Profile

Alan Betten is member-in-charge of McNees’ Towson, Maryland office. He is a recognized real estate attorney who has deep knowledge in commercial real estate transactions and litigation. He provides counsel to clients throughout Maryland on the full range of legal matters typically engaged in by real property owners, real estate investment trusts, realty advisors, developers, landlords, contractors, real estate brokers, asset managers, property managers, and management agents.

For these clients, Alan handles all corporate matters related to real estate, including financing matters, and drafts and negotiates contracts and leases. He also litigates real estate development and management issues, such as landlord/tenant litigation, mechanic’s lien litigation, zoning matters, bankruptcy matters, and general commercial litigation arising from real estate-related business activities.

Alan has drafted Maryland real estate legislation and testified before state government panels as part of his work as a member of the Maryland State Bar Association’s Real Property Section Legislative Committee. He is also a frequent lecturer on landlord/tenant and real estate-related bankruptcy matters before professional groups.

Before joining McNees, Alan was a partner with Sagal, Filbert, Quasney & Betten, P.A., a Towson-based boutique real estate firm.

He is an active supporter of the Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital in Baltimore, and most recently was the Honorary Co-Chair of the hospital’s Centennial Ball with his wife, Ann Eliasberg Betten.


PUBLICATIONS

  • 1983 — “Review of Bruce A. Murphy, The Brandeis/Frankfurter Connection: The Secret Political Activities of Two Supreme Court Justices,” Univ. of Baltimore Law Review
  • 1981 — “Review of G. Edward White, Tort Law in America: An Intellectual History,” Univ. of Baltimore Law Review
  • 1976 — “Institutional Reform in the Federal Appellate Courts,” Indiana Law Journal

EDUCATION

Brown University, B.A. with Honors

The Johns Hopkins University, M.A.

University of Maryland School of Law, J.D.

MEMBERSHIPS

American Bar Association: Real Property Section

The Bar Association of Baltimore County

Maryland State Bar Association: Real Property Section (Legislative Committee), Labor Law Section

Supreme Court Historical Society

COURT ADMISSIONS

Supreme Court of Maryland

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit

U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland

HONORS/AWARDS

AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell, 2018 – Present

AV Preeminent Rating, Judicial Edition, by Martindale-Hubbell®

Top Rated Lawyers, 2021

Top Rated Lawyers in The DC/Metro area, 2018 and 2019

Top Rated Lawyers in Administrative Law, 2017

Top Rated Lawyers in Maryland, Real Estate Law, 2013 and 2016

Top Rated Lawyers in Maryland, Banking and Finance, 2014 and 2015

Bar Admissions

Maryland

Contact Info

Practice Groups