Leadership Changes

April 2, 2004

Ober|Kaler ANNOUNCES LEADERSHIP CHANGES

John Baldwin stepping down as chairman and chief executive officer.

John Wolf elected to succeed him.

BALTIMORE, MD, April 2, 2004 - Baltimore-based law firm Ober|Kaler announced today that John C. Baldwin is stepping down as its chairman and chief executive officer to return to practicing law full-time at the firm he joined 31 years ago. John A. Wolf, who has served as the firm's president and managing director since 1999, will succeed Baldwin within the 101-year-old firm. In addition, S. Craig Holden will assume the role of president and chief operating officer.

"John Wolf is an extremely capable, talented, energetic and creative lawyer and leader," said Baldwin. "He is the right choice to carry forward the firm's century-old legacy of honor and integrity."

Baldwin added, "When I became chairman in the late 1980s, the prognosis for mid-sized law firms across the country was grim. But we were confident in our business plan and quietly and diligently went about our work, narrowing the firm's focus to those areas in which we had demonstrated genuine skill and success. We also actively planned for our firm's future and the transition of our leadership. Today we are realizing the benefits of our foresight."

"Ober|Kaler now has more than 278 professionals and staff, and offices in Maryland, Washington, DC and Virginia. Clients across the country and around the world hire the firm for our outstanding skills in litigation, knowledge of regulatory and transactional issues, and the depth of our resources in other key areas of the law."

John A. Wolf
Wolf joined Ober|Kaler in 1972. He is a trial lawyer with more than three decades of experience in construction contract negotiation, litigation, arbitration and alternative dispute resolution matters.

His practice involves power, industrial, public works and commercial projects in many jurisdictions, domestically and internationally. He is a fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers, and an arbitrator and mediator in alternative dispute resolution proceedings.

Wolf currently serves as a member of the Washington and Lee University Board of Trustees, has served in various alumni roles for the University and its School of Law, and has received the University's Distinguished Alumnus Award. He earned his bachelor's degree from Washington & Lee, where he also graduated cum laude from its School of Law.

He also is a member of the Board of the Maryland Mentoring Partnership and a past member of The Bryn Mawr School Board of Trustees in Baltimore.

S. Craig Holden
Holden joined the firm in 1987. He is a principal in the firm's health law department, representing clients in all areas of the health care industry, with particular emphasis on advising clients on Medicare and other third-party reimbursement issues, and Medicare and Medicaid fraud and abuse issues. He is a frequent lecturer and author on these issues as well.

He is a former trial attorney with the Inspector General Division, Office of the General Counsel, Department of Health and Human Services.

He graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor's degree from The Catholic University of America and graduated with high honors from The George Washington University School of Law.

Ober|Kaler
Ober|Kaler is a national law firm providing integrated regulatory, transactional, and litigation services to financial, health care, construction and other business organizations. The firm has offices in Baltimore, Washington, DC, and Falls Church. Ober|Kaler counts among its alumni two Maryland governors, including current Governor Robert Ehrlich. The first alumnus to be elected Governor was Albert Ritchie, who was one of the firm's founders, and who served four terms in the statehouse from 1920 through 1935.