Meet Our Team
Brandon J. Hoover, Esq.
Attorney-at-Law | Firm Member (Owner)
Brandon J. Hoover is a dedicated attorney licensed to practice law in Maryland and West Virginia. As a firm member at Costello & Hoover, LLC, his practice focuses on estate planning—including Wills, Testamentary Trusts, Powers of Attorney, Advance Directives, and Life Estate Deeds, Estate Administration, as well as general civil matters such as business formation, contracts, and collections.
A near lifelong resident of Grantsville, Maryland, Brandon has been practicing law for nearly fifteen years. He graduated summa cum laude from Frostburg State University with a triple major in Law & Society, Sociology, and Political Science before earning his law degree with high honors from the Claude W. Pettit College of Law at Ohio Northern University. He then served as a law clerk for Chief Judge Phil Jordan of West Virginia’s 21st Judicial Circuit and has authored several legal articles on First Amendment rights and paternity law.
Before co-founding Costello & Hoover, LLC, Brandon practiced law for over a decade at The Law Office of Donald S. Goldbloom in Grantsville, practicing in estate planning and other civil matters. Prior to that, he spent three years as an Associate Attorney at Hidey, Coyle & Monteleone in Cumberland, Maryland, focusing on estate administration, real estate, mineral rights, and business law.
Beyond his legal practice, Brandon is also Director of Criminal Justice and Legal Studies at a local community college, where he serves as a full-time professor teaching courses in Criminal Justice, Business, and Political Science.
Brandon takes great pride in serving his hometown community. His family has been part of Grantsville’s legacy of service for decades—his great-grandparents, Blaine and Esther Durst, ran Durst’s Store (later Durst’s Dairy Mart) for over 25 years, a tradition of dedication that Brandon carries forward in his legal practice today.
With a commitment to providing professional, thorough, and personalized legal services, Brandon is honored to assist clients throughout the local area.
Outside of work, Brandon and his wife, Amanda, love embracing the great outdoors with their daughter, Chloe. Whether traveling to new destinations, exploring scenic trails in West Virginia’s State Parks, or simply soaking in the beauty of nature, they cherish every adventure together.
Admissions:
• Maryland State Courts
• West Virginia State Courts
Memberships:
• Maryland State Bar Association
• Allegany County Bar Association
• Garrett County Bar Association
• West Virginia State Bar
Professional Legal Experience:
• Costello & Hoover, LLC, Founding Member and Attorney
• The Law Office of Donald S. Goldbloom, Associate Attorney
• The Law Office of Hidey, Coyle & Monteleone, Associate Attorney
Nicholas J. Costello, Esq.
Attorney-at-Law | Firm Member (Owner)
Nicholas J. Costello is licensed to practice law in Maryland and in West Virginia.
Nicholas is a lifelong resident of the City of Frostburg, Maryland. He serves as an attorney at Costello & Hoover, LLC, which he co-founded in 2024.
Prior to forming Costello & Hoover, LLC, Nicholas operated a solo law practice in Frostburg, The Law Office of Nicholas J. Costello, LLC. Separately, Nicholas serves as the city police chief and has an extensive background in law enforcement.
Nicholas has a passion for law and sees his involvement in the practice of law as a way to serve others.
Nicholas earned his law degree (juris doctor degree) from Mitchell Hamline School of Law, having graduated summa cum laude. He went to law school and graduated with highest honors while working a full-time, demanding job in police administration. He passed the Maryland bar examination on the first attempt, with a high percentile score, and was admitted to practice law.
Nicholas also has a Master of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice from Arizona State University (with the maximum GPA), a Bachelor of Science Degree in Justice Studies, with a philosophy minor, from Fort Hays State University (summa cum laude), and two Associate Degrees from Allegany College of Maryland (both summa cum laude). He is a graduate of Beall High School, Frostburg.
Nicholas practices law in areas including family law, guardianship matters, licensing/administrative law, small business, landlord-tenant matters, contested litigation, and other areas of civil practice. Nicholas is frequently in court zealously advocating for those he represents.
In his separate, nineteen (19) year law enforcement career, he has served his community as a police officer and later as a police supervisor. For approximately seven (7) years, he served as a police detective in the County Combined Criminal Investigation Unit, where he led investigations ranging from theft and complex embezzlement matters to burglary, robbery, and homicide. He subsequently advanced to serve as a police lieutenant and, later, Chief of Police.
As an attorney, Nicholas has argued before the Appellate Court of Maryland and particularly enjoys legal research, drafting, and courtroom advocacy. He has appeared in state courts in Allegany County, Garrett County, Washington County, Frederick County, and Carroll County as well as before the Maryland Office of Administrative Hearings. He has a thirst for learning, a love for the law, and a love for serving others.
Nicholas lives in Frostburg with his wife, Whitney.
Always active in the community, Nicholas has served as the presiding officer of the Frostburg Elks and of the Frostburg Knights of Columbus. He serves Divine Mercy Parish as a faith formation teacher for high school aged students, has served at the Frostburg Osborne Newman Center campus and young adult ministry, and serves on the parish event planning and safety & security committees.
Admissions:
• Maryland State Courts
• West Virginia State Courts
• Federal District Court, U.S. District of Maryland
• Federal District Court, U.S. Southern District of WV
Memberships:
• Maryland State Bar Association
• Allegany County Bar Association
• Garrett County Bar Association
• St. Thomas More Society of Maryland
Professional Experience:
• Costello & Hoover, LLC, Founding Member and Attorney
• The Law Office of Nicholas J. Costello, Solo Attorney
• City of Frostburg, Police Dept., Police Officer, Detective, Police Chief
Community:
• Frostburg Elks Lodge 470, Past Exalted Ruler
• Frostburg Knights of Columbus Council 1442, Grand Knight
• Bishop Walsh Assembly 376, K of C Fourth Degree, Color Corps
• Divine Mercy Parish, High School Faith Formation Teacher
• Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 90, Second Vice President
• Maryland Chiefs of Police Association, Chaplain
Amanda L. Hoover
Legal Assistant – Grantsville Office, Costello & Hoover, LLC
Amanda L. Hoover brings a dynamic mix of expertise, warmth, and professionalism to her role as a legal assistant at the Grantsville Office of Costello & Hoover, LLC.
A lifelong resident of Garrett County, Maryland, Amanda is passionate about helping others.
Her academic journey is nothing short of impressive—she holds an Associate of Applied Science in Medical Assisting and an Associate of Science in General Studies from Allegany College of Maryland. She later earned a Bachelor’s in Health Sciences from Southern New Hampshire University and a Master’s in Education from Frostburg State University.
Beyond the legal field, Amanda is an Assistant Professor at a local community college, where she shares her expertise in medical administrative assisting, medical coding, and billing, and medical assisting classes. As a certified medical assistant and certified professional coder, she’s no stranger to detail-oriented work and compassionate service.
In 2024, Amanda’s dedication and leadership were recognized when she was named one of Allegany Magazine’s Forty Under Forty. Her ability to connect with clients, coupled with her welcoming smile, makes her an invaluable part of our team.
When she’s not working, Amanda enjoys spending time with her husband, Brandon, and their daughter, Chloe. Whether in the office, the classroom, or the community, Amanda is always ready to make a difference.
Whitney E. Costello
Legal Assistant – Costello & Hoover, LLC
Whitney E. Costello serves as a Legal Assistant at Costello & Hoover, LLC.
Whitney provides a wide variety of assistance to the firm’s attorneys, including client scheduling, document and file management, notarizing documents, invoicing, proofreading, litigation preparation support, mailings, and more.
She holds two Associate of Science degrees (summa cum laude) from Allegany College of Maryland and is well-known for her diligence, strong work ethic, and willingness to help others. She is a retired Correctional Officer from the Allegany County Detention Center where she was recognized as the Correctional Officer of the Year. She handled numerous administrative tasks, such as interstate extradition processing and assisting with state audit preparations.
Always a dedicated community servant and the first to volunteer to help, Whitney is greatly involved in the Frostburg community, including serving as an officer at Frostburg Elks Lodge No. 470. She also serves as a Divine Mercy Parish Faith Formation Program Administrative Assistant and Teaching Aide for all age groups from kindergarten to high school. She is a member of the Ladies Auxiliary/Lady Knights for Knights of Columbus Frostburg Council and Cumberland Council.
She lives in Frostburg with her husband, Nicholas. She has a daughter, Alexis, who is a registered nurse. A lifelong animal lover, Whitney has rescued and adopted numerous dogs and cats over the years and given them wonderful lives. Whitney has a love for serving others and helping those in need.