Professional Experience
Mr. Ceppos is a life-long resident of the Washington, D.C. metropolitan
area. He graduated from Walt Whitman High School, in Bethesda in
1967; and, in 1971 obtained a B.A. with High Honors, from the University
of Maryland, College Park. As a junior at Maryland, Mr. Ceppos was
elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He received his J.D., with honors, from the
National Law Center of George Washington University in 1975 and was
admitted to practice in Maryland, the District of Columbia, in local
federal courts, and the Fourth Circuit.
Following law school, Mr. Ceppos served a one-year judicial clerkship
for the Honorable John F. McAuliffe, who was, at that time, a judge of
the Circuit Court for Montgomery County. In 1976, Mr. Ceppos accepted an
appointment as an Assistant State’s Attorney for Montgomery County,
under then-State’s Attorney Andrew L. Sonner. During his four years in
that office, he was privileged to try a variety of cases in the District
and the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, ranging from minor traffic
offenses to first degree murder. During his service, Mr. Ceppos was
promoted to the position of Senior Assistant/Team Leader for a felony
trial team, and supervised a number of excellent felony prosecutors.
From 1980 to 1982, Mr. Ceppos was associated with the firm of Bulman,
Dunie, Burke & Feld in Bethesda, handling civil trial matters for
plaintiffs and defendants. In 1982, he was appointed to serve as an
Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Maryland by United
States Attorney J. Frederick Motz. While in that office, he
participated in and directed grand jury investigations into complex
federal matters, including public corruption and tax offenses. He tried
a broad assortment of federal felony cases to a conclusion, and briefed
and argued cases on behalf of the United States before the U.S. Court of
Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Mr. Ceppos defended the United States
in federal tort claims cases, including complex medical negligence and
immunization liability cases. In 1985, he simultaneously held the
positions of Deputy Chief of Civil Cases and Deputy Chief of Criminal
Cases, and was charged with supervising other assistants. He was also
designated the lead assistant for the defense of Federal Tort Claim
medical malpractice cases.
Mr. Ceppos left the U.S. Attorney and associated with the firm of
Donahue, Ehrmantraut and Montedonico, Chartered, in Rockville. There,
he focused he practice on the defense of physicians and hospitals in
medical negligence matters. While at Donahue, Ehrmantraut and
Montedonico Mr. Ceppos came to know and deeply respect three superb
litigators--his present partners-- Ken Armstrong, Pat Donohue and Ben
Vaughan. In 1987, Mr. Ceppos left to establish the firm of Armstrong,
Donohue, Ceppos & Vaughan.
In January, 2000, Mr. Ceppos was accepted into the American Board of
Trial Advocates. In October of that same year, he was invited to join
and inducted into the American College of Trial Lawyers. He has served
on a number of bar committees, and will serve as Chairman of the county
bar Judicial Selection Committee in 2005. December 18, 2005 will mark
his 30th year as a Maryland lawyer.
Practice Areas
Professional
Organizations
Phi Beta Kappa
Senior Assistant
States Attorney Montgomery County, Maryland, 1976-1980
Assistant United
States Attorney and Deputy Chief of Civil and Criminal Cases
U.S. Attorneys Office,
Baltimore, Maryland, 1982-1985
Law Clerk to Hon. John
F. McAuliffe, Circuit Court for Montgomery County, 1975- 1976
Fellow: American
College of Trial Lawyers
Education
University of
Maryland, B.A., with high honors, 1971
George Washington
University, J.D., with honors, 1975
Admitted To Practice
District of Columbia
Maryland
