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                                                                  Exhibit 10.8.1

                                  AMENDMENT TO
                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

         THIS AMENDATORY AGREEMENT is dated the 29th day of March, 2001, among
Hamilton Bancorp Inc., a Florida corporation, Hamilton Bank, N.A. (the "Bank"),
a national banking association located in Miami, Florida (collectively, the
"Company"), and James J. Gartner (the "Executive").

         WHEREAS the parties entered into an Employment Agreement dated March
13, 2000 ("Agreement") and desire to amend the Agreement.

         ACCORDINGLY, the parties hereby agree as follows:

         1. Section 3 of the Agreement is amended to provide that the Agreement
shall continue through December 31, 2003, unless renewed under Section 3. The
renewal notice in the second paragraph of Section 3 is amended from "30 days" to
"90 days."

         2. The first paragraph of Section 6 is amended to read as follows:

         "If a Change of Control occurs during the term of this Agreement, the
         Executive shall be paid a performance bonus equal to the Executive's
         compensation paid by the Company and its affiliates which was
         includible in the Executive's gross income during the most recent
         taxable year ending before the date of the Change of Control, PROVIDED,
         HOWEVER, if a Change of Control occurs prior to December 31, 2001, the
         Executive shall be paid a performance bonus equal to the Executive's
         annualized calendar year 2000 compensation paid by the Company."

         IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Executive and duly authorized Company officers
have signed this Amendatory Agreement.



EXECUTIVE:                                  COMPANY:

                                            HAMILTON BANCORP INC.


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Jamea J. Gartner                            By:
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                                            Title:


Addresses:


                                            By:
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                                            HAMILTON BANK, N.A.



                                            By:
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                                            Title:
3750 N.W. 87th Avenue
Miami, Florida  33178                       By:
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