Law Office of William F. Kelley
Law Office of William F. Kelley is committed to representing the interests of our clients. We have an ever-expanding scope of practice designed to meet those interests and needs. The practice is a boutique, trusted legal resource focusing on all aspects of legal readiness for today’s families. We concentrate on estate planning and small business formation.
We are experienced in the special needs and circumstances for military, U.S. government, and first responders. Located in Northern Virginia, we meet clients where they are.
William Kelley is licensed and a member of the bars in Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. He brings experience, sound legal counseling, and connections to the community. He is accessible to anyone seeking to put their affairs in order or begin a new business endeavor.
William F. Kelley, Esq., spent more than 35 years in the service of the U.S. Government.
He joined the U.S. Air Force in 1986, specializing in Warsaw Pact intelligence analysis.
After the Air Force, he transitioned to civil service.
Bill received a commission in the U.S. Army Reserves as a JAG officer in 1998 and deployed several times, providing legal support in military intelligence, military justice, administrative law, legal assistance, and other disciplines. He developed expertise in estate planning for service members readying for deployment.
Bill’s government work in the Intelligence Community included expertise in intelligence collection, joint programs, intelligence law, investigations and oversight, and program management. He has consulted to government agencies in data management, classification management, policy development, and enforcement regulations.
He is retired from the Army and civil service.
Bill has a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts with a minor in Slavic studies from the State University of New York. He earned a juris doctor from the Columbus School of Law, Catholic University of America, where he received the Dean’s Award.
He is a member of the Maryland, Virginia, and District of Columbia bars. He’s also a member of the bars of the U.S. Supreme Court, Court of Appeals for Armed Forces, and Army Court of Criminal Appeals.
His volunteer efforts include his local faith community, the Maryland Family Law Clinic, legal services to area nonprofits, and CASA in Southern Maryland. Bill has two grown children and lives in Reston, Virginia, with his wife, Barbara.
Areas of Practice
-
Comprehensive Estate Planning
-
Corporation and Limited Liability Entity Formation
-
Family Business Succession Planning
-
Public Charity and Private Foundation Charters
-
General Counseling
-
Legal Assistance
We offer evening and Saturday hours as well as onsite meetings. You’ll find our fixed-fee and hourly rates to be among the most reasonable in the area.
Estate Planning
Our philosophy is to guide you through the process of creating or revising wills, trusts, and more. We assist families following the death of a loved one to ensure an efficient and smooth transfer of assets to the appropriate beneficiaries.
Estate planning legal services include document portfolio development, probate, trust and estate administration, and small business succession planning.
Estate Planning portfolios include an emphasis on accomplishing your desired outcome:
-
Formation of living trusts designed to avoid probate, take advantage of estate tax exemptions, and preservation of family and personal privacy
-
Drafting of wills, durable powers of attorney for asset management
-
Health care directives to create a viable in-place plan including living wills, health care powers of attorney, and organ donation
-
Formation of irrevocable Life Insurance Trusts, Qualified Personal Residence Trusts, and family wealth transfers to grandchildren and more remote descendants using Generation-Skipping Transfer Trusts and Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts
-
Lifetime gifting strategies
-
Charitable planning, which may include charitable remainder trusts, charitable lead trusts, and private foundations
-
Special needs planning and trusts
-
Counsel to trustees, executors and beneficiaries
-
Succession planning for family enterprises
Business Formation
We strive to help nascent and thriving businesses achieve an organizational structure necessary to support current operations and future expansion while managing risk and protecting personal assets.
We guide new businesses through the process of formation and registration to ensure that the form of business entity (corporation, partnership, limited liability company, etc.) is well suited to its financing, management style, tax profile, risk tolerance, and equity group relations. We serve of-counsel to startups and established businesses about the key considerations behind business formation, creation of subsidiaries, restructuring, and succession planning.
When it comes to business formation, we work with you to analyze appropriate entity structure including Sole Proprietorship, Partnerships, Limited Liability Companies, and Family Limited Partnerships and take all necessary steps to ensure your operational capability in the quickest timeframe.
We ensure estate planning considerations for your sole proprietorships and family business situations are reflected in your organizational documents and drive the formation of a family limited partnership or Family LLC.
Probate and Trust Administration
Probate is the court-supervised proceeding whereby final debts are managed and a decedent’s personal and real property is transferred to heirs and other beneficiaries. Probate takes place in the county of the decedent’s legal residence at the time of death and is overseen by the court’s probate division and Commissioner of Accounts.
Probate counsel assists executors, agents and trustees with the legal technicalities of estate administration and provides counsel regarding current law and provides help in completing procedures.
Elder Law
Your legal preparation as you age is of critical importance. Our goal is to advise and ensure you have all the necessary pieces in place to secure a comfortable and comprehensive set of instructions for you and your loved ones. We review the legal concerns for an aging population that include planning for end-of-life, taxes, special needs, medical instructions, guardianship/conservatorship, estate and trust administration, and more.
Advance planning as you age will guarantee that not only do you have a comfortable and secure future, but that your family, loved ones, and advisors have all the necessary information to carry out your desires.
The Kelley Advantage
1
Personalized Attention
At W. F. Kelley Law, we are dedicated to providing personalized legal services tailored to meet your specific needs. Our core values revolve around trust, integrity, and the highest standards of service.
2
Efficiency and Accuracy
Our focus on efficiency and accuracy ensures that each case is conducted with meticulous attention to detail. We strive to offer reliable, detail-oriented services that guarantee the authenticity and legality of your documents.
3
Client-Centric Support
We are committed to offering client-centric support throughout the entire process. Our dedicated team provides personalized assistance and guidance, making the experience smooth and hassle-free for our clients.
4
Expert Services
Our team brings expertise and professionalism to every family or startup. With a deep understanding laws and regulations, we ensure that your documents are handled with the highest level of expertise and accuracy.