Legal Solutions With Your Family In Mind

Attorney Mary L. Symons headshot

Mary L. Symons

Contact Me:

Practice Areas:

  • Estate Planning
  • Estate Administration
  • Trust Administration

Biography

Mary L. Symons received her J.D. cum laude from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law in 1990, where she was also elected to the Order of the Coif and the Thurston Honor Society. She also received the American Jurisprudence award in her Estates and Powers class. Ms. Symons served as a member of the Hastings Law Journal from 1988-1989, and as Associate Executive Editor from 1989 to 1990. A fifth-generation San Franciscan, Ms. Symons earned a B.S. degree (with honors) in Business Administration with an emphasis in accounting and finance, from the University of California, Berkeley in 1986.

After practicing for a few years in San Francisco, Ms. Symons attended New York University to obtain a Master of Laws in Taxation in 1994. While at NYU, Ms. Symons served as a research assistant to Guy B. Maxfield, during which time she assisted him in updating the 6th edition of the treatise, Federal Estate and Gift Taxation, by Richard B. Stephens, Stephen A. Lind, Guy B. Maxfield, and Dennis A. Calfee.

Ms. Symons has also served as a research assistant to the Honorable Isabella Horton Grant, Probate Judge for the Superior Court of California in and for the City and County of San Francisco, and as an extern for the Honorable Marcus A. Kaufman, Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court.

Ms. Symons was admitted to the California bar in 1990, and she is also admitted to practice before the United States Tax Court. Ms. Symons is a certified specialist in estate planning, trust & probate law - certified by the State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization. Ms. Symons was also awarded the very highest rating of AV® PreeminentTM by Martindale-Hubbell.

Ms. Symons served on the Board of Directors of the San Francisco Area Women Tax Lawyers for more than ten years, including several terms as President. Ms. Symons is also a past chair of the Probate and Trust Committee of the Barristers Club of the Bar Association of San Francisco.

She is currently a member of the State Bar of California (Estate Planning, Probate & Trust, Taxation, and Solo & Small Firm sections); the San Francisco Estate Planning Council; the Marin County Estate Planning Council; the Marin County Bar Association (Estate Planning, Probate & Trust section); and the American Bar Association (Real Property, Trust & Probate, Taxation, and Solo & Small Firm sections).

Education

  • University of California, Hastings College of the Law, San Francisco, California
    • J.D. - 1990
    • Honors: cum laude
    • Honors: Order of the Coif
    • Honors: Thurston Honor Society
    • Honors: American Jurisprudence Award, Estates and Powers Class
    • Honors: Law Journal: Hastings Law Journal, Associate Executive Editor, 1989 - 1990
  • New York University School of Law, New York, New York
    • Master of Laws (Taxation) - 1994
  • University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California
    • B.S. - 1986
    • Honors: With Honors
    • Major: Business Administration - Emphasis: Accounting and Finance

Bar Admission

  • California, 1990
  • U.S. Tax Court

Honors

  • AV® Preeminent™ by Martindale-Hubbell*

Past Positions

  • Honorable Isabella Horton Grant, Probate Judge for the Superior Court of California in and for the City and County of San Francisco, Research Assistant
  • Honorable Marcus A. Kaufman, Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court, Extern

Professional Associations

  • San Francisco Area Women Tax Lawyers, Board of Directors
  • Probate and Trust Committee of the Barristers Club of the Bar Association of San Francisco, Chair
  • State Bar of California, Estate Planning, Probate & Trust, Taxation, and Solo & Small Firm sections, Member
  • San Francisco Estate Planning Council, Member
  • Marin County Estate Planning Council
  • Marin County Bar Association, Estate Planning, Probate & Trust section
  • American Bar Association, Real Property, Trust & Probate, Taxation, and Solo & Small Firm sections

Certified Legal Specialties

  • Estate planning, trust & probate law, State Bar of California

Current Employment Position

  • Attorney