Orphaned at 13, he moved in with an older married sister in Cherry Hill and attended Baltimore City public schools.
His first major job was as a caseworker, with the Baltimore City Department of Juvenile Services from 1965 to 1970.
In 1975 he left the prosecutor's office to start a law firm with Ronald Owens.
He left that firm to become an Assistant Public Defender in Baltimore City from 1979 to 1985.
During that time he was a member of the Juvenile and Family Law Committee, the Conference of Circuit Judges, 1987, the Board of Directors, Judicial Institute of Maryland, 1988–89 and a Member of the Criminal Law and Procedure Committee, Maryland Judicial Conference, 1997-2000.