Nelson Estate Planning Lawyers

Often people ask "What type of law do you practice?" I respond in a fashion most don't expect. I think of myself as a personal and small business lawyer. If you, a loved one, or your business has a legal need, whatever it may be, I and my firm are here to help. Gilbert, Bird, Sharpes and Robinson has a number of wonderful attorneys who can meet most all of the legal needs of our clients. If for some reason we can't, however, we will find an attorney who can. Our goal is to...

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

Chuck grew up in Massachusetts and moved to Virginia in 2002. He attended Liberty University where he graduated with a B.S. in Government with a focus in Pre-law. After receiving his degree Chuck attended the Liberty University School of Law. Chuck earned his J.D. and was admitted to the State Bar in 2012. When not working Chuck enjoys spending time with his wife, Chrissey, and his two young children, Landon and Chloe. He also likes to play and watch sports.

Harry Jernigan - Founder and CEO of Harry Jernigan CPA Attorney, PC., a dual practice of accounting and law with offices located in Virginia Beach, Newport News, and Richmond, Virginia.

Lee R. Taylor holds a B.A. in Psychology from Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, and his J.D. law degree from the Mercer University School of Law. While still in law school, he had already started his career in the legal profession as part of the university's third-year practice program. Taylor has considerable experience on both sides of the courtroom: Before moving into a private practice that involves both civil litigation and criminal defense cases, he had served as an assistant district attorney for Dalton, GA; as city attorney for the city of Ellijay, GA, and as county attorney for Gilmer...

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

Hi, I'm Matthew.



I approach the practice of law with a focus on helping my clients understand an often complicated legal system. Working collaboratively allows me to anticipate my clients' needs, while also aiding my clients by providing them an informed view of all the potential dangers and rewards of each unique case. My primary practice areas are Divorce, Child Custody, Trusts & Wills and Bankruptcy. However, I also provide legal support for small businesses looking to incorporate, resolve disputes with employees or review potential contracts and business transactions.

Eleven years’ legal experience in business law, corporate formation, compliance, complex consumer litigation, regulatory, contracts and bankruptcy law. Local experience in family law; advocate for domestic violence survivors. Four years in Am Law (top 100 American law firms) located in DC, with business, bankruptcy and commercial litigation focus. Experience in automotive and construction fraud litigation. Fifteen years’ corporate experience, gained as business owner, award-winning author and airplane owner. Advanced knowledge of and experience working with UDAAP, Bankruptcy rules...

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...

Caryn was born and raised outside Buffalo, New York. Caryn’s first love and passion is reading and writing, which naturally led to a career in law. She attended the State University of New York at Geneseo, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree with Honors in Philosophy and English. From Geneseo, she moved South for warmer weather and attended Washington and Lee School of Law in Lexington, Virginia, graduating cum laude in 2002. During law school, Caryn was a member of the Editorial Board of the Washington and Lee Law Review.

Having visited her aunt...

Gilbert Carey is an attorney and certified public accountant with the McDowell Law Group. He practices in the areas of Taxation, Tax Resolution and Controversy and Estate Planning, solving tax, business, and legal challenges for individuals, privately held businesses and their owners. He has an Avvo rating of 10 (Superb) and has been recognized as a Top Lawyer of Coastal Virginia by Coastal Virginia Magazine. Mr. Carey regularly advises clients on tax matters and represents clients in tax disputes with the IRS, state tax agencies and in U.S. Tax Court. He provides income tax planning and compliance advice to individuals, trusts,...

Ms. Khan is the managing attorney at Mehnaz Khan Law, PLLC, and has been working in the legal field for more than two decades in Northern Virginia. She is a graduate of The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law. With extensive experience in Family Law, Immigration Law, and Estate Planning, most of her practice is devoted to litigation. An immigrant herself, Ms. Khan’s personal experience in obtaining United States Citizenship through Naturalization can benefit you as well. She is well versed with what it takes to obtain a U.S. Citizenship. She counsels clients throughout the Northern Virginia area in...

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....

I am Shannon Laymon-Pecoraro, a Certified Elder Law Attorney and the Founder of East Coast Elder Law, PLLC. My practice focuses on elder law, special needs planning, estate and trust administration, estate planning, asset protection, financial planning, guardianships, and conservatorships. I have a deep passion for special needs planning, which has made me a trusted resource for personal injury attorneys seeking guidance on public benefits and the protection of their clients' funds. Over the years, I have handled hundreds of personal injury cases, creating settlement trusts that often include special needs trust provisions and Medicare set-asides. I hold a certification as an...

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.

The son of a government official, Andy grew up in various parts of the country, including Ohio, Colorado, and Texas. He attended the College of William and Mary and graduated in 1988 with a B.A. with honors in Government. Andy then went to the University of Richmond Law School, obtaining his J.D. in 1991. While in law school, he won the moot court competition, the trial competition (twice), and the writing competition. After passing the Virginia bar exam in 1991, Andy worked in one of the largest law firms in the country in its Norfolk office, primarily defending large...

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....

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...

Benjamin has always stood up for what’s right – he finds real meaning in helping the good guys win! He’s always been guided by a clear sense of right and wrong, from his time in the U.S. Army to his time as a Commonwealth Attorney (prosecutor), to his current position at J. Madison PLC.
Before starting at J. Madison PLC, Benjamin worked at the Arlington Commonwealth Attorney’s Office for five years. As a Commonwealth Attorney, he helped the victims of violent, non-violent, and financial crimes find justice. He also tried hundreds of traffic cases and specialized in DUI cases. ...

Sonja Aoun represents family law clients in all aspects of separation and divorce, including divorce planning/premarital agreements, collaborative divorces, negotiated settlements, and trials. Her estate planning practice ranges from the preparation of powers of attorney and advance medical directives to wills and complex trusts and special needs planning. Sonja obtained her law degree from Georgetown University Law Center after graduating cum laude with a B.S. in Languages (Spanish) from Georgetown University. Starting in 2014, she has been named to the Virginia SuperLawyers list in the field of family law; she has been listed in the Washington,...

At the Bushman Law Group, our motto is simple: "Let our attorneys deal with your legal problems while you get back to what is truly important . . . the rest of your life." We know that facing a legal problem is stressful, that is why our attorneys guide you through each step of the legal process with prompt, personal service you can trust. Our goal is to build a long-term, relationship with our clients, and we want our clients to trust us with all of their legal work. To this end, we work hard on every case,...

Sheri R. Abrams, Attorney at Law, has been practicing Social Security Disability Law, Estate Planning, Elder Law and Special Needs Planning for more than 20 years. Sheri is rated “AV Preeminent”, the highest rating possible by the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, and was named a “Super Lawyer,” one of the “Best Lawyers in America,” one of Virginia’s “Top Rated Lawyers” and one of Virginia’s “Legal Elite.” Sheri is active in many different professional organizations including the Virginia State Bar, District of Columbia Bar, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), the Virginia Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (VAELA),...

Madison Glossner is an attorney who is passionate about protecting the rights of those charged with criminal offenses. She graduated from Liberty University School of Law, and earned her degree in Criminology with a concentration in Law and Society, cum laude, from George Mason University. During her undergraduate career she focused on the flaws in the criminal justice system and spent time interning in both a Commonwealth Attorney's office and a Public Defenders office. She is admitted to practice in state and federal courts of Virginia.

Madison enjoys representing clients in all types of cases, from simple traffic infractions to felonies....

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 Law Offices of Richard S. Sternberg is dedicated to the principle that bigger is not always better. Instead, it rests on a tradition that actually antedates the rise of the “mega-firm”-the solo practice. Emulating a country lawyer in a big-city environment allows Mr. Sternberg to provide more individualized service to his clients, and, at the same time, pursue more collegial relations with other members of the Bar. Since 1984, Mr. Sternberg has dedicated his practice to representing individuals and smaller businesses. For those corporate clients who have larger needs, he is affiliated with the Metropolitan Washington Law Consortium,...

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...

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...

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...

Sean provides legal counsel to clients when they have a need for guidance on any matters involving Real Estate, Estate Planning, or Business Structuring. He works closely with clients to understand the unique issues they are facing and to customize a solution for their individual needs. Prior to joining Hanger Law, Sean was a commercial real estate broker and specialized in negotiating leases and purchase contracts for retail developments and Class A office space. With nearly a decade of real estate experience as a REALTOR®, Sean brings to Hanger Law his extensive real estate knowledge and unique perspective on the...

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...

J. Douglas McCarthy is a founding partner of McCarthy & Akers, PLC. His practice focuses on transactional law dealing with Estate Planning, Real Estate and Corporate matters. Prior to founding McCarthy & Akers, PLC, Mr. McCarthy was a partner in the Winchester, Virginia law firm of Groves and McCarthy.

Mr. McCarthy received his J.D. from the Keller School of Law at The University of Dayton, in Dayton, Ohio, where he earned honors in the fields of Taxation, Wills and Trusts. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, where he majored in Political Science.