Maria Gaydos is an Of Counsel attorney at Reed Longyear. Maria focuses her practice on probate and trust litigation and estate planning. Licensed to practice law in Washington and Hawaii, Maria works with clients in both states to resolve complex estate litigation and to plan for a meaningful legacy.
No one wants to take trust and estate matters to court, but sometimes this is a necessary step in estate administration. Maria Gaydos is a practical litigator and believes in identifying all the issues and applying creative problem solving to develop a litigation strategy that minimizes conflict whenever possible. Maria has five years of experience in estate litigation and will give you a fair idea of whether your claim is worth pursuing, and how to accomplish your goals, given the intricacies of Washington law.
Maria is also passionate about helping families and individuals create comprehensive estate plans. A background in litigation makes Maria Gaydos uniquely qualified to help families plan their estates in such a way as to avoid disputes whenever possible. This means a two-fold approach that is:
- Targeted and precise. Maria will craft your estate plan to take advantage of available tax exemptions and account for future needs of family and friends, while avoiding overly burdensome or costly strategies. The goal is to leave your estate in the hands of the people and entities you are passionate about and to structure administration in such a way that it does not suck up the estate’s funds or create extra work for your loved ones with diminishing returns.
- Holistic and creative. Estate planning does not happen in a void. It’s important to learn the intricacies of your family dynamics and to craft a plan that hopefully brings your family closer together and accounts for any unique circumstances. An Estate plan is as much an important tool for legal purposes as it is an opportunity to mend rifts and leave your loved ones with a final meaningful gesture.
In her spare time, Maria Gaydos is an active member of the Washington State Bar Association Real Property Probate and Trust Division, currently serving a two-year term as the Probate and Trust fellow. Maria is also an avid potter and plant enthusiast. She enjoys camping with her family on their converted school bus and hiking throughout the Pacific Northwest. Maria also loves art, traveling abroad and learning new languages. She has good conversational Spanish and is presently learning German.
Speaking Engagements
- “How and Why to Encourage Philanthropy”, Co-Presenter, Washington State Bar Association Midyear, June 2023