The Law Firm
The firm advises on estate planning, tax planning, trust administration and estate settlements between the United States and Western Europe, and acts as outside counsel to the US subsidiaries of European family businesses. Its offices are in Washington DC, Los Angeles and Munich.
Licensed in Germany and in the United States
All of the firm’s lawyers hold both a German and an Anglo-American law degree. The firm’s attorneys are licensed to practice law in Germany and in California, Virginia, Maryland and Washington DC. The firm has a federal tax practice, its tax return preparers are registered with the IRS, and it prepares German gift and inheritance tax returns in-house.
The United States has no notaries comparable to those of continental Europe, Louisiana and the civil-law notaries of Florida aside. On the American side the firm therefore drafts what a European notary would: wills, trusts, powers of attorney, company documents and lifetime transfers within the family. The corporate work for the US subsidiaries of European family businesses is done in-house.
On French matters the firm advises on the American side and on the two France-United States conventions. Questions of European law are handled by the client’s own advisers in the country concerned or, if needed, by advisers from the firm’s network; for family businesses, by the lawyers, notaries and tax advisers the company already works with.
The firm is led by attorney Caroline Esche Ashford, PhD, JD. A graduate of Columbia University Law School, her practice focuses on international estate planning and the cross-border taxation and administration of estates and trusts, including the US estates of nonresidents and distributions from US trusts to beneficiaries abroad. Dr. Ashford is also licensed to practice law in Germany. She advises in French and German as well as English.
| Founded | 2015 |
| Admissions | Germany; California, Virginia, Maryland, Washington DC |
| Tax practice | Federal tax practice; German gift and inheritance tax returns |
| Offices | Washington DC, Los Angeles, Munich |
| Publications | The Cross-Border Advisor Series, six books from December 2026; German-American Wealth Planning; Das deutsch-amerikanische Vermögen, two volumes |
| Languages | English, German, French |
| Matters | From USD 3 million; most between USD 20 million and USD 100 million |
The people who work on the files
The same team stands behind all of the firm’s websites. Each attorney’s profile names the jurisdictions in which he or she is admitted.
Matters the firm has handled
Residences in Germany and the United States
Administration on both sides with coordinated filings that preserved treaty and credit relief; open lifetime tax matters regularized in the same engagement.
American trusts with beneficiaries in Germany and France
Review of a revocable trust and several irrevocable trusts, advice on withholding and reporting for distributions abroad, and restructuring for beneficiaries in three countries.
A fraudulent codicil in a Washington DC estate
Challenge of a codicil that appeared during the administration of an estate of about USD 70 million, litigated for heirs in Germany to a satisfactory conclusion.
Continuity of a family business
Recognition and enforcement in the United States of a will that was defective in form, and defense against compulsory portion claims, so that the business passed as intended.
The compulsory portion of a disinherited daughter
Representation from the United States of a daughter excluded from her parent’s will, whose entitlement was secured.
Rental real estate, precious metals and vacation properties
German administration, coordination of the transfer of property in France, Switzerland and Austria with local counsel, and the US filings for American heirs.
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
What clients have written
Excerpts. All reviews are shown in full on the reviews page, each with its source. None was paid for or rewarded.
“We never could have handled any of this complicated process on our own.”
Michelle Ohlde · Google review, August 2026“She is very competent, reliable and a committed advocate for her clients.”
Anita K., Graz, Austria · Client testimonial, translated from German“She is extremely knowledgeable and was a joy to work with.”
Peter V., Bethesda, Maryland · Client testimonialHow an engagement works
- Initial consultation
The firm reviews the documents, identifies the questions that need an answer and sets out the scope of the work. Fees are quoted upon reviewing the scope of the initial consultation, and depend on the complexity of the matter. In estate planning matters the initial consultation fee is credited toward the flat fee for the plan.
- Flat fees for defined projects
Estate planning documents, treaty analyses and defined tax filings are carried out for a flat fee agreed before the work begins.
- Hourly fees for other work
Estate settlements, litigation, ongoing counsel to institutions and other open-ended work are billed by the hour, with an estimate at the outset.
German matters may be billed under the German Lawyers’ Remuneration Act (RVG).
- Citizenship and residence of the persons concerned
- The countries involved and the assets in each
- For an estate: the date of death and the documents received
- For an institution: the account type and the matter
Open positions
Avocat admitted in France
An experienced avocat admitted in France and in New York, California or Florida. The position may begin with up to a year in the Los Angeles office, followed by the Paris office the firm plans to open.
Read the position
Attorney admitted in Switzerland
A member of a Swiss bar, French or German speaking, and a member of the bar of New York, California or Florida.
Read the positionEach position has its own page with the requirements and the address for applications.