Marc Hansen to Retire After 37 Years in County Attorney’s Office, Including 12 as the Montgomery County Attorney; John Markovs Named Acting County Attorney

For Immediate Release: Thursday, January 27, 2022

Marc Hansen, who has served as the Montgomery County Attorney for the past 12 years and has been working in the County Attorney’s Office for 37 years, will retire on Jan. 31. He has been the longest-serving County Attorney since Montgomery County adopted its County Charter in 1968.

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich has named Deputy County Attorney John Markovs as the Acting County Attorney.

Hansen has served in the Office of the County Attorney for almost four decades. He started as an assistant county attorney.

“I have been fortunate to have had the honor of serving as the chief legal officer for the County for the past 12 years and to have been an attorney in Office of the County Attorney for over 37 years,” Hansen said. “Being a lawyer for the County has given me the opportunity to work on many immensely challenging legal issues—many of them cutting edge legal issues. I am convinced that being a lawyer in the County Attorney’s Office has been the best legal job in the County. But what I will treasure most has been the opportunity to work with, and to get to know, so many extraordinarily talented and dedicated public servants—merit employees, appointed officials and elected officials.”

In his position as County Attorney, he oversaw a legal team that provided advice and guidance to county executives, to the County Council and to agencies of the County government. He has encouraged and mentored many attorneys, including those who have gone on to become judges, attorneys serving the Maryland and Federal governments and attorneys who have risen in the ranks in the Office of the County Attorney. On a parttime basis, he teaches Local Government Law at George Washington Law School.

He has provided the County with countless excellent and wise legal opinions in myriad complex areas of the law, including in the areas of tort law, procurement, legislation, constitutional law, tax, bonds, construction law, zoning, development, ethics, public health, employment law, child welfare and environmental law.

“Marc has served in our County Attorney’s Office for more than 37 years and has been our County Attorney for the last 12. He has provided critical legal guidance over the past two years during our COVID response,” said County Executive Elrich.  “Being County Attorney is an extremely difficult job, and I appreciate his hard work, experience and constant availability. I wish him all the best in his retirement.”

In 2014, Hansen received the highest award presented by the International Municipal Lawyers Association—the Charles S. Rhyne Lifetime Achievement in Municipal Law Award. The award is bestowed upon individuals whose public service and achievements in municipal law are recognized as truly outstanding; who have benefitted municipal attorneys locally and nationally; and who have gone significantly above the call of duty.

Markovs has been with the Office of the County Attorney for 15 years. He joined the office in January 2007 and was promoted to Deputy County Attorney in June 2012. He has served as the County’s lead attorney on major litigation cases, real estate development and construction matters. He previously was in private practice for 18 years, including nine years with McMillan Metro, P.C. and six years with Adams, Porter & Radigan, Ltd. He currently also is a parttime adjunct professor at the University of Maryland School of Law, teaching trial advocacy.

# # #

 

Release ID: 22-068
Media Contact: Neil H. Greenberger 240-205-1915
Categories: Executive Office