Steven A. Widdes

Steven A. Widdes co-chairs the firm's Estate Planning and Estate/Trust Administration practice groups, and concentrates his practice in the corporate, tax, business and estate planning and administration areas.

Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Widdes was an attorney with the national office of the Internal Revenue Service (Estate and Gift Tax Branch), working in its Rulings (1978-1980) and Projects Sections (1980-1981). He also was the director of Legacy Development for the B'nai B'rith Foundation of the United States from 1976-1978.

A frequent lecturer and author, Mr. Widdes has participated in numerous programs sponsored by the Montgomery -Prince George's County Continuing Legal Education Institute, speaking on such topics as Post-Mortem Estate Planning, Tax Planning for the Practitioner, New Income Tax Laws and Estate Planning. He has spoken to local tax groups on Estate Planning with IRA distributions and lectured before the Georgetown University/D.C. Bar Association Estate Planning Program--serving as that program's chairman for five years--and to several law school classes. Mr. Widdes has also lectured for the Maryland Institute for Professional Education of Lawyers on a variety of subjects including Advanced Estate Planning, Use of Trusts in Estate Planning, Post-Mortem Income Tax Traps for Estates and Trusts, Law School for the Public on Estate Planning and Administration, Tax Planning for the Practitioner and the Tax Program for the MSBA's Annual Convention. He also has lectured for Suburban Hospital on "Preparation for a Hospital Entrance" (2006-2007) and "Vehicles to Fund Childrens' and Grandchildrens' Education" (2006).

Honored as a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and nationally accredited as an estate planner, Mr. Widdes has been chosen one of the Top Lawyers in America (2005-2007). He also has been recognized by both The Legal Times and Washingtonian Magazine as one of the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area's top trusts and estates attorneys.

An active participant with many community organizations, Mr. Widdes is a past co-chair of the Hebrew Home of Greater Washington's Planned Giving Committee and a current member of that facility's Board of Governors. He also serves on the Deferred Giving Committee for Suburban Hospital.

Mr. Widdes received his B.A., with honors, from Drake University, his J.D. from Drake University Law School and his Masters of Law in Taxation from Georgetown University Law Center. He is a member of the Maryland bar who formerly served as a member of the MSBA Estates and Trusts Section Council and as chairman of that group's Taxation Section. He also belongs to the Minnesota and District of Columbia Bars, the American Bar Association (Section of Taxation) and the District of Columbia Estate Planning Council.

Education

LL.M. in Taxation, Georgetown University Law Center, 1981
J.D., Drake University Law School, 1976
B.A., With Honors, Drake University, 1973

Speeches and Presentations

Lecturer at numerous forums, Estate Planning with IRA Distributions, 1998-2007

Lecturer, Vehicles to Fund Childrens' and Grandchildrens' Education, Suburban Hospital, 2006

Lecturer, Planning for a Hospital Stay, Suburban Hospital, 2006-2007

Lecturer, Post-Mortem Income Tax Traps for Estates and Trusts, 2001–2002, 2006

Lecturer, Estate Planning, Montgomery County-Prince George's County Continuing Legal Education Institute, 1998-2003

Lecturer, Use of Trusts in Estate Planning, Maryland Institute for the Professional Education of Lawyers, 1991-2000

Lecturer, Estate Planning and Administration, Law School for the Public, 1996-1999

Lecturer, Advanced Estate Planning, Maryland Institute for the Professional Education of Lawyers, 1994-1999

Lecturer, Georgetown University/D.C. Bar Association Estate Planning Prog.1987-1998

Lecturer, Tax Planning, Maryland Institute for the Professional Education of Lawyers, 1991 & 1997

Lecturer, Use of GRITS and GRATS, Maryland Institute for the Professional Education of Lawyers, 1994-1996

Lecturer, Post-Mortem Estate Planning, Montgomery -Prince George's County Continuing Legal Education Institute, 1990-1991

Passing the Torch, Tax Program for Annual Convention for Maryland State Bar Association, 1989

Lecturer, New Income Tax Laws, Montgomery -Prince George's County Continuing Legal Education Institute, 1986

Lecturer, Tax Planning for the Practitioner, Montgomery -Prince George's County Continuing Legal Education Institute, 1985

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