Jessica Aurelia Carr
Top rated Estate Planning & Probate attorney in Bellingham, Washington
North Sound Law Group
Practice Areas: Estate Planning & Probate, Tax
Licensed in Washington since: 2011
Education: University of California Davis School of Law
Selected to Rising Stars: 2019, 2022 - 2023 
Virtual Appointments North Sound Law Group
300 N Commercial StBellingham, WA 98225 Phone: 360-671-7700 Email: Jessica Aurelia Carr Visit website
Details
Jessica Aurelia Carr is an estate planning, probate, and trust attorney. Jessica provides compassionate, respectful counsel with an emphasis on clear and accessible explanations of legal issues that put clients at ease.
Jessica co-founded North Sound Law Group in 2023. She enjoys working with individuals and families, building long-term client relationships, and serving the community both in and outside of her practice. Jessica believes in the power of estate planning for peace of mind and ensuring dignity in times of crisis.
Jessica has exclusively practiced in estate planning, probate and trust since 2012, and was a partner at Barron Smith Daugert before co-founding North Sound Law Group. She previously authored and collaborated on numerous publications in diverse fields including law, policy, and organizational evaluation. Jessica currently serves as the Probate and Trust Council Director for the Real Property, Probate and Trust Section of the Washington State Bar, overseeing the Section's legislative activity and continuing legal education. In 2022, Jessica was selected to the Washington Rising Stars list published by SuperLawyers.
First Admitted: 2011, Washington
Professional Webpage: https://www.northsoundlaw.com/jessica-aurelia-carr
- President, Northwest Washington Estate Planning Council, 2024
- Washington State Bar Association, Real Property Probate and Trust Section, Secretary/Treasurer (2024-2025); Probate and Trust Council Director (2022-2024); Executive Committee member (2019-2021); Legislative Committee member (2018-present); Legislative Research Subcommittee member (2014-2016)., 2024
- Skagit County Bar Association member (2019 - present), 2019
- Whatcom County Bar Association, member (2019 - present), 2019
- Admitted to practice, United States District Court, Western District of Washington (2011), 2011
- Admitted to practice, Washington State (2011), 2011
- Southeast Seattle Senior Center, Board Member and Vice President (2014-2018), 2014
- Volunteer Law Clerk for TeamChild and Columbia Legal Services (2010-2012), 2010
- King County Bar Association Elder Law Clinic, Pro Bono Attorney (2012-2014), 2012
- Seattle Pacific University (B.A. magna cum laude, Psychology, and B.A. cum laude, Philosophy, 2005); Ashton Scholar Award Recipient, 2005
- University of California, Davis, King Hall School of Law (J.D. with honors, 2010); Recipient of Witkin Award for Academic Excellence; Sections Writer and Copy Editor, Journal of Juvenile Law and Policy, 2010
- University College Dublin, Ireland, Sutherland School of Law (International Law Program, 2009), 2009
- In this session, attorney Jessica Carr provides an overview of Washington’s estate tax and planning techniques. We will tackle issues facing practitioners at present, including potential changes to the estate exclusion amount, strategies to address estate tax such as bypass trusts, when to use disclaimers, QTIP elections, and more. You will come away with practical tips empowering you to advise clients effectively and holistically. , Speaker, Estate Planning and the Washington Estate Tax: Current Landscape and Practice Tips, Pacific Tax Institute, Washington Society of CPAs, Tax, Legal, 2023
- Overview of Washington’s estate tax, brief history, and present status Discussion of the inflation adjustment problem, as well as the proposed legislative “fix” and reform efforts from 2022 session Practical tips for practitioners, including: Strategies to address potential estate taxes, including use of trusts, charitable bequests, and lifetime gifting; Importance of considering all types of tax when planning; Issues related to out of state property – when a tax return is required, and how out of state apportionment is handled; Recent changes in treatment of LLCs Tax basis and QTIP elections., Speaker, Washington Estate Tax: Current Landscape and Practice Tips, Skagit County Bar Association and Washington State Society of CPAs, Law, Accounting/Tax, 2023
- Speaker, “Trusts 101,” National Business Institute CLE, Bellingham, Washington (July 2019), Speaker, Trusts 101, National Business Institute CLE, 2019
- “Powers of Attorney: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” Southeast Seattle Senior Center, Seattle, Washington (September 2018), Speaker, Powers of Attorney: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, Southeast Seattle Senior Center, 2018
- Brown, N., Brown, J., & Abbott, M. (2012). Washington State Bar Association 2012 Membership Study. TrueBearing LLC., Co-Author, Washington State Bar Association 2012 Membership Study, Washington State Bar Association, 2012
- Lee, M. & Colgan, B. (2011). Washington’s Three Strikes law: Public safety and cost implications of life without parole. Columbia Legal Services, Institutions Project., Contributor, Washington’s Three Strikes law: Public safety and cost implications of life without parole, Columbia Legal Services, 2011
Office location for Jessica Aurelia Carr
300 N Commercial St
Bellingham, WA 98225
Selections
- Rising Stars: 2019, 2022 - 2023