At the close of World War I, twenty-six-year-old First Lieutenant Lansdale Sasscer returned home to Prince George’s County and started a law firm. Despite the interruption caused by the war, Sasscer quickly established a thriving local practice. His docket was full, and his clients appreciated his counsel on a wide array of issues. As Sasscer’s reputation grew, so did his service to the community. He was elected to the Maryland State Senate in 1922 and served in the United States House of Representatives from 1939 until 1953.

In 2020, the law firm founded by that returning Lieutenant—Sasscer, Clagett and Bucher—will celebrate its 100th year of practice in Prince George’s County. The firm’s practice areas and attorneys have changed over time, but a community focus and commitment to providing outstanding service to its clients have remained as the firm’s core values.

Following Sasscer’s death in 1964, the firm’s practice focused primarily on defending individuals and businesses in civil litigation. These cases ran the gamut from vehicular torts to complex business disputes and defending doctors and hospitals in medical malpractice claims.

While these cases remain a key part of SCB’s business, as a twenty-first century law firm, SCB has modified its mix of clientele and returned to Sasscer’s view of the firm as one providing service across many practice areas. To that end, SCB has diversified and broadened its practice to include plaintiffs’ personal injury litigation, defending legal malpractice claims, family law, and criminal defense. SCB’s partners are skilled and experienced litigators, who are as comfortable in front of a jury as they are negotiating structured settlements. Although both SCB and the county have changed from 1920, clients still desire a lawyer with intimate knowledge of the local legal community, the ability to take on complex issues, and the willingness to work hard to achieve the best result. And while the firm remains active in Prince George’s County and Southern Maryland, its practice has expanded to the federal courts and throughout the state.
Throughout its history, SCB has maintained a remarkable array of legal talent. Former members of the firm include five Fellows of the prestigious American College of Trial Lawyers and two Presidents of the Maryland State Bar Association. Court of Appeals Judge J. Dudley Digges, Court of Special Appeals Judges Jerrold V. (Jerry) Powers and James P. (Jim) Salmon, and Charles County Circuit Court Judge Patrick J. Devine are among the firm’s alumni.

Presently, no Sasscer, Clagett or Bucher works at the firm. But the firm, led by partners Phil Zuber, Tom McManus, Mark Foley, Sheila Fleshman, Frank Jones, and Michael Adams, maintains the same excellence and client-centered focus instilled by Congressman Sasscer a century earlier.

If you would like to speak with a member of the firm, or have any question about our practice, please contact our offices to arrange a consultation. Call 301-627-5500.