The attorneys of Severn, O’Connor & Kresslein, P.A. are a well-trained group of individuals who are dedicated to serving the needs of the firm's clients.

We have carefully assembled a group of lawyers and staff who are sensitive to the needs and concerns of the firm's clients and the community.

For more information about a member of our staff, please click on a name for a detailed biography.

David A. Severn

Severn, O'Connor & Kresslein, P.A.
50 Carroll Creek Way, Suite 340
Frederick, Maryland 21701
Phone: 301-682-9840
Fax: 301-682-9225
dsevern@fredericklaw.com 

David A. Severn is a Principal of Severn, O’Connor & Kresslein, P.A. and has been a member of the Maryland Bar practicing law in Frederick since 1980. David is an A-V rated attorney concentrating his practice in land use, development and real estate. He represents clients in all aspects of the zoning and land use process appearing regularly before planning commissions, boards of appeal and legislative bodies of Frederick County, Washington County and their municipalities. He has served as lead counsel in numerous large and complex development projects including "Carroll Creek Park" a mixed use, public-private partnership re-development project in historic downtown Frederick modeled on River Walk in San Antonio and "Frederick Crossing", the first large mixed use commercial retail/employment center in Frederick County. David also works for the public sector in serving as legal counsel to the Town of Walkersville, the City of Brunswick, Frederick County and Washington County Public Schools for real estate and land use matters.

David represents and advises property owners, businesses, banks, and brokers in a wide range of real estate matters including contracts, leasing, easements and rights of way, condominiums, commercial lending, business entity formation and structuring. He has extensive experience in real estate settlements, title examinations, resolution of title defects and title insurance, having conducted numerous commercial and residential real estate settlements.

Practice Areas

• Zoning and Land Development
• Real Estate
• Commercial Transactions
• Municipal Law

Bar Admissions

• Maryland Court of Appeals
• United States District Court

Affiliations, Associations and Achievements

• A-V Rating Martindale Hubbell
• Member of the Real Property Section of the Maryland Bar Association; Co-Chair of the Education Committee
• Recognized as the best Zoning/Land Use and best Real Estate Attorney in a poll of Frederick County attorneys published in Frederick Magazine
• Co-writer of the City of Cumberland, Maryland Zoning Ordinance
• Served on committees charged with re-writing the Frederick County Zoning Ordinance and the Frederick City Land Management Code 
• Guest speaker on zoning and land use law for the Maryland Chapter of the American Planning Association/Maryland Association of Zoning Officials, the Maryland Citizen Planners' Association, the Maryland Municipal League and the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties
• Former instructor at Frederick Community College for real estate agents and brokers continuing education and licensing courses on contract, agency, ethics and zoning law 
• Former attorney for the Frederick County Association of Realtors
• Member and Past Director, Land Use Council, Frederick County Builders Association
• Maryland State Bar Association
• Frederick County Bar Association
• American Bar Association

Community Involvement

• Member, Board of Trustees, Maryland School for the Deaf
• Past Chair of the Jefferson School Advisory Board (Sheppard Pratt Health Systems)
• Past President of the Mental Health Management Agency of Frederick
• Graduate of Leadership Frederick County

Education

• University of Baltimore School of Law, J.D. 1980
• Western Maryland College (now McDaniel College) B.A., 1977, Cum Laude