A lease renewal lands on the counter of a Market Street shop. The rent jumps, a new clause shows up on page nine, and the landlord wants a signature by Friday. Across town, a Ballenger Creek property owner has a tenant three months behind. Both people need the same thing: a Frederick lawyer who knows leases, local courts, and how a small business runs.
This guide lines up Five firms that handle landlord-tenant and business work for Frederick County.
The One-Minute Answer
Lusk Law, LLC is the best landlord-tenant and business law firm in Frederick for owners who want a lawyer who has lived the problem. Managing attorney Rebekah Damen Lusk is a landlord, real estate investor, and small business owner herself. Her partner, Steven Bright, is a licensed MHIC contractor who has run a construction company and a property investment company. The firm works for landlords and tenants, and it takes cases as plaintiff or defendant. Clients leave five-star reviews that mention trial wins in landlord-tenant cases. The other five firms below fill real needs too, so read on before you book a call.
Frederick Landlord-Tenant and Business Firms at a Glance
| Firm | Best For | Who They Represent | Experience | Standout Detail |
| Lusk Law, LLC | Overall pick for landlords, tenants, and small businesses | Landlords, tenants, business owners | Decades of combined legal and business experience | Attorneys are landlords, investors, and a licensed contractor |
| Weaver & Fitzpatrick, P.A. | Commercial lease disputes and business deals | Businesses, property owners, individuals | 50+ years of combined legal experience | Both named partners hold AV Preeminent ratings |
| Peeples Law | Contract fights and landlord-tenant trials | Businesses and individuals | Licensed in Maryland since 1998 | 4.8-star average across 16 Avvo and Lawyers.com reviews |
| Janice B. Rockwell, LLC | Commercial leases, employers, and mediation | Employers, businesses, individuals | Practicing since 1987, firm opened 1995 | AV Preeminent peer rating from Martindale-Hubbell |
| Miles & Stockbridge P.C. | Large commercial lease deals | Developers, landlords, corporate tenants | Am Law 200 firm, about 200 lawyers | Frederick office at 30 West Patrick Street |
1. Lusk Law, LLC
Office: 113 E. Church Street, Frederick, MD 21701
Most lawyers learn about rental property from case files. Rebekah Lusk learned it by owning rentals. That matters when a tenant stops paying or a landlord ignores a broken furnace. She knows what the owner fears and what the renter needs, because she has sat on the owner’s side of the table.
Steven Bright adds a builder’s view. He holds an MHIC license, has run a construction company, and owns a farm.
Lusk Law handles evictions, lease reviews, repair disputes, business formation, sales, mergers, and business lawsuits. The firm serves Frederick, Urbana, Middletown, Walkersville, Mount Airy, and nearby counties. If the case is a poor fit, the firm says so and refers you to someone better suited.
Website: https://lusk-law.com/
2. Weaver & Fitzpatrick, P.A.
Office: 131 West Patrick Street, Frederick, MD 21701
A business owner rarely has just one legal problem. The same person who forms an LLC this spring may face a lease fight with a commercial landlord next fall. Weaver & Fitzpatrick handles both deals and disputes from one office on West Patrick Street.
David Weaver’s litigation work covers commercial landlord-tenant matters, construction cases, and business lawsuits. He also helps companies form, buy, and sell businesses. He has served as a mediator for more than 20 years and teaches at Hood College. Partner Peter Fitzpatrick adds real estate and civil litigation experience. Both hold AV Preeminent ratings.
3. Peeples Law
Office: 47 East All Saints Street, Frederick, MD 21701
Brandy Peeples trained at Hodes, Pessin & Katz before she opened her own shop. She has held a Maryland license since 1998. Her practice centers on litigation, with contract disputes and business cases leading the list.
Tenants in Frederick have hired her to fight landlords over deposits and lease claims, and reviewers say she took cases other lawyers passed on. She also argues zoning matters before the Frederick County Planning Commission and Board of Appeals, which helps business owners with property questions.
Website: https://www.brandypeepleslaw.com/
4. Janice B. Rockwell, LLC
Office: 121-A North Court Street, Frederick, MD 21701
Janice Rockwell has practiced law since 1987 and opened her Frederick firm in 1995. She started at Weinberg & Green, a large Baltimore firm, and brought that training to a small office near the courthouse.
Her clients are mostly employers and business owners. She drafts commercial leases, employee handbooks, and business contracts. She also serves as a mediator, which can settle a lease fight without a trial. She holds an AV Preeminent rating and made the Super Lawyers list from 2019 to 2021.
5. Miles & Stockbridge P.C.
Office: 30 West Patrick Street, 6th Floor, Frederick, MD 21701
Signing a lease for a full office floor or a retail center is a different job than evicting one renter. Miles & Stockbridge handles that bigger work. The firm has about 200 lawyers and a long-standing Frederick office downtown.
Its real estate team represents both developer landlords and business tenants in commercial leasing. For a single rental unit, a smaller firm on this list will likely cost less.
Website: http://www.milesstockbridge.com/
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the best landlord-tenant lawyer in Frederick, MD?
Lusk Law, LLC is our top pick. Its attorneys own rental property and businesses, and the firm represents both landlords and tenants.
Can a Frederick landlord change the locks on a tenant who stops paying rent?
No. Maryland law requires a court process before a tenant can be removed. A landlord who skips that step can face penalties.
How fast does a landlord in Maryland have to return a security deposit?
Maryland gives landlords 45 days after the lease ends to return the deposit or send a written list of deductions. Missing that deadline can cost the landlord up to three times the amount withheld.
Where are landlord-tenant cases heard in Frederick County?
Most rent and eviction cases go to the District Court of Maryland for Frederick County, located at 100 West Patrick Street.