As a Washington, D.C. estate planning and probate law firm, we help individuals and families plan with clarity and administer estates with care — from foundational wills and trusts to complex, multi-jurisdictional matters and lifelong fiduciary stewardship.
Estate planning, benefits, care arrangements, and fiduciary responsibilities rarely arrive in isolation. Our Washington, D.C. practice is built to resolve them together — proactively, and with the dignity these decisions deserve.
Every plan begins as a conversation. We work through documents together — explaining each decision, weighing every option, and making sure you understand exactly what you’re signing and why.
The result is a plan you helped shape, not one handed to you — and a counselor who stays in your corner long after the ink is dry.
From the first plan to final administration, we stay with families across every stage.
Wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, powers of attorney, and healthcare directives — structured to protect assets, minimize tax, and honor your wishes.
Long-term care and benefits planning, capacity and advocacy matters, and guardianship or conservatorship when protection of a vulnerable loved one is required.
Steady guidance through complex, multi-jurisdictional probate — including D.C. Superior Court Probate Division matters — relieving the burden on executors and families during a difficult time.
Serving as trustee or power of attorney for clients with significant assets, real property, and complex holdings — a trusted hand for the long term.
We resolve intersecting legal, financial, and personal challenges as one, so nothing falls through the cracks at the moments that matter most.
Planning before crisis — so families keep control of their own future.
One team addressing legal, financial, and care needs together.
Sensitive matters handled with confidentiality and genuine empathy.
Relationships that continue as trustee, advisor, and advocate.
We listen first — understanding your family, assets, and goals before recommending anything.
A tailored plan mapping the right instruments to your circumstances and objectives.
Precise documents, properly executed — explained until every option is clear.
We remain available as life changes — and as trustee or advisor when called upon.
Judith devotes her practice to fiduciary counsel, probate litigation, and guardianship and conservatorship matters. She regularly serves as counsel to personal representatives, trustees, conservators, and guardians, and has argued complex probate and guardianship appeals before the District of Columbia Court of Appeals.
She is Co-Chair of the DC Bar’s Estates, Trusts, and Probate Law Community and serves on the Council for Court Excellence’s Estate Administration Committee, where she contributed to reforms including the Strengthening Probate Administration Amendment Act of 2024. Judith is admitted in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and New York.
Ann Marie advises individuals and families on estate planning, estate administration, and guardianship, and brings a focus on fiduciary litigation to the firm’s probate practice. Drawing on a career across private practice, organizational leadership, and public policy, she pairs legal counsel with a working knowledge of compliance, privacy, and risk.
She earned her J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center and is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Massachusetts, and North Carolina, as well as before the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court. She is also a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US).
Judith brought order and calm to an overwhelming probate. She explained every step and truly cared about our family.
Our plan finally reflects what we actually want for our children. The process was clear, thorough, and reassuring.
When my father needed a guardian, they protected his dignity as fiercely as his interests. I’m deeply grateful.
* Representative examples for layout — replace with real, approved client testimonials.
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There is rarely a wrong time. If you own assets, have children, or want a say in your medical and financial decisions, a plan protects you now and your family later. We help clients plan proactively so decisions are never left to a court.
Yes. While our office is in Washington, D.C., our attorney is admitted in D.C., Maryland, and New York, and we routinely coordinate multi-jurisdictional estate and administration matters for families across the country.
A will directs how your assets are distributed and takes effect through probate. A trust can hold and manage assets during your life and after, often avoiding probate and offering greater privacy and control. We help you choose the right combination for your goals.
Yes. For clients with significant assets, real property, or complex holdings, we can serve in fiduciary roles such as trustee or agent under a power of attorney, providing continuity and trusted stewardship over time.
Simply bring your questions. If you have existing documents, a rough list of assets, or family details, those help — but the first conversation is about understanding your situation and goals, not paperwork.
Schedule a complimentary 30-minute consultation. We’ll listen to your situation and outline a clear path forward — no obligation.
Book your complimentary 30-minute consultation directly on our calendar — choose a time that works for you, and we’ll outline a clear path forward.
Schedule a ConsultationPrefer email? Reach us anytime at judith@dczlegal.com.
