Letha Sgritta McDowell
Specializing in estate planning, asset protection, elder law, and special needs
Letha Sgritta McDowell is a highly accomplished attorney and shareholder at McDowell Law Group, specializing in various areas of elder law, including estate planning, special needs planning, estate and trust administration, asset protection planning, long-term care planning, personal injury settlement consulting, guardianships & conservatorships, and tax law. Her expertise ranges from assisting clients with complex estate planning for high-net-worth individuals with assets over $75 million to developing simple plans for families with limited assets.
Ms. McDowell has a distinguished professional background. She served as the President of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), a notable position within the field. In recognition of her exceptional knowledge and experience, she was appointed as a Fellow of the American College of Trusts and Estates Council in 2020. Additionally, McDowell holds certifications as an elder law attorney from the National Elder Law Foundation and as one of only twenty-three Board Certified Specialists in Elder Law by the North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization. Her expertise also extends to preparing and prosecuting claims with the Department of Veterans Affairs, as she is accredited for this purpose.
In 2023, McDowell was appointed as a Fellow of NAELA, further attesting to her esteemed reputation in the legal community. Her accomplishments in the field are remarkable, as evidenced by the fact that only three attorneys in North Carolina and six in Virginia hold this distinction.
She earned her JD from the University of Maine and a BA degree from Purdue University.
Letha Sgritta McDowell's extensive experience, professional affiliations, and noteworthy accolades make her an exceptional attorney in her areas of elder law specialization.
- University of Maine - School of Law
- J.D. (2004)
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- Purdue University - Purdue University
- B.A. (2001)
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- Wake Forest University
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- Visitng student to increase exposure to tax law
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- Attorney, Member
- McDowell Law Group, PLLC
- - Current
- Specializing in estate planning, elder law, estate and trust administration and special needs planning, including related tax advice and compliance for both North Carolina and Virginia residents.
- Subject Matter Expert and Consultant
- InterActive Legal
- - Current
- Act as a subject matter expert to provide guidance to software publisher supporting estate planning and elder law attorneys
- Attorney, Shareholder
- Hook Law
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- Attorney at Law
- Oast & Taylor PLC
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- Partner
- Oast & Hook
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- Elder Law Report
- Wolters Kluwer
- Special Needs Trust Handbook
- Wolters Kluwer
- Life Estates Revisited
- Quinnipiac Probate Law Journal
- Dead Celebrity Podcast – Marlon Brando: Loss of Capacity
- Wealthmanagment.com
- Protecting The Spouse of a Client Needing Long-Term Care
- Wealthmanagment.com
- 2024 NAELA Annual Conference, Boston, Massachusetts
- National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys
- The Language of Community Property in Estate Planning
- Planning Ahead, Preparing for the Expected and the Unexpected, Albemarle Commission Area Agency on Aging, Hertford, North Carolina
- Fellow
- National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys
- ACTEC Fellow
- American College of Trusts and Estates Council
- Certified Elder Law Attorney
- National Elder Law Foundation
- Board Certified Specialist in Elder Law
- North Carolina State Bar
- North Carolina Chapter of NAELA
- Board Member
- Current
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- VAELA
- member
- Current
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- American College of Trusts and Estates Council
- - Current
- Activities: Fiduciary income tax committee and elder law committee
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- North Carolina Bar Association
- Elder Law Council
- - Current
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- Hampton Roads Estate Planning Council
- Member
- - Current
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- National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys
- Past President
- - Current
- Activities: Past board member and member of the executive committee, including acting as NAELA President.
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- Virginia Bar Association
- Elder Law Council
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- Norfolk SPCA
- Board Member
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- North Carolina
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- Virginia
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- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Virginia
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- Elder Law
- Estate Planning
- Guardianship & Conservatorship Estate Administration, Health Care Directives, Trusts, Wills
- Tax Law
- Estate Tax Planning
- Asset Protection Planning
- Long-Term Care Planning
- Life Care Planning
- Estate and Trust Administration
- English: Spoken, Written
- Website
- McDowell Law Group
Hook Law Center
Andrew H. Hook has spent his career building an elder law firm with a quality reputation for taking care of it's clients. Providing exceptional client service is something that Andy Hook and his team of professionals demonstrate every day.
Veterans Benefits in Virginia - The Things You Need To Know
Attorney Letha Sgritta-McDowell discusses some of the key points on Veterans Benefits such as Quilifying for Benefits, Understanding the Structure of Benefits, Aid and Attendance, and Eligibility. If you have any other questions regarding VA Benefits feel free to reach out to us either on our website www.hooklawcenter.com or by phone at 757-399-7506.