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Barrett R. King is a founding Member of King|Hall LLC, a boutique litigation and estate planning firm located in Ellicott City, Maryland. He focuses his practice on adult guardianship, estate and trust litigation, estate planning, and elder law, representing clients in the greater Baltimore metropolitan area and throughout the State of Maryland.
Mr. King is recognized as a leading practitioner in guardianship law. He regularly represents petitioners and Interested Persons and frequently serves as Court-Appointed Counsel to Respondents in adult guardianship proceedings. He has been appointed as guardian, personal representative, trustee, and other fiduciary for numerous individuals across the state, and is frequently called upon by Maryland Circuit Courts to serve as an Independent Investigator in guardianship and fiduciary matters. He has been retained and has testified as an expert witness in estate, trust, and guardianship litigation. He has tried numerous cases to verdict, including multi-day jury trials.
Mr. King serves on the Rule Review Group of the Maryland Rules Committee, tasked with reviewing Maryland's rules governing representation of clients with diminished capacity, and is a Consultant to the Maryland Rules Committee on guardianship and capacity-related matters. He has been asked by the Guardianship/Vulnerable Adults Workgroup of the Maryland Rules Committee to review proposed revisions to laws and commentary on guardian reporting forms.
Barrett was born and raised in Sussex County, Delaware. He attended Salisbury University on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy in 2002. He received his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the University of Baltimore School of Law in 2006, where he completed internships with the Circuit Court for Baltimore City and the Appellate Court of Maryland. Following graduation, Mr. King served as a Senior Lease Administrator with Citigroup Realty Services before entering private practice in 2008. He is admitted to practice in Maryland and before the United States Tax Court, the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, and the Supreme Court of the United States.
Mr. King is a frequent faculty member for Continuing Legal Education and judicial education programs, including regular presentations for the Maryland Judicial College, the Administrative Office of the Courts, various Circuit Courts of Maryland and local and specialty bar associations. In March 2026, he served as faculty at the Maryland Guardianship Summit hosted by the Maryland Judicial College, presenting on the intersection of public benefits and guardianship, leading a breakout session for Court-Appointed Counsel, and participating in a panel on the state of guardianship in Maryland. He was previously an adjunct professor at the Community College of Baltimore County from 2008 to 2012, teaching Philosophy and Biomedical Ethics.
A member of the Elder & Disability Rights, Litigation, and Estate and Trust Law Sections of the Maryland State Bar Association, Mr. King is also a member of the Howard County Bar Association and the Hon. James MacGill Howard County American Inns of Court. He served as a past President of the Board of Directors of the Women's Law Center of Maryland, having served on the board from 2012 through 2020.
Mr. King has been selected to the Maryland Super Lawyers list every year since 2014 — recognized on the Rising Stars list from 2014 through 2020, and as a Maryland Super Lawyer in Estate & Trust Litigation from 2021 through 2026. In 2019, he was inducted as a Fellow of the Maryland Bar Foundation, an invitation-only honor recognizing outstanding dedication to the administration of justice, extended to no more than 2.5% of the Maryland State Bar Association's membership.
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Chat withState: Maryland
Acquired: 2006
No misconduct found
State: District of Columbia
Acquired: 2013
No misconduct found
5300 Dorsey Hall Drive, Suite 107, Ellicott City, MD, 21042
5 Client Reviews
Showing 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
Posted by anonymous | October 07, 2019 | Probate
Not the person you want to see in circumstances like this. Very rude. Very unprofessional.
My father recently passed away, and my family and I are trying to work out his estate. Mr. King was not very understanding at all for someone who makes a business out of this sort of thing. I could make the analogy of a vulture circling carrion. He was only concerned about how he could benefit. My li...
I regret that you felt you were treated rudely by this office. The language which you used on the phone with both staff and the attorney was much less restrained than your comments here and can be described as rude and unprofessional itself. The firm does not accept as clients parties who swear at and are blatantly disrespectful to anyone who works at King Hall. The firm prides itself on having a strong relationship both in the office and with our clients. Mr. King attempted to explain to you that he could not represent multiple parties in a matter such as the one you contacted the office about. When a person passes away with no valid Last Will and Testament, all individuals having equal priority to serve must consent to the appointment of one individual as Personal Representative if that is what is desired. You were advised to seek out your own counsel when the conflict was explained. We hope that the family has come to a consensus and that you have been able to obtain counsel in the interim.
Posted by anonymous | May 07, 2018 | Hired Attorney | Probate
Excellent Experience
If you're reading this review, you've probably realized there is no Yelp or Google Reviews for probate lawyers. But if there were, you'd find Barrett Hall extremely highly rated for many reasons. After the tragic death of my brother, I discovered that I was a trustee for his estate. As you might i...
Posted by anonymous | May 25, 2016 | Hired Attorney | Lawsuits & Disputes
Saved the day!
I was desperate and contacted Barrett King. Ended up working with both Barrett and his partner Andy., They made me a priority and helped with my case. Because of their assistance my case ended favorably I can honestly say that once I reached Barrett and Andy, I was finally able to sleep!
Posted by anonymous | March 14, 2016 | Hired Attorney | Elder Law
Finally, an Elder Care Attorney who knows the law!
My sister and I had been debating for about a year whether or not to hire an attorney to assist our 89-year-old mother with her current estate - and future LTC - issues. We had previously been referred to 3 other attorneys by friends, but consults with each of them left us feeling like we were in a ...
Posted by Courtney | January 27, 2016 | Hired Attorney | Probate
Caring, Diligent, and Outstanding Service!
When my husband died suddenly at the age of 31, Barrett worked tirelessly to help me gain power of attorney and to settle the estate. At a time when my life was turned upside down, Barrett went above and beyond to take care of me in a professional and diligent manner. Less than 24 hrs after my husba...
"I highly recommend Barrett to anyone in need of a skilled and caring advocate. Barrett is a subject matter expert in his field. I turn to Barrett if I have any questions related to guardianship and estate planning issues."
"Barrett possesses both in-depth knowledge of elder law and the rare ability to explain the finer points fully. He has very generously spoken with me on multiple occasions regarding personal and professional matters."
"Barrett King is very skilled and knowledgeable in the areas of elder law, guardianship, and trusts and estates. I highly recommend him."
"Barrett knows guardianships inside and out. If you have a question regarding guardianships, then he is the person to call."
"Barrett is our go-to guy for estate planning and elder law issues. He is bright, diligent and has an excellent reputation within the legal community. I recommend him highly."
"Barrett is a great attorney. He's hardworking, honest, and intelligent. I'd recommend him any day of the week."
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2020
Rising Star, Super Lawyers Magazine
2019
Rising Star, Super Lawyers Magazine
2019
Bar Fellow, Maryland Bar Foundation
2018
Rising Star, Maryland Super Lawyers
2017
Rising Star, Maryland Super Lawyers
2016
Rising Star, Maryland Super Lawyers
2015
Rising Star, Maryland Super Lawyers
2014
Rising Star, Maryland Super Lawyers
2010
Alumni Hall of Fame, Salisbury University
2016 - Present
Member, King|Hall LLC
2010 - 2016
Partner, Elville & Associates, P.C.
2008 - 2010
Associate Attorney, Walsh & Company, P.A.
2007 - 2012
Adjunct Professor, Community College of Baltimore County
2006 - 2008
Lease Negotiator, Grubb & Ellis
2008 - Present
Maryland State Bar Association, Estate and Trust Law SectionMember
2008 - Present
Howard County Bar AssociationMember
2006 - Present
Bar Association of Baltimore CityMember
2005 - Present
Maryland State Bar Association, Solo & Small Firm Practice SectionMember
2004 - Present
Women's Law Center of MarylandPresident
2003 - Present
American Bar Association, Litigation SectionMember
2006
JD - Juris Doctor
2002
BA - Bachelor of Arts
2020
Hot Topics in Adult Guardianship
2019
Probate and Estate Administration
2019
2019
2019
Fiduciary Litigation
2019
Guardianships, Powers of Attorney and the Vulnerable Adult
2017
2017
2016
Actions Against Fiduciaries
2016
2016
2015
Trusts 101 and Who Is The Fiduciary?
2014
2013
Special Needs Trusts: Creation, Taxation, Administration
2012
Legal Needs for Diminished Capacity
2011
Revocable Living Trusts
2011
Who is the Fiduciary?
2010
Business Organizations, Insurance, Licensing
2016
English
Legal Answers
Waivers for trusts
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Is the amount of inheretance tax depends upon having a will or trust?
07 Jun 2010
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05 May 2010