Caroline Esche Ashford

Caroline E. Ashford is a dual-qualified attorney, licensed to practice law in Washington DC, Maryland, Virginia and in Germany.

A JD graduate of Columbia University Law School, Dr. Ashford focuses her practice on estate and tax planning. She advises international clients on estate, income and gift tax issues, business succession, trust and estate administration, as well as contested trust and estate matters. She has significant experience working with family companies, drafting and administering complex estate plans for domestic and multinational UHNWIs and counseling fiduciaries in estate administration.

As an IRS-registered tax preparer, she has significant experience preparing federal estate tax returns (IRS Forms 706 and 706-NA) as well as federal gift tax returns (IRS Forms 709 and 709-NA).

Furthermore, Dr. Ashford advises European family-owned companies on expanding to the United States, and conversely, US businesses on establishing a presence in Germany.

Previously, she practiced international trusts and estates law as well as international business law at the Washington DC law firm Rubin Winston Diercks Harris & Cooke LLP. During this time she was also a member of the defense team that represented the Federal Republic of Germany in litigation under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act.

Dr. Ashford is a frequent speaker before embassies, bank wealth management departments, bar associations and various international communities both in the US and in Europe.

Caroline has served as a co-chair of the International Private Client Committee of the American Bar Association Section of International Law.