Kelly, Emily

As the newest member of Morton McGoldrick, Emily brings a solid background of estate planning and elder law to the team.

Why did she choose to work at Morton McGoldrick?

“I wanted a small firm where I could know everyone,” she says. “I wanted to get to know people in-depth. And I didn't want to just be a cog in the machine, as can happen when you first start at a larger office.”

Before being hired at Morton McGoldrick, Emily attended Whitman College. There, she earned a B.A. with honors in sociology - as well as a minor in French, which took her to Paris for four months as part of her studies. What followed was a law degree from the University of Washington, where she’s now working on her tax LLM. She’s also IRS-certified to prepare personal income tax returns.

For real-world experience, after her first year of law school Emily externed with Chief Judge Whaley, U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Washington. Currently, she’s a member of the Pierce County division of Washington Women Lawyers.

Volunteer work is important to Emily. Through the United Way of King County Free Tax Preparation Campaign, she has assisted low-income individuals, persons with disabilities, and senior citizens prepare their personal income tax returns. Currently, she prepares estate planning documents pro bono for police officers and fire fighters as part of the Washington First Responders Will Clinic, a program by the Washington Young Lawyers Division.

“One thing that clients should know about me is that I have a lot of energy,” she says.

She must. This Puyallup resident is also the mother of three young children, including twin girls - hence, the membership in the Tacoma Parents of Multiples. She also enjoys quilting, playing with her Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, and cheering for the Seahawks.

“I love spending time with my family,” she emphasizes.

As for her growing career?

She smiles. “I enjoy helping all different types of clients with estate planning and elder law. But there are a lot more practice areas that I’d like to explore.”

Practice Areas:

     •     Elder law

     •     Estate planning

     •     Tax

Education:

     •     Whitman College, BA in Sociology, Honors in Major Field of Study, 2006

     •     University of Washington School of Law, JD, 2009

Admission:

     •    Washington State Courts, 2010

     •     United States District Court, Western District of Washington, 2010

Civic and Community Activities:

     •    Tacoma Parents of Multiples Member

     •     Pierce County Washington Women Lawyers State Board Representative 2011-12

     •     Tacoma-Pierce County Young Lawyers Section Member           

     •     Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association

     •     WSBA Elder Law Section Member

     •     WSBA Probate and Trust Law Member

     •     Tacoma-Pierce County Guardianship Committee

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