My estate planning practice in the capitol city of Olympia, Washington focuses on helping you craft a plan that achieves your goals for your loved ones today and for years to come. We work with families of all kinds; those who are married or single, with a traditional family or a blended one, and those who are just starting out or looking at a life well-lived.
I graduated with honors from the University of Washington School of Law in 1980. After working in the legal field for 28+ years, I took a 10-year break before returning to lawyering in 2022.
So, I AM BACK! I am rebuilding what I started with the benefit of my life experience and the resources of the Personal Family Lawyer Program. The program systems create an efficiency that allows me to focus on what I like best: getting to know our clients so we can create comprehensive customized plans for them.
A former client who wants to work with me again says: “Thank you for coming back to help those of us who love your wonderful help with our futures and how we want to leave things for our loved ones. You are the best! Thank you, Melanie D”.
I am the proud mother of Megan and Alec and grandmother of Jameson and triplets, McKinley, Jaden and Jaxson.
Because of my grandparenting experience, I am especially interested in working with grandparents – who want to protect themselves, their wonderful adult children and their adored grandchildren and leave a legacy in the process. I am in the process of creating a grandparent package.
We begin with a comprehensive inventory of everything you own, and everyone you love, and consider it all in a working meeting, called a Family Wealth Planning Session, to guide you to clarify your financial life and legacy goals before we draft a single document.
We work with you throughout every life stage to map out the most likely scenarios for you and the people you love, planning for each as your life, the law, and your assets change over time.
Our Life & Legacy Planning process ensures everything that matters most -- from your financial assets to your values, insights, stories and experience -- are captured and documented during your life and cared for over the generations to come.
Transparency in our process, and our fees … all of which are flat fees, agreed to in advance, based on your choices and with no surprises, ensuring we stay on the same side of the table - supporting you to make a lifetime of great decisions - every step of the way.
Our systems help you get clear and organized, overcoming the exact issues that keep most estate plans from actually working when they are needed most. We help you leave your family with a gift of love, and not a mess.
One-and-done estate plans focused only on money are a recipe for a big mess. We help you throughout every stage of life and be there for the people you love, when you can’t be.
Complete the form below to reach out and schedule your 15-minute discovery call.