Cathy Vitale Opens New Law Practice

After 18 years of practicing law in a shared office space, Cathy Vitale recently moved to her own firm in Glen Burnie. Although located in another zip code, Vitale’s new office headquarters is still painted shades of SPHS Falcon blue and gold.

“We opened the new office on January 1 of this year,” explained Vitale. “While some people spent New Year’s Day recovering, we spent the day unpacking boxes and hanging pictures. Somehow, I still ended the day with a headache.”

Vitale’s easy-going personality and good humor have been a vital component of her general law practice that focuses on family matters, mediation and litigation. For Vitale, dueling career interests at the general assembly in Annapolis and in private law practice have sharpened her understanding of the scope and limits of jurisprudence.

“When you think about it, legislating and lawyering are both advocacy jobs,” she noted. “They require the skills of listening and attentiveness to those you represent. Without those skills you can’t function with the integrity and fidelity required to serve your clients in a meaningful way.”

Vitale’s lifetime dedication to her community is documented through her work as a county councilmember from 2000-2010, and as a delegate representing Severna Park from 2010 to present.

“My idea of being a lawyer is old school,” shared Vitale, a 1982 grad of SPHS. “My loyalty to my clients comes first. It’s not a transactional relationship. It’s a relationship based on shared values like community, friendship and character. And I like to think we have a relationship for life.”

Cathy and her husband, Mark Muckelbauer, are celebrating 25 years of marriage this month. Their son, Mark Jr., is a rising high school senior who’s eyeing various ROTC options for college.

“Finding the right attorney is like finding another member of your family,” Vitale revealed. “It’s like finding the right doctor. You have to be comfortable enough to tell them everything, and know that you won’t agree on everything.”

In her new office, Vitale shares space with Severna Park resident and former Anne Arundel County Assistant State’s Attorney Joseph H. Lamore. Vitale can be contacted at 410-760-3100 or cathy@cathyvitalelaw.com.