Practice Areas

Estates, Trusts, and Probate

We work with you to ensure that your assets will pass only to the persons that you select, in the most expeditious manner and with the lowest cost. Is a revocable living trust appropriate for you? Just a simple will? We explain the benefits as well as the burdens. Financial powers of attorney, living wills, and advance directives for health care.

Estate administration and probate; we explain the process and work with the personal representative and executor to maximize the distributions to the family and minimize the cost.

Family Law 

Our firm handles all aspects of family law, including divorce, custody (including representation of children in contested custody matters), visitation, alimony, child support, property disposition, settlement agreements, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, enforcement and contempt, domestic violence, and step-parent adoption. In every family law case, we will always explain the available options to clients before they decide upon a course of action. Every case is different, and some cases are better suited to some resolution processes more than others.

We believe, however, that individuals have more control over the outcome of their family law cases when they are able to reach a resolution outside of the courtroom.  Accordingly, we make every attempt to help clients settle their cases using alternate forms of dispute resolution before going to court; e.g. negotiation, mediation, and collaborative practice. If the decision is made that litigation is the only/best recourse, we endeavor to represent our clients competently and effectively in that process.

In addition, Stephanie Fink is also a trained mediator who is frequently asked by other family law attorneys to mediate their cases.

Guardianship Law

Guardianships are often sought for persons with disabilities, and to a lesser extent, for minors who do not have parents who are able to serve as the guardians of their children. The Court may appoint a guardian of the person if that person’s disability prevents him/her from making or communicating responsible decisions regarding his/her person; e.g., decisions regarding medical treatment, where s/he lives, etc. The Court may appoint a guardian of the property if the disabled person has property that requires management and, due to disability, is unable to manage his/her financial affairs effectively.

We believe that guardianship matters involving disabled adults are in essence family law cases, “but they are family disputes in another corner of the family.”   Sometimes the dispute is over whether or not the individual needs a guardian, but more often, the dispute is over who should be the disabled person’s guardian. Both Barry Fierst and Stephanie Fink are known in Montgomery County as a highly experienced guardianship attorneys who have trained  and mentored other lawyers in this area of the law.

Disability

We provide legal services and counseling unique to the particular needs of the family with a child that has disabilities. Fierst & Fink, P.C., has over twenty years of experience working with families through the labyrinth of access and eligibility issues for public benefits, including the Developmental Disabilities Administration, the Social Security Administration, and other public services and supports.

Special needs trusts are our specialty. We tailor the appropriate trust to the specific needs of the family and the individual.

Elder Law

Our firm helps people plan how to pay for long term care and simultaneously preserve assets within the family; how to qualify for Maryland Medical Assistance Long Term Care (Medicaid); assisting with the Medicaid application process; How to keep the family home when one spouse needs long term care.