Esmont Elder Law Lawyers

Ari graduated cum laude from Boston College Law School, where he was the Managing Editor of the Boston College Environmental Affairs Law Review. Originally from Boston, MA, Ari relocated to Virginia in 2011 after meeting his bride, Garland, and joined the Stapleton Elder Law family soon thereafter. The couple wed in Clarke County in 2012 and live “happily ever after” in Charlottesville. Ari and Garland welcomed their first child, Elspeth Margaret, in March, 2015. While Ari’s focus in on Elder Law and Asset Protection, he is also an expert on Veterans benefits. Ari takes the time to listen to...

Karen L. Rowell is an associate attorney with Clark & Bradshaw, P.C. Ms. Rowell grew up in Roanoke County, Virginia, graduating from Cave Spring High School. She received her baccalaureate degree in Family & Child Development from Virginia Tech and her juris doctor from the Marshall-Wythe School of Law at the College of William & Mary. Ms. Rowell served as a Cryptologic Technician Interpretive in the United States Navy for five years prior to attending law school and has been practicing law in Harrisonburg since 2008. Ms. Rowell focuses her practice on wills & estate planning, advanced...

B.A. University of Richmond 1975 J.D. University of Richmond - T.C. Williams School of Law 1980

U Mass Amherst - University of Massachusetts at Amherst - Political Science - Undergraduate Degree

Real Estate Broker License - Commonwealth of Virginia

Juris Doctorate Degree - Law Degree - Liberty University School of Law - Lynchburg, Virginia

Virginia State Bar - Commonwealth of Virginia

I assist clients with legal problems in the areas of bankruptcy, divorce, wills and trusts, and probate or estate administration. I am an experienced trial lawyer and have been a member of the Virginia State Bar since 1987. While I am glad to help clients settle their legal matters expeditiously and at the lowest costs to their satisfaction, I welcome the opportunity to litigate contested matters when settlement is not an acceptable option. I particularly enjoy the interplay between different practice areas, and have helped clients with both marital or divorce problems and financial problems such as...

John Whitbeck is the founder and partner of WhitbeckBennett. His practice focuses on family law, more specifically divorce, child custody, child and spousal support, domestic violence and protective orders, adoption, special education law, and mental health law.

He is a professor of law at George Mason University Law School, and the former Director of the George Mason University Law and Mental Illness Clinic.

John uses his expert knowledge of the law to advocate for his clients and their families.

I was born and grew up in the area - my family has served the legal needs of the area since 1892, over 120 years. My goal is to explain the legal process in plain English and to avoid the 'technical lawyer words' which only confuse many people. The primary focus of my firm is now "Elder Law" which broadly includes estate planning, Nursing Home admissions and Medicaid applications and adult guardianship. After a family member dies, we advise and assist in the estate administration process. In short, we help families plan and deal with aging...

Chuck has practiced in Winchester and throughout northern Virginia since 2007. He is both a lawyer and a Certified Public Accountant (with an LL.M in Tax and Estate Planning) and worked in public accounting before attending law school. Chuck’s practice focuses on complex estate planning and administration matters, resolving tax disputes, business planning, choice of entity, conservation easements and other business matters. Chuck has extensive training in complex estate and business matters and his practice focuses primarily on business owners and families with more than $1 million in liquid assets. Chuck regularly works to resolve family disputes, establish business...

I represent small, medium, national and international businesses, non-profits and individuals on a wide variety of corporate and business matters, including forming companies, drafting and negotiating contracts, dealing with employment matters, handling real estate and land use issues, collecting receivables, and defending and prosecuting litigation. I also assist many clients with their elder care, estate planning and estate administration needs, including drafting wills and trusts, assisting with the appointment of guardians and conservators, and the Virginia probate process. I strongly believe that clients receive the best legal services from an attorney who is intimately familiar with their businesses and goals....

The laws touch everyone's life, but not everyone feels like they can access the law when they have problems. Almost everyone has an encounter with housing issues, aging and elder law, special needs, estate planning or probate, but not everyone feels like they can find the right attorney. I focus on making the law accessible to people who need help vindicating their rights and benefiting from the legal system. As a Virginia licensed attorney with more than a decade of experience, I have represented and successfully counseled and advocated for a diverse group of clients,...

Gene received his B.S. degree in Material Science from the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Columbia University. He received his J.D. degree from Georgetown University Law Center and served as Senior Editor for the Georgetown Journal on Poverty and Policy. Through competitive selection processes, Gene was selected as a Super Lawyers Rising Star (2009, 2011, 2012, 2013 - (DC/VA), 2014 (DC)(Law & Politics Magazine) and as Virginia Business Magazine’s Legal Elite (Taxes, Estates and Trusts, 2008, 2010, & 2013). Featured on Fox News and other media outlets, he also is an active member of...

In practice since 1987, Attorney Evan Farr is widely recognized as one of the leading Elder Law, Estate Planning, and Specials Needs attorneys in Virginia, DC, and Maryland, and one of foremost experts in the Country in the field of Medicaid Asset Protection and related Trusts. Evan Farr has been quoted or cited as an expert by numerous sources, including the Washington Post, Newsweek Magazine, Northern Virginia Magazine, Trusts & Estates Magazine, The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and the American Bar Association, and has been featured as a guest speaker on television and numerous radio shows, including Fairfax...

In total, I spent 35 years in the insurance industry, handling liability claims. Prior to attending law school, I worked as an insurance adjuster and in claims management at GEICO. My positions allowed me the opportunity to learn a great deal about insurance company claims operations and the difficulties that large insurance companies face as well as the biggest hurdles for people who need to make claims. My work led me to attend law school while continuing my career in insurance. Following my graduation, I moved into the position of attorney with the company. Since that time, I have defended...

Vincent J. Mata attended the University of Notre Dame and the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum for undergraduate studies in the classical humanities. He obtained a Master's degree at The Catholic University of America in philosophy, and earned his Juris Doctor at George Mason University School of Law, now Antonin Scalia Law School. Vincent is a founding partner and attorney at Mata & Hill PLC. He focuses his practice primarily on estate and elder law issues. Mata & Hill PLC additionally offers real estate, business, and civil litigation services, and serves clients throughout the Northern Shenandoah Valley.

Andrew P. Hill is a founding partner and attorney with Mata & Hill PLC, a full-service civil law firm serving the beautiful northern Shenandoah Valley. Mr. Hill concentrates his practice in the areas of real estate, estate planning and administration, litigation, and business.

Mr. Hill received his undergraduate degrees from Northwestern University and his law degree from the College of William and Mary. Prior to forming Mata & Hill PLC, he worked with small but highly-respected law firms in Northern Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley.

Mr. Hill is licensed to practice law in the state courts of Virginia,...

Charles W. Hazelwood, Jr., or "Chuck", has accumulated a significant legal skill set over the past four decades. His communication skills and negotiating abilities were honed and perfected over time as he handled thousands cases. He has a thorough understanding of the law and comprehensive experience with handing estates and trusts, real estate issues, personal injury cases, and more. His long-standing legal acumen has been time-tested by the significantnumber of cases he has handled. Born in Richmond, Virginia, Chuck attended West Springfield High School.

Charles W. Hazelwood, Jr. has bar memberships in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of...

Mike Hollingsworth is an aggressive, compassionate, honest attorney based in Old Town Alexandria, VA. He has extensive successful trial and appellate experience in state and federal court. Mike brings over a decade of experience to his practice in criminal and civil litigation and is rated a top lawyer by Northern Virginia Magazine, Super Lawyers® and Best Lawyers®. Mike advocates aggressively but compassionately for his clients with a keen sense for identifying the strengths and weaknesses of both sides of every case. Mike has achieved dozens of winning verdicts and case dismissals over his career.

Deborah N. Arthur has built a long-standing reputation in the Fairfax County, Virginia community for being an attorney with a drive for success. Earning her B.S. in Business Administration from George Mason University in 1977, she continued her education, earning her J.D. from George Mason University in 1982, after spending two years at the Department of Justice. Since then, she has assisted those in need of legal representation in matters concerning divorce, bankruptcy, personal injury, family law, and estate matters. So, what separates Mrs. Arthur from the crowd? She understands that bad things sometimes happen to good people. That's why she...

Sheryl Herndon is the owner and founder of Herndon Law, P.C., a client-centered firm that specializes in General Estate Planning, Elder Law, Estate and Trust Administration, Fiduciary Services, Long-Term Care and Medicaid Planning, Guardianships and Conservatorships for Incapacitated Adults, Veterans Benefits, and representing clients in Involuntary Civil Commitment Proceedings. A Richmond native, Sheryl received her undergraduate degree from Virginia Tech (GO HOKIES!) and graduated cum laude from the University of Richmond’s T.C. Williams School of Law where she was a founding member of The Richmond Journal of Law and Technology, the world’s first law review to be published exclusively online. ...

I am an attorney in a general practice law firm. The focus of my practice is domestic relations and civil litigation. I represent clients in complex custody and visitation cases, divorces, modification and enforcement of court orders and negotiation of settlement agreements.

I bring my real life experience to the practice of law. As a divorced parent and step-parent, I understand the financial and emotional challenges which can arise and the demands of co-parenting and blended families. I am a strong advocate of "sparing the children" and I am committed to creative problem solving which allows...

Sali Duling practices law in Mechanicsville, Virginia, with her husband, Jeffrey Duling.

Jeremy Pryor is a Principal at Carrell Blanton Ferris practicing in the areas of elder law, estate planning, estate administration, and incapacity-related litigation. He focuses his representation on protecting assets from the costs of long term care and advising clients seeking qualification for Medicaid benefits or the Veterans Affairs “Aid and Attendance” benefit. In addition to working with seniors and these programs, Jeremy spends a significant portion of his practice in court, representing clients in becoming guardians and conservators, litigating the use or alleged misuse of powers of attorney documents, and serving as a guardian ad litem for incapacitated adults....

Tax Representation: Brooke provides tax planning, audit representation, and tax controversy services including negotiating an offer-in-compromise, installment agreement, abatement requests and FBAR compliance programs. She also regularly represents business owners with payroll tax issues and trust fund interviews. Corporate: She represents small to mid-size businesses in various industries and is experienced in determining the appropriate entity formation, performing business planning, corporate governance, contract drafting and negotiation and tax compliance services. When her clients make the decision to terminate their involvement with the business, whether it is though a liquidation, bankruptcy reorganization, asset purchase agreement,...

Van Smith focuses his practice on family law and estate planning, including divorce, custody and support matters. He is the sole owner of SMITH | STRONG, PLC, with offices in Richmond and Williamsburg, Virginia. Van’s family law practice resolves complex divorce, related tax and business issues, custody and support plans, property distribution, integrated solutions for wealth preservation and management post-separation, civil litigation, defense of juvenile and domestic relations court criminal matters, and estate planning. He also practices elder law, assisting families with planning effectively for nursing home costs. We recognize many of our family law clients are in...

Neal Knudsen is an experienced attorney at Vanderpool, Frostick & Nishanian, P.C. Over the course of many years of practicing law, Neal has exhibited a skill for working within the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Courts. Neal demonstrates a deep knowledge of the DSS system, and is able to work on sensitive child dependency cases with skill and attention to important time constraints.

Neil’s experience includes trial practice before the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Courts and Circuit Courts, as well as appellate practice before the Virginia Court of Appeals. Beginning in 2002, Mr Knudsen participated in, and presented before, statewide...

Letha Sgritta McDowell is a highly accomplished attorney and shareholder at McDowell Law Group, specializing in various areas of elder law, including estate planning, special needs planning, estate and trust administration, asset protection planning, long-term care planning, personal injury settlement consulting, guardianships & conservatorships, and tax law. Her expertise ranges from assisting clients with complex estate planning for high-net-worth individuals with assets over $75 million to developing simple plans for families with limited assets. Ms. McDowell has a distinguished professional background. She served as the President of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), a notable position within the field....

My philosophy as a lawyer is to establish a strong attorney-client relationship. My goal is to connect with each client and deliver quality work, personalized service, and exceptional value. As your counselor and representative, you can be confident that everything possible will be done to protect your rights.

You will receive individual attention through every part of the legal process in order to achieve your goals quickly and efficiently. Please contact me to discuss your legal issues, strategies, and solutions in a straightforward and collaborative manner.

I am currently located in Fairfax, Virginia and serve the Northern Virginia area....

Jean Galloway Ball is certified in Elder Law by the National Elder Law Foundation. She does life care and estate planning: preparing powers of attorney, Wills and Trusts for seniors and their families. She assists families with planning for disabled adult children. She advises on families on planning for long term care expenses. She is a recognized litigator in the area of fiduciary litigation including guardianship, Will contests, trust administration, claims against estates, accounts from fiduciaries, undue influence and financial exploitation.

Dominic P. Lascara is a native of Portsmouth, Virginia. He graduated in 1986 from the Marshall-Wythe School of Law at the College of William and Mary after receiving his undergraduate degree, magna cum laude, in Business Administration in 1981 from Old Dominion University. Dominic P. Lascara joined the law firm of Roy, Forehand, Laine and Dale, P.C. as an associate in the fall of 1986 after being admitted to the Virginia State Bar. He was admitted to the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia in 1987. He became a partner...

Shannon Laymon-Pecoraro is a Certified Elder Law Attorney of Parks Zeigler, PLLC practicing in the areas of elder law, special needs planning, estate and trust administration, estate planning, asset protection planning, financial planning, guardianships and conservatorships. Prior to joining the firm Ms. Laymon-Pecoraro spent 10 years at Hook Law Center, P.C. Ms. Laymon Pecoraro has a passion for special needs planning, which has resulted in her becoming a go-to for personal injury attorneys who need assistance navigating public benefits or otherwise protecting a client’s funds. As a result, Ms. Laymon-Pecoraro has worked on hundreds of personal injury cases, developing settlement trusts,...

Bradley C. Ratliff, Esq., is a Virginia licensed attorney with significant background and experience in personal injury cases, Virginia workers' compensation, estates, elder law matters, real estate, and civil practice. In addition to his membership in the Virginia State Bar, Mr. Ratliff is admitted to Federal Courts in the Western District of Virginia, and United States Bankruptcy Court. Mr. Ratliff holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Bluefield, College and a Master's Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from Virginia Commonwealth University, Medical College of Virginia. He obtained his Juris Doctorate from the Appalachian School of Law. Mr....

Andrew H. “Andy” Hook is the president of Hook Law Center, where he practices in the areas of elder law, estate and trust administration, estate, tax, retirement and financial planning, long-term care planning, asset protection planning, special needs planning, business succession planning and personal injury settlement consulting. A 1975 graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law, Mr. Hook is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC), and a Fellow of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA). Mr. Hook is certified as an Elder Law Attorney (CELA) by the National Elder Law...

Angela is the leader of The Manz Law Firm pack, with the key purpose of helping clients achieve two main goals: planning for the future and coping during times of crisis. Angela graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and acquired her Juris Doctorate at the College of William and Mary, Marshal Wythe School of Law. Having practiced for over a decade, Angela focuses her firm’s efforts on estate planning and helping families obtain Medicaid and Veterans Administration benefits to pay for long-term care. Angela dedicates her time, energy and legal expertise to helping you and...

Mark L. Stevenson is a skilled attorney and short-sale negotiator barred in Virginia , North Carolina, and Michigan. Currently, his practice focuses on Real Estate, Estate Planning, and Business matters on the Peninsula.

Prior to joining Hanger Law, he spent three years processing and successfully negotiating short sales in some of the hardest hit regions of Michigan, including Flint and metro Detroit. Mark prides himself on facilitating deals with multiple parties to achieve positive results for clients.

A local, Mark graduated from Tallwood High School and went on to get a B.S. in Chemistry at Old Dominion University, graduating cum laude, and...