Family Law

• Guardianship
  The litigation of estate- and trust-related disputes is a particular area of focus within the litigation practice. Matters in this area include disputes over the validity, proper interpretation and administration of wills and trusts; fiduciary investments; fiduciary compensation; and complex guardianship issues. Our attorneys are well-versed in the distinct procedural rules and substantive law governing estate and trust disputes, and have been recognized as expert witnesses in the appropriate conduct and compensation of fiduciaries.

Business and Corporate Law

• Corporate Law
  Our business clients benefit from our “big picture” approach. At Furey, Doolan & Abell, we understand that legal advice must be closely aligned with a company’s strategic goals and objectives. Therefore, we work hand in hand with our clients to gain an in-depth understanding of their business, industry, and the economic climate in which they operate, then apply that knowledge to offer pragmatic advice and counsel.
• Business Disputes
• Business Transactions

Employment Law

• Employment Contract
  We a handle a wide range of complex as well as routine civil litigation, including cases involving family law and guardianship, business disputes, employment contracts, commercial transactions, construction and real estate contracts, commercial leases, and commercial landlord/tenant actions.
• Employment Litigation
  We assist our clients with general corporate, transactional, legal compliance, governance, dispute resolution, and tax matters. We actively participate in negotiating and drafting documents to support corporate transactions and general commercial contracts among businesses; resolving difficult commercial, corporate or employment disputes; assuring compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations; and managing and mitigating various business and liability risks. We also advise on business and individual tax planning, succession planning, and in resolving tax controversies with the IRS, and other tax authorities.
• Non-compete Agreement
• Severance Agreement
  We develop employment-related contracts, employee handbooks, employment policies and provide on-site training to leadership, supervisors, and other employees to help minimize risks and liabilities. We also work on non-solicitation, non-competition and severance agreements, and litigation arising from the same.

Property Law

• Real Estate Litigation
  Our attorneys have years of experience in corporate, employment, estate and trust, family, government, litigation and real estate law. All three of our named partners have served by gubernatorial appointment on various state commissions and task forces. Many of our lawyers have performed judicial clerkships, served in leadership roles with legal organizations, held faculty positions at law schools, or led continuing legal education programs. Our attorneys also give back to local communities through their involvement with a variety of charitable and civic organizations.
• Construction Litigation

Trusts and Estates

• Estate Planning
  Several of the firm’s estate planning attorneys were again recognized as among the best in the region by Washingtonian magazine Congratulations to Charles Abell, Mary Beth Beattie, Rachel Burke, and Phil O’Donoghue. Washingtonian compiles this list every other year by soliciting recommendations from other top attorneys in the field, and then following up with its...
• Wills
• Trusts
  We have extensive experience in the area of estate administration and routinely assist clients in the administration of estates in the courts of Maryland and the District of Columbia. We also regularly advise fiduciaries and beneficiaries on a wide array of trust administration matters, as well as family foundations and charitable trusts on matters ranging from creation to ongoing operations.  We also frequently represent clients in litigation in fiduciary matters, whether the issue is the validity or interpretation of an instrument or the proper conduct or compensation of the fiduciary.
• Power of Attorney
  We prepare wills, financial powers of attorney, and advance medical directives.  We are experienced in the establishment of family foundations and charitable giving plans. Our attorneys also frequently devise dynasty and unique financial trust vehicles designed to reduce or defer state and federal estate taxes.
• Probate

Finance Law

• Tax Law
  An example of transfer tax planning using IDGTs is an estate “freeze” transaction. In a simple estate freeze transaction, a grantor might transfer assets to such an IDGT by way of a taxable gift during his or her lifetime. The gift tax value is measured (“frozen”) at the time of the transfer, and any subsequent appreciation accrues to the trust (and ultimately the trust beneficiaries) without further gift or estate tax consequences, provided the trust is structured to avoid inclusion in the grantor’s gross estate.  Furthermore, as the deemed owner of the trust assets for income tax purposes, the grantor may satisfy the income tax liability of the trust out of the grantor’s separate assets, thereby preserving trust assets for the beneficiaries, without being treated as having made additional taxable gifts to the trust beneficiaries by reason of the tax payments. Finally, any transactions between the grantor and the trust (such as the grantor’s reacquisition of the trust corpus) are disregarded for Federal income tax purposes. Because grantors in these estate “freeze” structures often have annuity interests in trust assets, the trusts in these structures are commonly referred to as grantor retained annuity trusts.