Herbert Belgrad \u2761 will receive the 1999 Benjamin L. Cardin Pro Bono Service Award

Leary, Betty Lynne

English

Digital Commons @ UM Law

HERBERT BELGRAD 1999 Benjamin L. Cardin Pro Bono Service Award BY BETTY LYNNE LEARY When Maryland Gov. Harry Hughes asked Herbert Belgrad '6 1 to chair the fledgling Maryland Sradium Authoriry, he assured him that the job wouldn ' t take much time. That was 1986 and today, Belgrad laughs at the memory of their conversation, recalling that he spenr more than 2,000 hours on the projecr during the first year and never less than 1,000 hours per year for the next nine. "It was a mammoth projecr," he says. "It required lots of hands-on time. But I've been fortunate and successful, and it was a way to return something to the communiry. Everyone has to give back-espe-cially when you have been as fortunate as I have." An enduring and sincere commitment to his communiry characterizes this year's Benjamin L. Cardin Pro Bono Service Award recipienr. Belgrad built the Stadium Authoriry from the ground up, hiring an executive director and staff, and starting the long, often arduous, process of developing a twin stadium complex to house Baltimore's professional baseball and footb all teams. "No one in the world dreamed we would propose a twin stadium complex because at the time we didn't have a football team," Belgrad explains, adding that he derived the most satisfaction from JD MAGAZINE SPRING 1999 12 working with the Orioles. "We started from scratch with them negotiating the terms of a long-term lease. It was a very complicated and lengthy negotiation, but we sorted through the issues that created the design and construction of what we have today. " In spearheading the Stadium Authoriry's efforts, Belgrad called upon years of practice as a ski lled negotiator and a background in labor law. His pro bono activities also include work with the Maryland Legal Services Corp. and the State Ethics Commission. As Chairman of the board of the Legal Services Corp. for three years, Belgrad worked with many providers of legal services, coordinating their efforts and al locating funding. "You have a cross-section of multiple organiza-tions and enrities all providing a small piece of representation for people who are underrepresented," he says. Working behind the scenes to help others is a common thread thar runs through the Baltimore legal communiry, according to Belgrad. "There's a cadre of lawyers I've practiced with who are active in communiry and civic organizations, bar associations and pro bono work," he says. "It's more than an obligation. They enjoy it from a per-sonal poinr of view, and there's a sense of satisfaction in trying to achieve someth ing and succeeding in doing it. " For Belgrad, his personal satisfaction often comes as he walks the streets of Baltimore on game day, watching the fans head for the ballpark or crowd the sidewalk cafes downrown. "My term as Chairman was very visible and velY controversial ," he says, "but I feel the time was worthwhile whenever I see the crowds and see the ciry revitalized. I was a part of rhat. When your rime is complered and rhe job is done, you feel tremendous sarisfacrion knowing your participarion and efforts made ir a bener project. " 

1999 Benjamin L. Cardin Pro Bono Service Award: Herbert Belgrad

NELLCO Consortium Legal Scholarship Repository

https://digitalcommons.law.umaryland.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1357&amp;context=jd

1999 Benjamin L. Cardin Pro Bono Service Award: Herbert Belgrad

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