baltimore?s top public attorney, responsible for managing an office of nearly 80 lawyers and representing the city in both litigation and advising the city counsel on legislation.
The city solicitor also sits on the city?s Board of Estimates.
Nilson, a city resident since 1967, served in the attorney general?s office for nine years from 1973 to 1982. In 1976 he was appointed deputy attorney general.
He currently works as a litigator in the Baltimore office of the international law firm DLA Piper, in the legislative and regulatory division.
Nilson said his main priority as solicitor would be to continue many of Tyler?s policies that he said have improved the effectiveness of the city solicitor?s office.
“I want to continue the growth of professionalism in the office and bring in quality lawyers,” he said.
He said he also will strive to keep key litigation in-house rather than farming it out to other law firms, another policy of Tyler?s that Nilson said has proved effective.
“You can?t keep good lawyers if you give away the most interesting cases,” he said.
A spokesman for Sheila Dixon?s office said the mayor-designee would comment on Nilson?s appointment at a news conference to be held today.
Dixon?s office said Nilson would probably take the reins of the city solicitor?s office on Tuesday.
