Farr Law Firm in Baltimore: Elder Law Planning with Flat-Fee Wills and Powers of Attorney
Farr Law Firm is a solo elder law practice in Baltimore focused on estate planning documents and end-of-life decision-making for older adults and their families. The firm handles wills, revocable living trusts, powers of attorney, healthcare directives, and beneficiary reviews, with a pricing model built around flat fees rather than hourly billing.
What this practice actually does
Elder law in Baltimore is largely handled through general estate planning firms, probate attorneys, or elder law specialists nested within larger practices. Farr Law Firm operates as an independent shop, meaning the attorney works directly with clients rather than routing matters through a larger firm structure. The practice does not handle litigation, Medicaid planning, conservatorships, or long-term care placement, which narrows its scope but allows focus on foundational documents that most older adults need: a will, a trust if assets or family complexity warrant one, powers of attorney for financial and healthcare decisions, and living wills.
The firm's anchor product is a packaged approach to these core documents. Rather than hourly billing, which can feel open-ended to clients anxious about legal costs, Farr Law quotes a single price for a complete estate plan, adjusted for complexity. This differs from larger estate planning firms in Baltimore, which often bill hourly and may encourage clients to add features (supplemental needs trusts, charitable planning, irrevocable insurance trusts) that increase cost and timeline.
Services and pricing
Farr Law Firm publishes flat fees for standard bundles. A basic will with financial power of attorney and healthcare directive runs approximately $800 to $1,200, depending on whether the client has minor children, significant debt, or contested family relationships that require detail. A revocable living trust package, which avoids probate and provides privacy after death, typically costs $1,500 to $2,200 if the estate is straightforward (under $500,000 in assets, no blended family, no real property outside Maryland). More complex situations—multiple properties, business interests, or beneficiaries with special needs—are quoted individually.
These prices sit below the average for Baltimore estate planning: general practitioners in the region charge $1,500 to $3,000 for a will and trust package on an hourly basis, which can stretch if the attorney charges $250 to $350 per hour and discovery or revisions extend the engagement. Farr Law's flat-fee model appeals to clients who want transparency and no surprise invoices, though it assumes the client knows their own situation clearly and does not need extensive consultation to arrive at decisions.
The firm does not handle Medicaid planning, which typically requires trust structures designed to preserve assets while qualifying a client for long-term care coverage. If a Baltimore resident needs to plan for potential nursing home costs while protecting a spouse's inheritance, Farr Law will refer that work to a Medicaid-focused elder law attorney, usually in the same fee range but with additional complexity charges.
How it compares to other Baltimore elder law options
Baltimore has several tiers of elder law and estate planning providers. At the low-cost end, online legal document services such as LegalZoom or Nolo offer DIY wills and powers of attorney for $50 to $300, but these templates do not account for Maryland-specific rules (such as notice requirements for healthcare directives or the interaction between wills and revocable trusts) and offer no attorney review or guidance if family conflict or unusual assets exist.
Mid-market firms include boutique estate planning practices like Ehrlich Pollack PLLC and Belsky, Weiser & Associates, both in Baltimore, which offer flat-fee packages similar to Farr's but within larger practices that house probate or litigation attorneys. These firms charge comparable prices but provide access to specialists if a dispute arises after death or if estate administration turns contentious.
High-complexity planning, including Medicaid preservation and multigenerational wealth strategies, is handled by firms such as Venable LLP and Miles & Stockbridge, which serve high-net-worth clients and charge hourly rates of $300 to $500 per hour, often with retainers of $5,000 to $10,000 for comprehensive plans.
Farr Law Firm suits clients who have modest to middle-class estates, know broadly what they want (a will or trust, decision-makers named), and value speed and cost certainty over extensive handholding or specialist input. It does not suit clients who are unsure whether a trust is necessary, who have multiple properties across states, who need to coordinate tax and Medicaid strategy, or who anticipate family disagreement over the plan.
Who this practice suits and who it does not
Farr Law Firm is built for Baltimore residents age 55 and older with estates under $500,000, no minor children at the time of planning, and no special needs beneficiaries. Clients who have already decided they want a will and powers of attorney and need those documents drafted correctly under Maryland law will find a straightforward process and final cost. Married couples who want each spouse to have a matching estate plan often work with Farr Law; the firm frequently discounts a second plan when done in tandem.
The practice is not suitable for clients who have never done any estate planning and need education on whether a trust, a will, or both make sense. It is also a poor fit for Baltimore residents with complex family structures (blended families, estranged heirs, beneficiaries with mental illness or addiction), because the flat-fee model does not budget time for lengthy consultation about how to structure gifts or how to manage conflict.
What the first visit involves
Farr Law Firm conducts initial consultations by phone or video, usually 30 minutes at no charge. The attorney asks about marital status, children, significant assets (home, retirement accounts, business interests), and whether the client has documents already in place. This conversation determines the fee tier and timeline.
If the client decides to proceed, Farr Law sends a detailed questionnaire to be completed at home. The client returns it by email, and the attorney prepares a draft plan. The client reviews the draft, provides written feedback, and typically has one revision call. The final documents are signed at the firm's office in Baltimore (remote signing is available for clients outside the area, though not all states accept notarized remote signatures on powers of attorney, so Maryland clients are usually asked to sign in person).
The entire process from initial consultation to signed documents takes 4 to 6 weeks for a straightforward will or power of attorney. Trust plans take 6 to 8 weeks because they involve more drafting and often require a second revision round.
Hours, location, and logistics
Farr Law Firm operates from a single office in Baltimore, with hours Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The firm does not appear to have published its exact street address online, so prospective clients will need to call or email for the location and parking details. The practice accepts payment by check or credit card, and a retainer is due at the time of engagement (typically half the flat fee, with the remainder due when documents are signed).
Elder law in Baltimore is underserved by sole practitioners; most elder law work flows through probate departments at larger firms or through general practitioners who dabble in estate planning. Farr Law Firm's flat-fee structure and focused scope address a real gap for Baltimore residents who want a straightforward, affordable estate plan without the overhead of a large practice.
