Business Details
10 Years
experience
Trusted Legal Representation for Your Legacy in Maryland
King Hall is a dedicated legal practice committed to providing trusted representation in estate planning, guardianship, and litigation matters. With over 35 years of combined experience, our team prioritizes personalized strategies to protect clients' legacies while adhering to the highest standards of professionalism and compassion. We serve families, fiduciaries, and businesses across Maryland, offering tailored solutions informed by extensive courtroom expertise.Our mission centers on delivering peace of mind through practical legal counsel, ensuring clients' wishes are honored and assets preserved. Recognized as thought leaders, we combine creative problem-solving with a deep understanding of estates, trusts, and fiduciary responsibilities.
Services
Guardianship
Estate Litigation
Trust Administration
Appeals
Fiduciary Representation
Probate Process
Business Litigation
Details
- Year established: 2016
Highlights and features
- 35+ years of combined legal experience in estates & trusts
- Personalized strategies for complex guardianship cases
- Extensive courtroom advocacy success in Maryland courts
- Compassionate approach to family-centered legal matters
- Recognized thought leaders in estate planning education
What people say
Expertise in their field
Peace of mind
Thorough explanations
Successful outcomes
Compassionate approach
Services
Guardianship
Our team represents petitioners, respondents, and interested parties in guardianship matters involving elderly adults, disabled individuals, and minors. We guide clients through contested proceedings while advocating for appointment as guardian of person/property. With courtroom experience handling jury trials and appellate arguments, we protect vulnerable individuals while respecting legal rights throughout Maryland.
Estate Litigation
We resolve conflicts arising from will contests, trust disputes, and fiduciary misconduct. Our attorneys handle claims involving undue influence, incapacity, and financial mismanagement. With specialized knowledge of Maryland probate procedures, we represent beneficiaries, trustees, and executors in complex estate litigation matters requiring strategic courtroom advocacy.
Estate Planning
Our customized estate plans incorporate wills, trusts, and advanced directives to protect assets and ensure client wishes are honored. We specialize in business succession planning, special needs trusts, and tax-efficient strategies while preparing clients for incapacity through durable powers of attorney and medical directives.
Appellate Practice
We handle appeals in guardianship, estate, and trust matters before Maryland appellate courts. Our team prepares appellate briefs, manages trial court record assembly, and presents oral arguments. With reported opinions in significant cases, we leverage collaborative strategy to challenge or defend lower court decisions.
Fiduciary Representation
We counsel fiduciaries on administrative responsibilities while representing guardians, trustees, and personal representatives in litigation. Our attorneys handle accounting disputes, removal proceedings, and breach of duty claims. We also serve as court-appointed fiduciaries managing complex estates and trust distributions.
People
Barrett R. King
Member Attorney
Specializes in guardianship and trust litigation with extensive trial experience. Admitted to US Supreme Court and Maryland federal courts. Former president of Womens Law Center of Maryland. Recognized in Super Lawyers for estate matters.
David A. Hall
Member Attorney
Focuses on fiduciary litigation and business law. Serves on Howard County Estate Planning Council. Former Ellicott City Partnership president. Handles appellate cases before Maryland courts and US Tax Court.
Kelly Raynaud
Associate Attorney
Summa cum laude law graduate with mediation expertise. Represents fiduciaries in litigation matters. Active in Maryland Womens Bar Association. Combines MBA experience with legal practice in trust and guardianship cases.
Tony Pasciuto
Associate Attorney
Elder law specialist since 2017. NAELA member with experience in Medicaid planning and estate documents. Former assistant public defender with civil litigation background in Maryland courts.
Jake Martin
Associate Attorney
Focuses on guardianship proceedings and fiduciary matters. Pursuing LL.M. in estate law at American University. Former Oklahoma Law Review editor with international law briefing experience for US State Department officials.
Questions
What distinguishes guardianship from custody?
While similar, guardianship typically involves non-parental authority over minors or incapacitated adults, whereas custody relates to parental rights. Guardianship of property manages financial matters for those under legal disability.
How can I contest a will in Maryland?
File a caveat within six months of personal representative appointment. Grounds include lack of capacity, undue influence, or improper execution. Our attorneys handle contested estates with contested hearings.
What happens if someone lacks capacity to make legal decisions?
Guardianship proceedings may be initiated to appoint decision-makers for personal care or financial matters. We represent petitioners and respondents in capacity determinations before Maryland courts.
How does the appeals process work for estate cases?
File notice of appeal within 30 days of trial court decision. Appellate briefs are submitted to Maryland Court of Special Appeals with potential oral arguments. Our team manages complex appellate procedures.
What documents should comprise a complete estate plan?
Basic plans include wills, revocable trusts, powers of attorney, and medical directives. We customize plans considering business succession, tax implications, and special needs trust requirements.
