Our Attorneys

Carla Calogero

Member

(206) 624-6271

Carla Calogero devotes her legal practice to estate and advance care planning, probate and trust administration, guardianships/conservatorships, and elder and special needs law.

Carla provides her clients an experienced, steady and compassionate hand – whether working with a client to create their individualized advance care and estate plan, guiding a client through complex trust and probate administration following the death of a loved one, representing persons involved in guardianship and conservatorship court proceedings, or counseling individuals and families navigating elder care, dementia, or disability issues.

Carla was selected to the Washington Super Lawyers list in 2024-2025 and was selected as a Washington Super Lawyers “Rising Star” in Elder Law in 2015-2020.

Carla is an active member of the Estate Planning Council of Seattle and Washington Women in Tax. She is a past Chair of the Elder Law Section of the Washington State Bar Association, and a current Chair of the Guardianship and Elder Law Section of the King County Bar Association. She has served continuously on the Executive Committees of the Elder Law Section of the Washington State Bar Association and of the King County Bar Association Guardianship and Elder Law Section for over thirteen years.

Carla has received over 90 appointments by the King County Superior Court to serve as Guardian ad Litem, court-appointed Attorney, or Special Representative for incapacitated persons and minors in guardianship/conservatorship, trust, probate and litigation matters.

Prior to becoming an attorney in 2010, Carla was a Seattle public high school biology  and genetics teacher, as well as a bioethics curriculum author and instructor.  She holds a Master’s degree in Bioethics from the University of Washington and a Master’s degree in Education from Western Washington University.

Professional Associations & Memberships

  • Seattle Estate Planning Council. 2017 – Present.
  • Washington Women in Tax. 2018 – Present.
  • Washington State Bar Association, 2009 – Present.
    • Elder Law Section
    • Real Property, Probate & Trust Section
  • King County Bar Association, 2009 – Present.
    • Guardianship and Elder Law Section.
    • Real Property, Probate & Trust Section.
  • National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, 2009 – Present.
  • Washington Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, 2009 – Present.

Honors and Awards

  • Washington Super Lawyers Selection – 2024
  • Washington Super Lawyers Rising Star Selection – 2015 to 2020
  • Washington State Bar Association Elder Law Section Executive Committee, 2011 to present.
  • King County Bar Association Guardianship and Elder Law Section Executive Committee, 2011 to present.
  • Sound Generations Board of Directors, 2016 – 2021, Emeritus 2021 to present.
  • Washington State Dementia Action Collaborative, Chair – Advance Care and Legal Planning Subcommittee,  2016 – 2020.
  • Lifetime Advocacy Plus Master Pooled Trust Investment Committee Member, 2014 – 2020.
  • Washington Working Interdisciplinary Network of Guardianship Stakeholders, Long Range Planning Committee,  2015 – 2018.
  • Washington State POLST Task Force,  2013 – 2018.
  • American Parkinson Disease Association Northwest Chapter Board of Directors, 2014 –2016.
  • Medical-Legal Partnership of Seattle University School of Law and Swedish Medical Center, Attorney Coordinator, 2010.
  • Harborview Medical Center Ethics Committee, 2005 –2008: attended committee meetings regarding ethics consultations, ethics education, and institutional policy; co-produced ethics education forums “The Perspectives of Guardians and Guardians ad Litem: When Treatment Decisions Go to an Outside Agency” and “Decisions About Withdrawing Life Support for Patients with No Legal Surrogate Decision Maker.”
  • “Let’s Talk About Death.” University Women’s Club. 2024.
  • “Advance Directives and End-of-Life Planning.” Guest Lecturer, Elder Law course, Seattle University School of Law. 2023.
  • “Voluntary Stopping Eating and Drinking to Hasten Death.” Family Resource Home Care. 2023.
  • “Topics in Elder Law and Advance Care & Estate Planning”. Seagen, Inc. 2022.
  • Mentor – Interactive Drafting Session. Estate Planning for the 99% Continuing Legal Education Program (“CLE”). King County Bar Association. 2021, 2022, 2023.
  • “Right to Counsel.” KCBA Inter-County Guardianship Guardian ad Litem Initial Certification. 2021, 2020, 2019.
  • “Legal Issues at the Heart of Serious Illness.” Co-Presenter with Lisa Brodoff. Rural Health Telehealth and Palliative Care Education. Washington State Office of Rural Health.
  • “Legislative and Case Law Update.” King County Bar Association Real Property and Probate Section. 2021.
  • “Uniform Guardianship, Conservatorship and Other Protective Arrangements Act.” Washington State Bar Association Real Property and Probate Section. 2020.
  • “Considerations in Individualized End of Life Planning.” Laird Norton Wealth Management and Reed Longyear Malnati & Ahrens Client Seminar: Estate Planning for Your 60’s and Beyond. 2020.
  • “Marshaling and Inventorying Estate Assets.” King County Bar Association 15th Annual Probate Administration CLE. 2019.
  •  “Advance Care and Estate Planning for Clients with Dementia – Ethical and Practical Considerations.” Estate Planning Council of North Central Washington. October 2019 “Considerations in Individualized End of Life Planning.”  King County Bar Association Real Property and Probate Section Meeting. 2019.
  • “Advising Clients in End-of-Life Planning.” Washington State Bar Association Real Property Probate and Trust Section Midyear Conference. 2018.
  • “The Guardian’s Considerations of End-of-Life Options in Washington State.” Washington Association of Professional Guardians Spring Conference. 2018.
  • “Guardianship in Washington State.” Swedish Family Medicine First Hill – Geriatric Fellowship Program. 2018.
  • “Planning for Dying – Legal, Ethical and Clinical Perspectives” CLE with Aging Wisdom®. Co-Presenter. 2018.
  • Selected Speaking Engagements 2010-2017
  • “Guardianships.” Co-Author. Chapter 10, Washington Lawyers Practice Manual. 2021.
  • “Fiduciaries.” Co-Author. Chapter 5, Estate Planning, Probate and Trust Administration in Washington State. Washington State Bar Association. 2020.
  • “Voluntary Stopping Eating and Drinking: A Way to Hasten Death as an End-of-Life Option.” Washington State Bar Association Real Property Probate & Trust Section, Spring 2018 Newsletter.
  • “A Durable Power-of-Attorney May be the Most Important Legal Document You Execute.”  Parkinson’s Pathfinder Winter 2014, Washington Chapter American Parkinson Disease Association.
  • King County Bar Association Family and Volunteer Guardian Handbook. Chief Editor. 2010
  • “Planning for Alzheimer’s Disease with Mental Health Advance Directives.”  Brodoff, Lisa, 17 Elder Law Journal 239 (2010). Research Assistant.
  •  “Lifting Burdens: Proof, Social Justice, and Public Assistance Administrative Hearings.” Brodoff, Lisa, 32 N.Y.U. Rev. L. & Soc. Change 131 (2008). Research Assistant.
  • King County Bar Association Elder Law Clinic, Attorney Volunteer, 2010 – 2015.
  • King County Superior Court Ex-Parte/Probate Department, Volunteer Attorney, Probate and Guardianship Review Calendars, 2010 – 2015
  • Washington First Responders Wills Clinic, Volunteer Attorney, 2010 – 2012.
  • Loren Miller Bar Association Estate Planning Clinic, Volunteer Attorney, 2011.
  • Eastside Legal Assistance Program, Bellevue, Washington, Volunteer Attorney.  2010 – 2012.
  • Seattle Community Law Center. Volunteer Attorney. 2010.
  • Victims of Crime Assistance, Senior Rights Assistance, Senior Services, Seattle. March 2010 –2010.

Bar Admissions

  • Washington, 2010
  • U.S. District Court, Western Washington

Education

  • Seattle University School of Law, J.D.
  • University of Washington, M.A.
  • Western Washington University, M.A.
  • University of Washington, B.A.

Ready to schedule a consultation?

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

Call: (206) 624-6271