Monica M. Haley-Pierson created Haley-Pierson Law after 20+ years as a partner at the Prince George’s County Maryland law firm of Knight, Manzi, Nussbaum & LaPlaca, P.A. Her practice focuses on Family Law (Divorce, Alimony, Custody, Child Support), Elder Law and Real Estate matters.
Monica has been practicing law since 1989, the year she was admitted to the Maryland Bar. Over the years, she has closed and settled hundreds of millions of dollars in commercial and residential real estate loans for banks, private joint venture companies, and individuals. She is a licensed title agent with Commonwealth Land Title Company (Maryland). Real Estate was Monica’s first real passion. In the early 1980’s, she was the Real Estate Broker/Manager of Valley Real Estate, a real estate sales firm in Lincoln, Nebraska. Monica was also the Vice-President of HMMI, a Rental Real Estate Management firm, in Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska. In these positions, Monica was responsible for the conversion (including construction management) and out-sales of an 82-unit, 5-story apartment building to condominiums the first such condominium conversion in Lincoln. Monica oversaw the daily management of almost 2,000 other apartments in Lincoln and Omaha, everything from coordinating the firm’s maintenance staff and apartment complex’s rental agents to supply purchasing and accounting duties. During this time, Monica also became a licensed securities dealer with hopes of expanding her sales experience to include real estate partnership interests. When the condominium conversion was completed, Monica relocated to Maryland and resumed her undergraduate studies at the University of Maryland, College Park.
After finishing her junior year at the University, Monica entered the University of Maryland at Baltimore Law School (UMAB) in Baltimore, Maryland, under the Combined Program. This accelerated program allowed Monica to combine her senior year of undergraduate studies with her first year of law school. In 1987, Monica graduated from the University of Maryland, College Park, with a Bachelor of Science Degree in personnel and labor relations. In May 1989, she graduated from UMAB Law School in the top 10% of her class, with honors, earning the Order of the Coif distinction.
Monica first joined Knight, Manzi, Brennan and Ostrom in 1987 as a law clerk. After passing the Maryland Bar, Monica was hired as an Associate Attorney by the firm, then known as Knight, Manzi, Brennan, Shay & Ham, P.A.
While initially primarily practicing only in the area of Real Estate Law and Commercial transactions, Monica eventually took over the firm’s Family Law Practice in 1992. Over the years her domestic practice has expanded to include not only divorce, legal separation, and child support matters, but also to include adoptions, contested custody matters, including inter-state custody disputes, and contested property and alimony disputes. Monica has often been appointed by the Court as a Mediator in property disputes resulting from parties’ separations, and as a Guardian Ad Litem representing the children in a divorce.
Monica’s extensive real estate and business background gives her a unique advantage in marital property disputes, business valuations and alimony analysis, a unique business/family law cross-over. In recent years, Monica has expanded her practice to include the emerging area of Elder Law.
Monica enjoys practicing law. She has found that her personal interests coincide with her law practice; families and small businesses both permit her to utilize her talents in the Courtroom, the boardroom, and, importantly, in behind-the-scenes negotiating.
Monica is a member of the Prince George’s County, Calvert County, Maryland State, and American Bar Associations. She was President of the Calvert County Bar Association and is a member of the Estates & Trusts Committee and Family Law Committee of the Prince George’s County Bar Association. She is licensed to practice in all Maryland counties, but prefers Prince George’s County, Calvert County, Charles County and Anne Arundel County. In addition to being licensed to practice before the Court of Appeals of the State of Maryland, Monica may also practice in the Federal District Court of Maryland and before the Maryland Court of Appeals.
Monica resides in Calvert County and she is active in her local parish, Jesus the Divine Word Catholic Church in Huntingtown, including several years’ involvement on her local parish building committee, as a Lector at Sunday Mass, and with the Pastoral Council. She is also a Member of the Worldwide Who’s Who 2011-2012 and a Nominee of the Finding Justice Project (Maryland)
Bar Admissions
Maryland, 1989
U.S. District Court District of Maryland, 1990
U.S. Court of Appeals 4th Circuit, 1995
Education
University of Maryland School of Law, Baltimore, Maryland
J.D. – 1989
Honors: Order of the Coif
Honors: With Honors
University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
B.S. (Cum Laude) – 1987
Honors: Dean’s List
Major: Personnel and Labor Relations
Representative Cases
Lampton v. LaHood, 94 Md. App461, 617 A.2d 1142 (Ct. Special Appeals 1993)
Green v. Bellrive Condominiums Ltd., 135 Md.App.563,763 A.2d 252 (Ct. Special Appeals 2000)
Proctor v. Proctor, Unreported No. 02322 (Ct. Special Appeals 2005)
Lamack v. Ciuffetelli, Unreported No. 05-1735 (Ct. Special Appeals 2006)
Harford v. Harford, Unreported No. 01591 (Ct. Special Appeals 2007)
