Ashton Estate Planning Lawyers

Founded in 2003, Simpson Law, PA provides a comprehensive, compassionate, and convenient way for busy parents and professionals to obtain vitally necessary estate planning services in MD, DC and VA. The standard package of documents provided includes a Will, Power of Attorney for Health Care, Power of Attorney for Finances, and a Living Will. Depending upon the client’s needs, trusts such as marital trusts, children’s trusts, and life insurance trusts are advised and prepared. Suzanne counsels clients with regard to strategies to reduce or eliminate estate tax liability, and makes recommendations regarding asset titling, life insurance, and...

Brian Gormley has a dynamic transactonal practice with tremendous experience representing clients at all parts of the continuum. Having worked with large institutions in the structured finance and capital markets world, developers, nonprofits and lenders in the multifamily housing market, and individual distressed homeowners and estates, he is familiar with all levels of clients and their associated needs. He has extensive real estate experience, representing clients in multifamily housing transactions, DC TOPA cases (tenant opportunity to purchase act), foreclosure defense and short sales, and as a title attorney and a real estate broker. He also has an active probate and...

Jac E. Knust began his law practice in 1972 and practices primarily in the Central Maryland Metropolitan area. He has engaged in a general law practice for 50 years, with emphasis on family law, divorce, separation and property settlement agreements, elder law, estate planning, wills, probate, trusts, powers of attorney, health care advance directives, criminal matters, real estate, landlord/tenant, business planning, corporations, LLCs, and partnerships. He is a former Assistant State's Attorney for Howard County, a former Assistant Public Defender for Howard County. From 2014 to 2018 Jac E. Knust served as a Special Magistrate for the Circuit...

My journey to becoming the owner and founder of Wayside Legal came out of an intense sense of justice and a desire to stand up for people who cannot stand up for themselves. I started Wayside Legal for you. Every day, the firm is devoted to serving clients and the community with enthusiasm and value. Your case isn’t just a legal event but a complete and total life transition, so I strive to be a concierge that can address any and all of the issues you may face.

I am a veteran attorney licensed in Maryland, D.C. and Virginia, handling all...

Glen E. Frost is the Managing Partner of Frost Law, a certified public accountant, and Certified Financial Planner®. He practices tax, business, estate planning, and white-collar crime. Glen manages a team of attorneys, certified public accountants, enrolled agents, former IRS employees, certified fraud examiners, and other professionals at the firm.

Frost Law is headquartered in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area, and has office locations in Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania, and Florida. The firm serves clients domestically and abroad.

Glen is able to provide a holistic approach to resolving the legal, tax, business, and financial needs of clients with his diverse background....

I have 23 years experience representing parties in divorce, custody, child support, visitation, paternity, and guardianship matters. My goal is to plan for trial from the initial client meeting forward, while at the same time attempting to construct a reasonable settlement for my clients either directly with the other party or through mediation. I was certified as a Collaborative Practitioner March 2011. In addition to representing clients locally, Mr. Bach has extensive experience representing clients involved in international family disputes including divorce, child custody, division of property and family assets, as well as retirement benefits. He has successfully handled...

Laura Thomas is the owner of Legacy Legal Planning, LLC. She advises individuals, families and small business of their estate planning needs and tax needs. Laura takes extra care to accommodate her clients’ wishes, understanding that estate administration is often emotionally difficult, and that a well formed plan can be crucial to helping a family get through a challenging time. She is diligent in her drafting of wills, trusts, advance directives, powers of attorney, business formation agreements and transfer documents. Laura is an active member of the Maryland State Bar Association Estate & Trust Section Council, the Howard County Estate Planning...

I use my personal and legal experiences to help my clients and their families. I have written articles for the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and Maryland State Bar Association. I spoken at Churches, Junior League, NARFE, Ameriprise, Prudential, Montgomery Hospice, American Association of Daily Money Managers, Grass Roots Organization for the Well-Being of Seniors (GROWS), and Hospice Caring on topics, such as, Estate Planning: Wills and Trusts, Common Mistakes in Estate Planning, Planning for Long Term Care, Advance Medical Directives, and Guardianship.

The National Law Center, George Washington University J.D., with Honors
University of Maryland, BA Major in Government & Politics, Minor in Psychology
Civic, Professional, Foundation and Corporate Affiliations:

Delegate to Democratic National Convention
Campaign Manager for Rep. Michael D. Barnes
Rockville Chamber of Commerce – Past President
National Capital Chapter of MS Society - Board of Trustees, and Past Chair
Shady Grove Hospital Fund Campaign - Major Gift Chair
Montgomery County Bar Association –Chair Judicial Selections; Member of Ethics, Fee Arbitration and Legislation Committees
Silver Spring Chamber of Commerce - Vice President
Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce - Liquor Control Evaluation
Rockville Alternative Community Service Commission
Montgomery County Volunteer MS Committee -...

Kerri Castellini is primarily a DC-based attorney with a focus on estate and trust administration, guardianship for incapacitated adults and minors, and estate planning. She brings her legal experience to the Trusts and Estates Practice Group and is currently admitted to practice law in Washington DC, Maryland, and before the supreme court. She is passionate about providing a high level of attention to her clients to come up with a plan that is best for their unique circumstances.

Stephen Drazin is the Principal, Legal Coordinator, and Managing Attorney at The Drazin Law Center, P.A. Mr. Drazin offers over 20 years of legal experience to individuals and businesses across Maryland, including the Columbia and Baltimore regions. Stephen Drazin is licensed in all the State and Federal Courts within Maryland, as well as, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit (in Richmond, VA). Stephen strives to offer an alternative to large law firms by working with clients from the initial consultation through settlement, trial, or case dismissal. Understanding that clients require and desire to know all...

Steve Thienel is an attorney and managing member of Thienel Law Firm, a Maryland law firm dedicated to servicing the needs of professionals and business owners. In his law practice, Steve focuses his practice on a full spectrum of legal services in the areas of tax, business, estate planning, and family law matters to maximize client opportunities while preserving wealth. He represents entrepreneurs, investors, business owners, executives, and professionals in both litigation and transactional matters. Steve is an entrepreneur and business owner himself having been a business consultant, academic, and corporate executive prior to starting his own law practice.

Donna K. Rismiller is the founder of Rismiller Law Group, LLC and is an accomplished litigator and collaborative resolution professional. Focusing her practice exclusively in the area of Family Law, she assists her clients with complex financial resolutions, significant custody decisions, as well as highly emotionally-charged disputes, often involving the challenging dynamics of abuse and control.

Donna Rismiller has been recognized for her high achievement and legal aptitude by several publications including the Maryland Daily Record, Maryland Super Lawyers Magazine, Baltimore Magazine and The Washington Post Magazine. She has been recognized as a Top 100 Trial Lawyer by the National Trial...

Jennifer's practice focuses primarily in the area of employment and labor law. Jennifer provides a range of services for union clients-- from contract negotiation, grievance processing and arbitration, to representation at the NLRB. Jennifer also represents employees in a variety of matters, including unlawful discrimination and wage-and-hour disputes.

Tom Downs is an Estate Planning Attorney who currently resides in Laurel, Maryland with his wife, Margie Lazzati Downs. They have three children, Patrick, Lauren, and Joseph Downs.

Patrick is married,  and is a civilian employee of the US Army, following five years service as an Army officer. He served a one year tour in Afghanistan, during which he lead numerous dangerous missions. We are proud of his service and thankful that he and his team made it home safely. We have a great appreciation for those who serve, and what they and their families do.

Lauren is married. She teaches at...

I have been practicing law for over twenty-five years, and was selected as the attorney for several major legal service plans, including Chase Manhattan, American Express and Montgomery Wards Legal Service Plans, helping thousands of satisfied clients with their legal problems, and have been an AARP member attorney. In my legal practice, I have taken many cases to trial when necessary, but have settled many hundreds of disputes to the mutual satisfaction of my clients, sometimes involving hundreds of thousands of dollars. In the process, I have handled many cases in such areas of concentration as: Probate, Wills, Trusts, Estate Planning, Elder...

Tim works with clients to develop long term legal solutions for their family, including wills, trusts, advance directives, and pre- and post-nuptial agreements. He also assists clients with probate and will and trust administration. In family law matters, Tim represents litigants in divorce and helps resolve custody disputes. The Montgomery County and Frederick County Circuit Courts frequently appoint Tim to serve as personal representative in probate matters; to serve as the guardian of elderly, disabled adults’ property; to represent elderly and disabled adults in guardianship matter; and to represent minor children in custody disputes. Tim advises small...

S. Robert Sutton has been engaged in the practice of law since his graduation from the Stanford Law School in 1980. Following his graduation from law school, he went to work at Jenner & Block in Chicago, Illinois, where he obtained his first experience as a litigator, and honed his legal research and writing skills. He worked at Jenner & Block for two years before returning to live in Montgomery County, where he was born and raised and went to work at Steptoe & Johnson, in Washington, D.C., where he continued to develop his research, writing,...

I received my B.S. and M.S. at SUNY Stony Brook and my J.D. degree from the Washington College of Law at American University. I am active in the Maryland State Bar and have chaired the Solo and Small Firm Section Council. My practice emphasizes real estate law, business law, Social Security Disability and estate planning. I am recognized by Martindale as an "AV" (highest rated) attorney and I have been recognized as a "Super Lawyer" in Maryland. I am committed to providing the highest level of services to my clients and I make very effort to...

Colleen Coffman practices primarily in the areas of civil and commercial litigation, family law, and estate planning and administration, but has experience in all of the firm’s practice areas. Colleen joined Ethridge Quinn after a judicial clerkship with the Honorable Mary Beth McCormick in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County. A lifelong resident of Montgomery County, Maryland, Colleen graduated from Gaithersburg High School and received her undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland Robert H. Smith School of Business. Colleen earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law, where...

Suren G. Adams is an attorney with a passion for organization and excellence. She founded Adams Law Office, LLC, over 20 years ago to help her clients get their financial houses in order and find peace of mind. She is an experienced member of the Maryland Bar Association, the District of Columbia Bar Association, the Alliance of Black Women Attorneys, the Christian Legal Society, and the Prince George’s County Bar Association. Suren obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland in 1994 and then completed course work for a Master of Arts...