Cornelius D. Helfrich will be installed as President of the Maryland State Bar Association (MSBA) on June 19, 2004, during the MSBA Annual Meeting in Ocean City, Maryland. A solo lawyer from Harford County, Helfrich will lead this professional, volunteer association of 20,500 lawyers for the next twelve months. The last President from Harford County served in 1900.

Helfrich will be joined by newly elected MSBA officers: President-Elect J. Michael Conroy, Jr., a partner in the Montgomery County law firm Conroy, Ballman & Dameron; Treasurer Edward J. Gilliss, County Attorney for Baltimore County; and Secretary Alison L. Asti, Interim Executive Director of the Maryland Stadium Authority.

An outstanding leader in Maryland’s legal community, Helfrich is known for his legal professionalism and commitment to public service. As bar leader, he will focus on building the public’s confidence in the legal system, improving access to the justice system and helping lawyers render quality service to their clients.

A graduate of the Wharton School of Finance & Commerce at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Maryland School of Law, Helfrich received an LLM from George Washington University's National Law Center. In addition to his law practice, Helfrich also serves as a Standing Equity Master for the Circuit Court for Harford County.

Helfrich is the recipient of the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service's 1989 Pro Bono Award for Outstanding Service and the Solo and Small Firm Section's esteemed David Hjortsberg Award recognizing outstanding civility and professionalism in a solo attorney.