Joseph ("Joe") Suntum joined Miller, Miller & Canby in 1988, has been a principal in the firm since 1994 and is currently the firm's Litigation practice leader. Mr. Suntum handles a wide variety of substantive areas of litigation including eminent domain and condemnation, complex business litigation, and appellate advocacy.
Mr. Suntum is a rare trial lawyer who has successfully tried both murder cases and multi-million dollar civil actions. He has also successfully argued numerous appeals before the Maryland courts of appeal.
Quality legal representation requires the trial advocate not only to apply exceptional analytical and trial advocacy skills to the case, but also be able to use the latest courtroom technology and coordinate the many resources of the client, witnesses, and expert consultants into a cohesive and ultimately persuasive team. Mr. Suntum uses all available tools in pursuit of a successful result for his clients as efficiently and economically as the case permits.
In addition to complex business litigation, Mr. Suntum focuses his trial practice on real estate disputes, most particularly eminent domain and condemnation. The trial of condemnation actions requires full knowledge of the substantive issues concerning land valuation, as well as the unique procedural rules applicable to such matters. Mr. Suntum's knowledge in this area permits him to work effectively with experts such as appraisers, land planners, brokers, developers and others to maximize the compensation paid to his clients for property taken by governmental agencies. In 2013, Mr. Suntum was elected as Maryland’s active representative in the Owners’ Counsel of America, a national network of property rights attorneys with demonstrated excellence in this area, focusing upon the representation of landowners in eminent domain litigation. View Representative Cases >>
Before joining Miller, Miller & Canby, Mr. Suntum served as a law clerk to the Honorable Elsbeth Levy Bothe in Circuit Court for Baltimore City, and served as an Assistant Public Defender for Montgomery County for four years where he first earned his reputation as an outstanding trial advocate.