Our Attorneys

Mary Anne Vance

Senior Counsel

(206) 624-6271

Mary Anne Vance focuses her practice on estate planning, trusts, and probate law at Reed Longyear Malnati Corwin and Burnett.   She enjoys helping people find comfortable solutions to their estate planning and probate concerns.

Mary Anne Vance has represented a wide variety of clients, helping them organize their estates and care for their family members.  Estate Planning for blended families can be especially challenging for families wanting to be “fair” to children from a prior marriage.  Mary Anne offers surprisingly direct solutions to help parents care for both their earlier born children and their new spouse.

Mary Anne Vance is grateful that her clients give her the opportunity to help them at difficult times.  The passing of a loved one is one of life’s most difficult challenges. Mary Anne helps family members navigate probate laws, so that they can focus on what is most important to them.

Mary Anne Vance is the co-author of the Probate and Estate Planning chapters of Butterworth’s Washington Civil Practice Deskbook. She has chaired and spoken at many legal seminars sponsored by the Washington State and King County Bar Associations.  She was voted “Super Lawyer” by the readers of Washington Law and Politics Magazine, voted one of Seattle’s “Top Attorneys” by Seattle Magazine and voted a Top Lawyer and Super Lawyer in 2023 by Seattle Met Magazine.  Mary Anne graduated from Northwestern University School of Law in Chicago, Illinois.

Check out this wonderful profile on Mary Anne Vance written for the King County Bar Association Bar Bulletin.

Professional Associations & Memberships

Current:

  • Estate Planning Council of Seattle
  • King County Bar Association
  • Washington State Bar Association
  • Washington Women in Tax
  • Northwest Family Business Advisors

Past:

  • West Seattle-Fauntleroy YMCA – Board of Advisors
  • King County Bar Association – Board of Trustees
  • On the Boards – Board of Directors
  • Seattle Academy of Arts and Sciences – Endowment Committee
  • University Child Development School – Board of Trustees
  • Washington State Bar Association  – Executive Committee – Real Property, Probate and Trust Section
  • Washington State Limited Practice Board – by appointment of Washington State Supreme Court
  • Washington Planned Giving Council

Honors and Awards

  • Top Rated Lawyer by AVVO – 2022
  • The Best Lawyers in America©  for Trusts and Estates – 2012 to 2022
  • Washington Super Lawyers List – 1999 to 2025
  • AV® Preemient™ 5.0 out of 5 rating in Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™
  • Seattle Met Magazine Top Women Attorneys in Washington – 2020
  • Seattle Met Magazine Top Attorneys In Washington – 2015
Ms. Vance writes and speaks at Continuing Legal Education Seminars for attorney and for client groups on estate planning, trust, and probate matters.
  • Personal Estate Planning for the 99% – ‘Ethics and Estate Planning’ (Speaker, King County Bar Association,  April 27, 2022)
  • 17th Annual Probate Administration Seminar , (Speaker, King County Bar Association, November 19, 2021)
  • Personal Estate Planning for the 99% – ‘Ethics and Estate Planning’ (Speaker, King County Bar Association,  May 14, 2021)
  • 16th Annual Probate Administration Seminar , (Speaker, King County Bar Association, October 23,2020)
  • Client Seminar, “Financial and Estate Planning for your Retirement Years” (Speaker, January 22, 2020)
  • 2019 Annual Fall Probate and Trust Seminar (Speaker, Washington State Bar Association, December 11, 2019)
  • 15th Annual Probate Administration Seminar (Speaker, King County Bar Association, November 1, 2019)
  • Reed Longyear Client Seminar, “From Prenups to Probate”  (Speaker on probate law,  October 16, 2019)
  • Painless Estate Planning: It’s not Just for Rich People (Speaker, First Choice Health, May 17, 2019)
  • Personal Estate Planning for the 99% – Ethics and Estate Planning (Speaker, King County Bar Association, April 19, 2019)
  • Wills and Trusts (Speaker with Anton Cauthorn, King County Bar Association, March 28, 2019)
  • 14th Annual Probate Administration Seminar (Speaker, King County Bar Association, November 1, 2018)
  • Personal Estate Planning for the 99% (Speaker, King County Bar Association, April 19, 2018 )  “Ethics in Estate Planning” along with Jeanne Marie Clavere, Professional Responsibility Counsel, Office of General Counsel, Washington State Bar Association
  • 13th Annual Probate Administration (Speaker, King County Bar Assocation, October 23, 2017)
  • Probate Boot Camp (Speaker, National Business Institute, June 13, 2017)
  • Using Retirement and Insurance Assets for Planned Gifts (Speaker, Washington Planned Giving Council, May 2, 2017)
  • Ultimate Guide to Probate (Speaker, National Business Institute, December 2016)
  • Wills and Trusts (Speaker, King County Bar Association, December 2016)
  • Estate Planning and the Joy of Giving (Speaker, American Civil Liberties Union, August 2013)
  • When Death and Divorce Collide (Speaker, Washington State Bar Association, June 2013)
  • Preparing a Basic Estate Plan (Speaker, Washington State Bar Association, 2012)
  • End of Life Issues (Speaker, Senior Services of Seattle/King County, 2010)
  • Strengthening Your Estate Planning Practice (Seminar Chair, King County Bar Association, 2010)
  • Guardianship Procedures (Seminar Co-Chair, HEALTH Education Network, LLC, 2010)
  • What Everyone Should Know About the Array of Legal Documents and Procedures Available to Assist the Elderly(Speaker & Author, Washington Elder Law, 2009)
  • Closing Probate (Speaker, Washington State Bar Association Probate Boot Camp, 2009, 2010)
  • Protecting Your Money While Building Your Estate at Judson Park Senior Living. (Speaker, 2009)
  • Buying Together and Not Married? at Salmon Bay Community Lending – Family Finances Series. (Speaker, 2009)
  • What Everyone Should Know About the Array of Legal Documents and Procedures Available to Assist the Elderly(Speaker & Author, Washington Elder Law, 2008)
  • When Death and Divorce Collide: Cross-over Issues in Estate Planning and Family Law (Seminar Chair, Washington State Bar Association Continuing Legal Education Seminar, 2005)
  • Ethical Issues in Estate Planning Practice (Speaker & Author, Washington Ethics Advisory, Washington Law Institute Continuing Legal Education Seminar, 2000, 2001, 2004)
  • Real World Estate Planning: Estate Planning for the Mid-Sized Estate (Seminar Chair, Washington Law Institute Continuing Legal Education Seminar, 2002)
  • Estate Planning Involving The Nontraditional Family (Speaker, Washington State Bar Association Continuing Legal Education Seminar, 1997)
  • Developing A Business Plan For Your New Law Office (Speaker, Washington State Bar Association, 1995)
  • Things I Should Know But Am Afraid To Ask: Selected Issues In Real Estate Transactions (Speaker, Real Property Probate & Trust Mid Year Meeting, Washington State Bar Association Continuing Legal Education Seminar, 1994)
  • Financing and Lender Responsibility in Real Estate Transactions: A Borrower’s Perspective (Speaker & Author, Washington State Bar Association Continuing Legal Education Seminar, 1993)
  • Estate Planning Approaches for Middle Income Individuals and Families (Speaker & Author, Seattle King County Bar Association Continuing Legal Education Seminar, 1992, 1993)
  • Lender Responsibility In Real Estate Transactions: A Borrower’s Perspective (Speaker, Seattle King County Bar Association, 1991, 1992)
  • What To Tell Your Client When The Basement Floods, And More (Speaker, Seattle King County Bar Association, 1988)

Bar Admissions

  • Washington
  • Illinois
  • United States Supreme Court

Education

  • Northwestern University School of Law, Chicago, Illinois, J.D.
  • Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa, B.A.

Ready to schedule a consultation?

We are here to listen, guide and advocate for you.

Call: (206) 624-6271