Bio

My law practice focuses on estate planning, trust and estate administration, probate, and related legal matters.

I am licensed in the Commonwealth of Virginia, the State of Maryland, and the District of Columbia, providing continuity of legal services throughout the region.  I am also admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court and the U.S. Tax Court.

I have been honored by my peers for my legal ability and adherence to ethical standards with an AV rating by Martindale-Hubbell.  My significant publicly reported cases are Burwell v. Burwell, 700 A.2d 219, D.C., 1997 and YIVO Institute for Jewish Research v. Zaleski, 156 Md. App. 527, 2004.

I received my J.D. from Catholic University of America and my B.S. from Georgia State University.  Prior to that I was a journalist and a Congressional staffer.  As a journalist, I worked for CNN when it went on the air, moved to local TV news, and then The Atlanta Constitution.

As a Congressional staffer, I served as press secretary for U.S. Representative Michael A. Andrews, a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, and U.S. Senator Wyche Fowler Jr.; and U.S. Senator John Heinz, Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Aging. I also served as Deputy Director of the Congressional Sunbelt Caucus and the Sunbelt Institute.

Professional Associations

• American Bar Association
• Virginia, Maryland, and District of Columbia Bar Associations
• National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys
• Virginia Women Attorneys Association

Professional Activities

• Moderator, DC Bar Association’s Practice 360 program, 2015 and 2016
• Speaker, DC Bar Association’s Small Firm Lunch and Learn Series, “A Day in the Life of an Estate Planning Lawyer” 2014, 2016, and 2017
• Speaker, “Marketing Through Client Service” Northern Virginia Pro Bono Law Center CLE, “Simple Estate Planning” to train lawyer volunteers to assist low income seniors and people with disabilities with estate planning, 2011, 2013, and 2017
• Member, District of Columbia Bar Association, Practice Management Service Committee, 2010 to 2016
• Chair, Fairfax Bar Association’s Wills, Trusts, and Estates Section, 2008, and Co-Chair, 2005 to 2007
• American Bar Association’s GP|Solo and Small Firm Division’s National Solo and Small Firm
  Conference; Co-Chair, 2007 and 2008, and Chair, 2009
• Presenter, Fairfax Bar Association CLE, “Probate 101 for the Non-Probate Practitioner” 2006
• Panelist, American Bar Association’s Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C., 2002

Professional Recognition

• Door Opener Society member, Community Foundation for Northern Virginia, 2021
• Fellow, Class of 2020, Virginia Law Foundation
• Leader in the Law, Virginia Lawyers Weekly, 2019
• Recognition from Supervisor Dan Storck, Fairfax Board of Supervisors, after Fairfax County Public Library adopted my request to permit children to “read off” library fines, 2019
• Recognition by Delegate Paul Krizek for suggested legislation HB1559, synchronize renewal period for special identification cards, including Senior IDs, with drivers licenses and extend renewal period to five years, 2017
• Recognition by Delegate Scott A. Surovell for proposing legislation after client had difficulties
  handling matters after her real estate broker spouse was killed in an auto accident, HB1973 – Clarifying Control of Real Estate Brokerages, 2013
• Fairfax Bar Association, Pro Bono Attorney of the Year, 2012
• American Bar Association GP|Solo, Chairman’s Award, for leadership of the National Solo and Small Firm Conference, August 2008
• American Bar Association GP|Solo, Chairman’s Star of the Quarter, 2007
• Fairfax Bar Association, President’s Award, 2006

Community Activities
Children/Education

• Founder, Our Children Fund, for foster children in Fairfax County, Community Foundation
  of Northern Virginia, 2016
• Foster parent, Fairfax County, 1987 to 1995
• Founder, Fairfax County Foster Parent Association, 1989
• Member, Development Committee, Burgundy Farm Country Day School

Community

• Board member, Mount Vernon at Home, 2020 to present
• Member, Gala Fundraising Committee, Community Foundation of Northern Virginia, 2019
• Chair, C & O Canal Association, Legal Advisory Committee, 2018 to 2019
• Board Member and Committee Chair, Senior Services of Alexandria, 2014 – 2020
• Volunteer, Northern Virginia Pro Bono Law Center, Wills on Wheels program, estate planning for low income seniors and people with disabilities, 2011 to present
• Volunteer Lawyer, ABA Military Pro Bono Project and Operation Stand-By, 2010 to present
• Speaker or Moderator, annual Senior Citizens Law Day sponsored by Alexandria Bar Association and Senior Services of Alexandria, 2010 to 2017
• Graduate, Leadership Alexandria Class of 2007
• Co-Chair, Alexandria TRIAD, established by the Alexandria Sheriff to protect elderly citizens
• Secretary and Member, Board of Directors of the Ivy Hill Cemetery Historical Preservation Society, 2008 to 2010
• Campagna Center, Planned Giving Advisory Council
• Member, Board of Directors, United Community (formerly United Community Ministries)
• Founding Board Member and Officer, Friends of UCM
• Numerous community speaking engagements

Speaking Engagements

2017

• Speaker, DC Bar Association’s Small Firm Lunch and Learn Series, “A Day in the Life of an Estate Planning Lawyer”
• Speaker, Northern Virginia Pro Bono Law Center CLE, “Simple Estate Planning” to train lawyer volunteers to assist low income seniors and people with disabilities with estate planning

2016

• Moderator, DC Bar Association’s Practice 360 program
• Speaker, DC Bar Association’s Small Firm Lunch and Learn Series, “A Day in the Life of an Estate Planning Lawyer”

2015

• Moderator, DC Bar Association’s Practice 360 program
• ABA Brown Bag Series, How to Capture and Keep Clients, Second Edition: Marketing Strategies for Lawyers, Section Author and Webinar Speaker
• Alexandria Bar Association and Senior Services of Alexandria, “Senior Law Day”
• DC Bar, Practice 360: A Day for Lawyers and Law Firms, “Social Media Ethics 4 Lawyers: Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda?,” Moderator
• GW Community School, presentation to senior class: “So You’re 18″

2014

• Speaker, DC Bar Association’s Small Firm Lunch and Learn Series, “A Day in the Life of an Estate Planning Lawyer”
• Alexandria Bar Association and Senior Services of Alexandria, “Senior Law Day”
• DC Bar CLE, “Fee Agreements in the District of Columbia”
• GW Community School, presentation to senior class: “So You’re 18″
• Small Firm Lunch and Learn Series, DC Bar, “A Day in the Life of an Estate Planning Lawyer: What to Really Expect in Your Estate Planning Law Practice”
• Estate Planning talk at Mount Vernon Unitarian Church
• Having a Successful Trusts, Estates, and Elder Law Practice, Alexandria Bar Association, Wills, Trusts, & Estates Section

2013

• Northern Virginia Pro Bono Law Center CLE, “Simple Estate Planning” to train lawyer volunteers to assist low income seniors and people with disabilities with estate planning
• Alexandria Bar Association and Senior Services of Alexandria, “Senior Law Day”
• GW Community School, “So You’re 18” presentation to parents and high school students

2012

• Fairfax Bar Association, Wills, Trusts and Estates section, “Durable General Powers of Attorney”
• Alexandria Bar Association and Senior Services of Alexandria, “Senior Law Day”

2011

• Northern Virginia Pro Bono Law Center CLE, “Simple Estate Planning” to train lawyer volunteers to assist low income seniors and people with disabilities with estate planning.
• Alexandria Bar Association and Senior Services of Alexandria, “Senior Law Day”

2010

• Fairfax County Library, Sherwood Hall Branch, “Living Wills”

2009

• Attorneys and staff, State Farm regional office, spoke on estate planning and estate administration
• State Farm office of Anh Nguyen, addressed staff members on estate planning

2006

• Fairfax Bar Association CLE, “Probate 101 for the Non-Probate Practitioner”
• American Bar Association, First Annual GP|Solo and Small Firm National Conference, CLE
• Kositzka Wicks and Company, CPA firm. Taught two sessions, estate planning and probate

2005

• Fairfax Bar Association CLE, “District of Columbia Uniform Trust Act”
• Virginia CLE, 24th Annual Trust and Estates Seminar, “Drafting for Religious, Cultural or Ethnic Considerations”

2002

• American Bar Association, Annual Meeting

2001

• Maryland Association of CPAs, “The 2001 Tax Act”
• Alexandria Bar Association, Tax Committee, CLE, “The 2001 Tax Act”