Meet Our Team
Brandon J. Hoover, Esq.
Attorney-at-Law | Firm Member (Owner)
Brandon J. Hoover is licensed to practice law in Maryland and in West Virginia.
At Costello & Hoover, LLC, Brandon’s practice includes basic estate planning including the preparation of Wills, Testamentary Trusts, Powers of Attorney, Advance Directives and Life Estate Deeds, as well as other areas of general civil practice.
Aside from his time in law school and a few months afterwards, Brandon is a lifelong resident of Grantsville, Maryland. Brandon has been in practice for approximately fourteen years. He is a graduate of Northern Garrett High School. He is a graduate of Frostburg State University, summa cum laude, with a triple-major in law and society, sociology, and political science.
Brandon earned his law degree, with high honors, from the Claude W. Pettit College of Law of Ohio Northern University. After graduating from law school, he clerked with Chief Judge Phil Jordan of West Virginia’s 21st Judicial Circuit. Brandon also authored several articles that were published in academic legal periodicals. His article topics and research interests included First Amendment Freedom of Speech and parties’ rights in matters of paternity.
Prior to forming Costello & Hoover, LLC, Brandon practiced as an Associate Attorney for over ten years in The Law Office of Donald S. Goldbloom in Grantsville, Maryland, where his practice focused on the preparation of Wills, Powers of Attorney, Advance Directives, Estate Planning and other areas of practice. Before that, Brandon served for three years as an Associate Attorney in The Law Office of Hidey, Coyle & Monteleone, a long-time Cumberland, Maryland, law firm, where he focused on matters relating to estate administration, collection, real estate, mineral rights and business matters.
In addition to his law practice, Brandon serves as the Director of Criminal Justice and Legal Studies at Allegany College of Maryland. Brandon is a full-time faculty member holding the rank of Professor. In addition to his role as Director of Criminal Justice and Legal Studies, Brandon also teaches for the Business department and Political Science classes through the Social Science Department.
Brandon is proud to practice law in his hometown of Grantsville and the surrounding area. Serving those in and around the Grantsville area is nothing new for Brandon’s family. Nearly seventy years ago, Brandon’s great grandparents, Blaine and Esther Durst, opened Durst’s Store which later became known as Durst’s Dairy Mart. For over twenty-five years, they and other members of Brandon’s family worked long hours to serve those in and around the Grantsville area. Today, Brandon carries on the family tradition of serving those in the Grantsville area.
Brandon is proud to provide thorough and professional legal services with a personal touch.
Brandon and his wife Amanda are the proud parents of Chloe Grace Hoover.
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 in Allegany County, Maryland. He serves as a city police chief and as a private practitioner of law at Costello & Hoover, LLC, which he and Brandon J. Hoover, Esq., 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, with a focus on family law, estates, drafting, guardianship, estate planning, and small business matters.
Nicholas has a passion for law and sees his involvement in the practice of law as a way to serve others.
Nicholas earned a 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 took the Maryland bar examination in July 2021, passed on the first attempt, and was admitted to the Maryland bar in December 2021.
Nicholas also has a Master of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice from Arizona State University (4.0/maximum program 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 with a focus on guardianship matters, family law, small business, landlord-tenant matters, licensing/administrative law, contested estates, contested litigation, and other areas of civil practice.
He is a member of the Maryland State Bar Association, the Allegany County Bar Association, the Garrett County Bar Association, and the St. Thomas More Society of Maryland, as well as several community and civic groups.
Nicholas has argued before the Appellate Court of Maryland and particularly enjoys legal research, drafting, and courtroom advocacy. 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.
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
• 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 Department, Chief of Police
Community:
• Frostburg Elks Lodge 470, Past Exalted Ruler
• Frostburg Knights of Columbus Council 1442, Grand Knight
• Bishop James E. Walsh Assembly 376, K of C Fourth Degree, Honor Guard
• Divine Mercy Parish, High School Faith Formation Teacher
• Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 90, Second Vice President
• Maryland Chiefs of Police Association, Chaplain
Some Great scenes of Frostburg and other beautiful spots in Maryland.