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ANNAPOLIS — Another of Gov. Martin O'Malley's top advisers is leaving the State House for the private sector.

Deputy legislative officer Sean R. Malone will become a partner at the firm of Lisa Harris Jones, an up-and-coming Annapolis lobbyist. She has deep ties in Baltimore city and has known O'Malley since his time on the city council. The firm will change its name to Harris Jones & Malone.

Hers is the only African-American female-owned lobbying shop in Annapolis, and she has climbed the list of highest-earning hired guns in recent years. She received more than $300,000 in compensation in the six-month cycle between Nov. 1, 2007 and April 30, 2008: 21st overall, third among women and fourth among African-Americans.

She ranked 40th in 2007 and 55th in 2006, when she earned only about $131,000.

Malone, 42, is a longtime member of O'Malley's inner circle. He ran the governor's re-election campaign for city council in 1995 and has been with him ever since, serving as chief legal counsel to the city police department as Baltimore's labor commissioner during O'Malley's rise to mayor and governor.

"The core group that's been intact for that long is really like a family for me, so leaving now really is bittersweet," he said.

Malone said the decision to leave was to be able to provide for his family; he has two young boys about to enter Catholic school. "I would have loved to stay forever, but I just couldn't afford to," he said.

He earned $122,400 annually, according to state salary records.

Since O'Malley took office in 2007, Malone has worked alongside O'Malley's legislative guru Joseph C. Bryce and was often seen chumming around with lawmakers and lobbying for votes for the governor's bills.

The Rockville High School graduate is the third member of the O'Malley administration to leave in recent months, following intergovernmental affairs director Josh White, who joined Rifkin, Livingston, Levitan & Silver, and communications director Steve Kearney, who started a public affairs firm.

The successive departures have fueled rumors about turmoil within the governor's offices on the second floor of the State House. Malone denied any discord exists.

"The second floor has a wealth in talent and I don't think it's unusual halfway through the first term that some people move on to other things," he said.

Malone said he does not expect any special treatment from his former colleagues after he shifts to lobbying in a few weeks.

Kevin O'Keeffe, an associate at Harris Jones' firm, left recently to start a government relations practice at Meringer, Zois & Quigg LLC. Meringer is a small Baltimore litigation shop that is seeking to develop an Annapolis presence.

Jones has had her firm for more than eight years and counts Penn National Gaming, Associated Builders and Contractors, the Maryland Minority Contractors Association, Verizon and the Maryland Computer Services Association as clients.

She said she hopes Malone, an attorney, will be able to expand the firm's litigation unit.

"He does very well with Republicans and Democrats. He gets along well with everybody, so he's a huge asset," Jones said. "I'm sure that other people would have loved to have him so I'm lucky that he chose to come to my firm."