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Catherine R. Mack
I am an estate planning and estate litigation attorney who has been practicing law for many years. Based in Bethesda, Maryland, I work with clients in Montgomery County and throughout Maryland, the District of Columbia, and Virginia. My practice focus is 1) estate planning (wills, trusts and ancillary documents), 2) probate (the publication and effectuation of a Will through the local court) and 3) litigation (assisting clients with property distribution and other disputes, including going to court, whether before or after a loved one dies).
Estate Planning
Whether you need a relatively simple last will and testament or seek more complex assistance because of your diversified investments and substantial wealth, I have the skill and the experience to help you in the estate planning process. In today’s ever more threatening and dangerous world, it is extremely important that you consult with a knowledgeable estate planning attorney like me to insure that your assets can be managed with a minimum of disruption if you are severely injured or disabled and to guarantee that your property is distributed in accordance with your wishes after your death.
Elder Law
Because of my broad background, maturity and substantial litigation expertise, I frequently advise individuals who are struggling with an aging loved one, who may or may not be a client of mine, and persons seeking to challenge an existing situation through court litigation. I urge my clients to avoid the costly process of having a guardian appointed to manage an individual’s assets because of the cost and complexity of court management and expenditure of assets of a disabled individual. Frequently a trust arrangement, with which I can assist, is a better approach if everyone in the family or inner circle of the individual can work out their differences and the person creating the trust is competent. That’s why it is extremely important to seek legal counsel if a loved one is in the early stages of diminished capacity or, even worse, is being influenced by an individual who doesn’t have the loved one’s best interest at heart. I work diligently with my clients and their inner circle to avoid litigation in this situation but if it does not work out, I can handle the dispute in court.
Probate Disputes / Litigation
I also advise clients on how to challenge a Last Will and Testament in Maryland or the District of Columbia. This includes frequently assisting other estate planning attorneys who find themselves in a situation where the will drafted by that attorney is being subjected to challenge in court. In such a situation, I become the “litigation counsel” in the probate matter, defending the legitimacy and enforceability of the challenged will. I have substantial experience in this field and have never been defeated in a will contest matter.
My Background
At the beginning of my professional career, after a couple of years in the Washington, D.C. police department, I concluded that I would be a better attorney than a police officer. After graduating first in my class from law school, I clerked for a federal judge, practiced in the litigation section of a Wall Street law firm, slaved as an Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Columbia (where I had more than 40 jury trials and significant appellate work), became the Chief Legal Officer of a New York Stock Exchange company and then went back to law school to learn as much as I could about the complex area of estate planning, probate and trust creation and implementation.
For more about my background, I welcome you to read my professional resume. For more on my current practice, and how I can help you, review our Services. Please contact us at the Law Office of Catherine R. Mack to consult about your legal matter. I look forward to working with you.
