Representative Matters

Successfully tried a jury trial in the Circuit Court for Harford County involving claims of fraudulent inducement arising from a private stock offering. The jury returned a verdict in favor of his client, finding that the defendant induced the investment through material misrepresentations that a corporation was authorized to issue Series A Preferred Stock when, in fact, its governing documents did not permit the issuance of preferred shares. The jury further pierced the corporate veil, holding the company’s founder, controlling shareholder, and chief executive personally liable for the misconduct. The case presented complex issues of corporate governance, securities-related disclosures, and veil-piercing, culminating in a significant recovery for the client and demonstrating Gus’s ability to effectively present sophisticated business disputes to a jury.
Successfully obtained the dismissal of all claims against his clients, a federal credit union and trustee, in a complex lien-priority and declaratory judgment action pending in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City. After briefing and oral argument, the court granted the motion to dismiss, finding that the plaintiff failed to allege an actual controversy or any actionable conduct by Gus’s clients and that, as a matter of law, the credit union's deed of trust maintained priority over the plaintiff’s competing lien. The court further concluded that the plaintiff had not established that the defendants were necessary parties to the dispute. The case involved sophisticated issues of real estate finance, lien priority, declaratory judgment jurisdiction, and mortgage lending practices.
Successfully represented his clients in a complex commercial arbitration involving claims for breach of contract, fraud, negligent misrepresentation, and related business torts arising from a settlement agreement. Following a multi-day evidentiary hearing before the American Arbitration Association, the arbitrator rejected the vast majority of the claims asserted against Gus's clients, declined to impose personal liability on the company's principals, and limited recovery to specific contractual obligations assumed by the company. The arbitrator further determined that Gus's clients were the substantially prevailing parties under the parties' fee-shifting agreement and awarded attorneys' fees in their favor. The matter required extensive witness examinations, sophisticated contractual analysis, and strategic advocacy, resulting in a highly favorable outcome and significant recovery for his clients.
Argued a high-profile expedited election law matter before the Supreme Court of Maryland and authored all briefs submitted to the Court.
Served as lead trial counsel in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida, representing a national franchisor in a complex franchise dispute. He successfully defended against all claims asserted by a Florida franchisee and obtained a favorable jury verdict on his client's counterclaims. The jury found that the franchisee had breached the Franchise Agreement and awarded liquidated damages in favor of Gus's client. In addition, the court enforced the franchisor's contractual right to recover its litigation expenses, including attorneys' fees and costs, resulting in a complete and significant victory for the client.
Served as a member of the trial and appellate team in Rochkind v. Stevenson, 471 Md. 1 (2020), a landmark Maryland Court of Appeals decision that adopted the Daubert standard for the admissibility of expert testimony in Maryland. The case fundamentally reshaped Maryland evidence law by replacing the longstanding Frye-Reed standard and aligning Maryland with the federal approach to expert witness admissibility.

Constantine "Gus" J. Themelis

Representative Matters

Firm Highlights