Michelle Jacobs Chapin

Principal, Paley Rothman

10+ Years of Experience

Michelle Chapin, a member of the firm’s Estate Planning, Estate & Trust Administration, Tax and Corporate practice groups, advises individuals, families and small business owners regarding their estate and gift planning needs. Recognized as a Top Trusts and Estates Lawyer in Washingtonian magazine, Michelle excels at providing clients with easy to understand explanations of intricate legal and tax matters. She works closely with her clients to create comprehensive and customized estate and business succession plans to achieve their tax and non-tax wealth preservation objectives. She also helps clients implement lifetime gifting and post-mortem wealth transfer strategies and counsels fiduciaries on estate and trust administration matters. Michelle focuses a part of her practice on estate planning for clients with international issues, including estate, gift and other tax concerns of non-U.S. citizens, U.S. citizens with non-U.S. citizen spouses, and U.S. citizens owning property abroad. When she’s not being interviewed by the Wall Street Journal or speaking to various groups in the DC metropolitan area, Michelle enjoys traveling and spending time with her husband and 2 children.
Prior to joining Paley Rothman, Michelle practiced for several years at a law firm in Northern Virginia where she assisted clients with gift, estate and generation-skipping transfer tax planning as well as probate.

Estate Planning
Guardianship & Conservatorship Estate Administration, Health Care Directives, Trusts, Wills
Tax Law
Business Taxes, Criminal Tax Litigation, Estate Tax Planning, Income Taxes, International Taxes, Payroll Taxes, Property Taxes, Sales Taxes, Tax Appeals, Tax Audits, Tax Planning
District of Columbia
District of Columbia Bar
Placeholder image for jurisdictions.
Languages

  • English:
    Spoken, Written

Principal
Paley Rothman

Current

Georgetown University Law Center
Certificate | Estate Planning
Honors: With Distinction, Dean’s List
Georgetown University Law Center Logo
Georgetown University Law Center
LL.M. (2011) | Taxation
Honors: With Distinction, Dean’s List
Georgetown University Law Center Logo
American University Washington College of Law
J.D. (2005)

2005

American University Washington College of Law Logo
University of Florida
B.A. (2002)
Honors: With Honors
University of Florida Logo
Top Estate Lawyers (Rising Stars)
Bethesda Magazine
2018
“Rising Stars”
Maryland Super Lawyers
2018
“Rising Stars”
Washington D.C. Super Lawyers
2018
“Washington’s Best Lawyers,” Trusts and Estates
Washingtonian Magazine
2017
Best Law Firms
U.S. News & Best Lawyers
– Tier 2 National Ranking for Trusts & Estates – Tier 1 Metropolitan (D.C. area) Ranking for Trusts & Estates
Virginia State Bar

Member
Current
Placeholder image for professional associations.
Maryland State Bar

Member
Current
Placeholder image for professional associations.
District of Columbia

Member
Current
Placeholder image for professional associations.
United States Supreme Court

Current
Placeholder image for professional associations.
Washington D.C. Estate Planning Council

Professional Development Committee – Co-Chair – Program Committee – Golf Tournament Committee
Current
Placeholder image for professional associations.

nternational Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP-USA)

Member
Current
Placeholder image for professional associations.
Fairfax County Bar Association

Member
Current
Placeholder image for professional associations.
Montgomery County Bar Association

Member
Current
Placeholder image for professional associations.

Websites & Blogs

Website
Paley Rothman

Paley Rothman
4800 Hampden Lane
6th Floor
Bethesda, MD 20814
US
Telephone: (301) 656-7603
Fax: (301) 654-7354