Practice Areas: Wills & Estate Planning, Probate, Business Formation

Telephone: 
410-995-7719

Address:
1125 West Street,
Suite 200
Annapolis, Maryland  21401

Elsa W. Smith, Founder & Managing Member

Elsa W. Smith is the founder and managing member of the Law Offices of Elsa W. Smith, LLC, an estate planning law firm serving individuals, families, and business owners throughout Maryland and the District of Columbia. With nearly three decades of legal experience, Elsa brings a wealth of knowledge and practical insight to helping clients protect their assets, plan for the future, and preserve their legacies. Her work in estate planning and probate has earned her repeated recognition by Super Lawyers, including honors from 2021 through 2025.

Estate Planning, Probate & Business Formation

Elsa focuses her practice on wills and estate planning, probate, and business formation. She counsels individuals and families on creating comprehensive estate plans that reflect their wishes and protect the people they love. These plans may include wills, revocable living trusts, financial powers of attorney, and advance directives.

In addition to serving individuals and families, Elsa advises entrepreneurs and business owners on business formation and succession planning. Her goal is to help clients make informed decisions that protect what they have worked hard to build.

A Mission to Empower Women Through Estate Planning

The Law Offices of Elsa W. Smith, LLC is a proudly minority- and woman-owned law firm with a mission to Empower Women Through Estate Planning. Elsa understands that estate planning is about more than preparing legal documents. It is about making informed decisions, protecting financial security, and creating opportunities to change the generational narrative.

As a native Spanish speaker of Afro-Cuban descent, Elsa brings a distinctive perspective to her practice. She also understands the challenges and opportunities of entrepreneurship firsthand as a small business owner. These experiences inform her commitment to making estate planning accessible, practical, and meaningful.

Elsa earned her Bachelor of Business Administration and Juris Doctor from the University of Miami. She is a Class III graduate (2022–2023) of the ACTEC Mid-Atlantic Fellows Institute, a professional development program for estate planning attorneys. She is licensed to practice law in Maryland and the District of Columbia. Her firm’s principal office is located in Annapolis, Maryland.

Professional Leadership & Community Service

Elsa has a longstanding commitment to professional leadership, community service, and advancing the legal profession. In June 2026, she was elected President of the Arundel Black Bar Association. In this role, she leads the organization in serving the legal community and advancing the interests of Black attorneys and the broader community.

Her involvement with the Maryland State Bar Association (MSBA) includes several leadership positions. She currently serves a two-year term as one of the Vice Chairs of the MSBA’s Budget and Finance Committee. Additionally, she is serving her second term on the Estate & Trust Law Section Council.

Previously, Elsa served a two-year term as an at-large member of the MSBA Board of Governors, which concluded in 2026. She also served as Chair of the Estate & Trust Law Section’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee.

Beyond her MSBA leadership, Elsa has volunteered as an estate planning attorney with the Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland. She is also the former Vice President of the American Business Women’s Association – Maryland Capital Chapter. Furthermore, she is a member of the Anne Arundel County and Prince George’s County Bar Associations.

Media, Publications & Educational Outreach

Throughout her career, Elsa has shared her legal knowledge through appearances on radio, television, and internet programs, as well as in print publications. She believes that education is an important part of making estate planning more accessible and empowering individuals to take control of their futures.

To further that mission, Elsa created a YouTube channel featuring free educational information about wills, estate planning, probate, and business formation.

She is also the host of Wills, Women & Wealth with Attorney Elsa W. Smith, a podcast dedicated to educating and empowering women through conversations about estate planning, wealth preservation, and legacy building. You can listen to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.