MANDEE HEINL

Saul Ewing LLP

Mandee Heinl is an attorney at Saul Ewing LLP whose work centers on land use and zoning, entitlement strategy and property transactions.

Before joining Saul Ewing, Heinl served at the county, state and federal levels of government. She served as chief of staff to the chair of the Baltimore County Council during the 2016 Comprehensive Zoning Map Process, as chief of staff to Sen. Shelly Hettleman in the Maryland House of Delegates, and most recently as regional director for U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, where she coordinated with local governments and economic development agencies across Central Maryland.

Her government experience supports her ability to help clients navigate both the technical and political aspects of land use approvals. She advises developers, owners and institutions on complex development approvals, zoning map and text amendments, conditional uses, variances and Payment in Lieu of Taxes agreements, among other local and state approvals. Her focus is concentrated in Howard and Anne Arundel counties.

Law was a second career for Heinl, a path she pursued after her years in public service deepened her interest in the legal frameworks that guide decisions and the role lawyers play in navigating complex systems. She attended law school full time while working full time for the United States Senate, serving on law review and raising two young children — all during the coronavirus pandemic.

Outside her office, Heinl works to connect with people interested in the legal profession, particularly those who might not see themselves reflected in the traditional path to law. Because law was a second career for her, she often reaches out to students and early career professionals who might be unsure how their experiences fit into the profession. She encourages them to recognize the value of diverse backgrounds and to understand that a legal education can be applied across public service, policy and community development.

“Being recognized as part of the Generation J.D. class is incredibly meaningful because it reflects not only the work I have done so far, but also the responsibility to continue growing, mentoring others, and using my skills to create positive and lasting impact,” Heinl said.

In her personal time, Heinl gardens and grows vegetables with her family. Her children, she notes, are much more enthusiastic about the harvest than the weeding.