Mary-Ellen Bowman

I’m an estate planning attorney based in Northern Virginia, and I work with individuals and families who want a clear, thoughtful plan in place—not just a set of documents, but a structure that actually works when it matters.

Most of the clients I work with are balancing a lot at once—growing families, busy careers, real estate, and often closely held businesses. What they’re really looking for is not complexity, but clarity. They want to understand what they have, how it’s structured, and what will happen if something unexpected occurs.

My approach to estate planning is centered on that idea. We start with the bigger picture—how everything fits together—and then build a plan that aligns with it. That typically includes revocable trust-based planning, wills, powers of attorney, and advance directives, along with detailed guidance on funding the plan, coordinating beneficiary designations, and properly titling assets.

I also work closely with financial advisors and other professionals so that each client’s plan is coordinated across all aspects of their financial life. The goal is not just to create documents, but to make sure the plan is implemented in a way that is practical, efficient, and sustainable over time.

Before starting my firm, I spent many years in a structured, detail-oriented role, which continues to shape how I approach my work today. I focus on precision, organization, and making complex topics easier to understand, so that clients can make confident decisions without feeling overwhelmed.

Estate planning doesn’t need to be intimidating. With the right guidance, it can feel straightforward—and even relieving—to know that everything is in place and aligned with your intentions.