December 31, 2024 – Harrison LLP is thrilled to announce the opening of its Washington, D.C. office. As of January 1, the boutique D.C.-based private wealth law firm, Birchstone Moore, will officially combine and operate as part of Harrison LLP. Partners Sarah Moore Johnson, Laura L. Stone, and Meryl M. Mathews; Counsel Erin C. Galper and Lisa D. Westfall; and Associate Natasha D. McFarland will join Harrison LLP and continue to provide sophisticated estate planning, probate, transfer tax planning, and trust administration services to high-net-worth clients in Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. With this combination, Harrison LLP stands at nearly 100 lawyers focused on private wealth planning and related practices. The deal expands the firm’s reach to 10 locations with offices in Atlanta, Boulder, Chicago, Denver, Edwardsville, IL, Las Vegas, Naples, St. Louis, Springfield, IL and Washington, D.C.
Matthew Madsen, managing partner of Harrison, commented: “Our firm was founded on the vision of becoming the premier national private wealth law firm. As we continue to build out our services and capabilities, we were eager to expand our reach to the mid-Atlantic and the D.C. metropolitan area, in particular. Another key goal was to find excellent practitioners who are passionate about estate planning and who share our commitment to serving high-net-worth families with sophisticated wealth planning solutions. The lawyers at Birchstone Moore are off the charts when it comes to the caliber of advanced skills and experience the team brings. They really fit us like hand in glove.”
Birchstone Moore was launched in 2014 by co-founding partners Sarah Moore Johnson and Laura Stone who are respected leaders in the region’s estate planning community. Johnson currently serves on the board of trustees of the Greater Washington Community Foundation and previously served as president of the Washington D.C. Estate Planning Council. Stone is a past president and board director of the Estate Planning Council of Montgomery County and serves on the Washington, D.C. Estate Planning Council. Both women have been recognized by Washingtonian magazine as a Top Estate Lawyer.
In a joint statement, Johnson and Stone remarked: “The talent at Harrison is phenomenal and we are eager to introduce the firm to the D.C., Maryland and northern Virginia area. Harrison has built something very unique—a national law firm that provides the resources and administrative support of a large firm, but with a boutique feel when it comes to the specialization of practice. Like Birchstone Moore, Harrison excels at estate planning and administration, but it also provides complementary practice areas such as fiduciary litigation, split-dollar life insurance, special needs planning and family law. We are also excited about having expertise in other states, particularly Harrison’s Naples office, as many of our clients have residences in Florida. The combination is mutually beneficial for both firms, as well as the families we represent.”
Harrison was founded in 2003 to assist high-net-worth individuals and families in defining and achieving their private wealth goals. The firm has since become the nation’s premier trusts and estates firm with a deep bench of attorneys with the technical know-how and practical wisdom to help clients navigate the full range of private client issues, focusing on trusts and estates, charitable planning, tax matters, business succession, fiduciary litigation and family law cases. The firm’s clients include corporate executives, owners of closely held businesses, professional athletes, entertainers and non-profit organizations.
The firm has earned numerous accolades over the past two decades and was again ranked among the best private wealth law practices in Chambers High Net Worth Guide for 2024. The guide is the only legal ranking publication specifically aimed at the international private wealth market, gathering substantive feedback from clients and peers globally.
Harrison was also recently recognized in Best Lawyers’ 2025 edition of Best Law Firms® in the following practice areas: Trusts & Estates Law, Tax Law, Litigation – Trusts & Estates, Family Law, Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law.
With its combination with Birchstone Moore, Harrison will have 16 fellows of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel. The college elects lawyers and law professors to be fellows based on their outstanding reputation, exceptional skill and substantial contributions to the field by lecturing, writing, teaching, and participating in bar leadership or legislative activities.
About Harrison LLP
Harrison LLP is a national law firm that assists clients in defining and achieving their private wealth goals, delivering peace of mind through sophisticated and practical legal counsel. The firm stands at the forefront of estate planning, distinguished as one of the nation’s premier trusts and estates firms. Founded in 2003, Harrison offers unparalleled expertise and a track record of success with approximately 100 attorneys across 10 offices. The firm advises fiduciaries, families, and family offices on tax matters, asset structuring and succession planning. Clients who choose Harrison benefit from a highly personalized experience. Harrison doesn’t just plan estates; the firm secures legacies, protects assets, and provides peace of mind for generations to come.
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