Meet the Farr Law Firm Team

Evan H. Farr, Certified Elder Law Attorney

Evan H. Farr, Certified Elder Law Attorney
Evan H. Farr, Shareholder (Licensed in VA, MD, and DC)

In addition to being one of approximately 500 Certified Elder Law Attorneys in the Country, Evan is also a Charter Member of the Academy of Special Needs Planners and one of approximately 100 members of the NAELA Council of Advanced Practitioners, selected for this honor by his fellow practitioners who are members of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. A four-time Best-Selling author in the field of Elder Law and Estate Planning, Evan received his Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania in 1984 and his law degree from the College of William & Mary in 1987.  Evan has cared for several close family members who have struggled with mental illness and knows well the personal toll this can take on a family. Evan founded the Farr Law Firm in 1991 after working for four years for a small general practice firm in Fairfax. Evan is widely recognized as one of the leading Elder Law, Estate Planning, and Specials Needs attorneys in Virginia, DC, and Maryland, and one of the foremost experts in the country in the field of Medicaid Asset Protection and Medicaid Asset Protection Trusts. In addition to being one of approximately 500 Certified Elder Law Attorneys in the country (CELA certification is through the National Elder Law Foundation and approved by the American Bar Association; CELA certification being the legal industry’s “gold standard” for elder law and special needs practitioners), Evan has been selected by his peers as a CAP, which is a member of the Council of Advanced Practitioners of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. Evan has written articles for, been quoted by, or cited as an expert by numerous sources, including: the Estate Planning Journal; Estate, Tax and Personal Financial Planning; Trusts & Estates Magazine; The Washington Post; Newsweek magazine; Northern Virginia Magazine; The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the American Law Institute, and the American Bar Association, and has been featured as a guest speaker on television and numerous radio shows, including Fairfax County TV Channel 16, WTOP Radio, the TV Show Probate Nation, and Washington Post Radio. [Read more]

Sara Barr, Estate Planning and Estate Administration Attorney

Sara Barr, Shareholder (Licensed in VA, MD, and DC)
Like Evan, Sara attended the University of Pennsylvania, where she also earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology in 1992. Sara then received her law degree from American University’s Washington College of Law in 1997. Sara worked for other law firms in Estate Planning, Probate, and Trust Administration for many years before joining the Farr Law Firm in 2016. At the Farr Law Firm, Sara leads the Probate and Trust administration team for the firm and is also a senior member of our Estate Planning and Elder Law team. Sara lives in Great Falls with her two children, two dogs, and three cats. She enjoys hiking, reading, traveling, riding on roller coasters with her son, and cooking with her daughter.

Shamika Foster, Estate Planning Attorney

Shamika Foster, Attorney (Licensed in MD and DC)
Born in North Carolina, Shamika has lived the majority of her life in Montgomery County, Maryland. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in English Arts from Hampton University and then later obtained her law degree from George Washington University Law School. While attending law school, Shamika worked as a paralegal for several years at a Probate Firm in DC before starting at the Farr Law Firm in 2021. In her free time, she enjoys experimenting with vegan baking, traveling the world with her husband, and watching the Boston Celtics.

James Jaxtheimer, CPA, Of Counsel

James Jaxtheimer, Attorney (Licensed in VA, MD, and DC) and CPA
Jim has been a licensed Certified Public Accountant since 1994 and a tax attorney since 2004, and is licensed to practice law in Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia.

Jeannie Farr, Director of Client Services, Client Care Coordinator, and Patient Advocate

Jeannie wears many hats here at the Farr Law Firm.  As the Director of Client Services, she is the main point of contact for all clients and ensures that all of our clients are always happy with our services. As our Client Care Coordinator and Patient Advocate, Jeannie, who has a Certificate in Gerontology from Piedmont Virginia Community College, helps our clients who need long-term home care obtain the best placements available while helping them maintain their highest possible level of psycho-social well-being. Before running the Farr Law Firm, Jeannie spent over 25 years in the hospitality industry, serving as the Director of Food and Beverage for several restaurants, hotels, and private clubs. She then joined the Farr Law Firm in 2009, after developing a passion for helping the elderly while taking care of her elderly mother for years and after successfully filing for Veterans Aid & Attendance for another family member. A native of the DC Metro area, Jeannie enjoys boating, water adventures, and relaxing with her husband, Evan, their children and grandson, and their menagerie of furry critters.

Connie Fregm, Asset Protection Paralegal

50eae1e984c49f2c520280deConnie received her paralegal certificate in 1991 and began working for a personal injury law firm in York, PA, then relocated to Virginia in 1995 where she first started working for the Farr Law Firm. In 2005, she moved back to York to assist her mother and went back to a position at the personal injury firm during the week and commuting to her home in Northern Virginia for the weekends. After three years of commuting, it was time to return to Northern Virginia to both work and live and to return to the Farr Law Firm. Her years of living with her aging mother (now in her 90s) made Connie acutely aware of the challenges and adventures facing many with aging parents. Connie enjoys bluegrass music and riding motorcycles, as well as baking and cooking with her grandson.

Seresa El-Gafy, Asset Protection, Guardianship, and Probate Paralegal

SeresaAs part of an Air Force family, Seresa traveled extensively around the U.S. before settling in New Jersey, where she obtained a paralegal certificate in 1984. She worked primarily in estate planning and administration for several large firms in New Jersey and New York before relocating to Virginia in 2005. Enticed by the opportunity of working at the esteemed Farr Law Firm (especially with some of the famous authors of Critter Corner), she joined the firm in 2013. Outside the office, Seresa manages her own menagerie of cats, rabbits, teenage daughter, husband, and mother-in-law. As a 4-H parent, she spends most weekends wrangling sheep and chickens to support her daughter’s ambition to be a mixed-species veterinarian. In the five minutes of free time she has every day before retiring, she prefers to read, particularly historical and classical fiction, biographies, military history, and P. G. Wodehouse.

Natasha Cranford, Asset Protection Paralegal

Natasha was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the University of Hawaii and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University. Prior to joining the Asset Protection Paralegal Team at the Farr Law Firm in 2016, Natasha worked in the customer service industry, in the community health nonprofit sector, as an English instructor in the United States and abroad, and as a paralegal. Natasha helped care for her ailing grandfather and her mother, who had suffered several strokes, so she is intimately familiar with the challenges facing the elderly, individuals with disabilities, and their families. In her free time, Natasha enjoys spending time with her human, canine, and avian family.

Arlene Figueroa, Asset Protection Paralegal

Arlene-web

Arlene earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business from Virginia Commonwealth University and worked in the hospitality field before joining the Farr Law Firm as an Asset Protection Paralegal in 2015. Originally from Puerto Rico, Arlene’s family includes two sisters, one of whom struggles with mental illness. Arlene has a child on the spectrum and has been helping her aging parents care for her sister for years, so she understands very well the challenges, joys, and hardships that can be put on a family due to a family member with disabilities. Arlene realized that her passion was to help families, such as hers, overcome these challenges for the well-being of their loved ones. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family (including her amazing and beautiful son, who is on the autism spectrum), reading, and swimming.

Sierra Kolasa, Estate Planning Paralegal
Sierra was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. After years of service in the hospitality field, she chose to shift her attention. Sierra has experienced many stages of care in her family and is excited to assist here at Farr Law Firm to ensure everyone may receive the best care. Sierra started off at the firm as part of the Client Services Team, but after several years was ready to tackle the more difficult duties of being a paralegal, where she has continued to excel. In her off time, Sierra enjoys hiking with her “better half,” Nick, and their dogs, Hayek and Persephone, and enjoying all nature has to offer.

Tim Farr, Estate Planning and Medicaid Paralegal

Timothy Farr

Tim, a Northern Virginia native, has always had a strong desire to help others. He grew up volunteering and in Scouting, earning his Eagle Scout rank in 2013. Tim is a nationally certified paramedic, and in 2014 he started volunteering for a local rescue squad, where he volunteered for over five years. Throughout his time as a volunteer, Tim also worked numerous jobs within the medical field, before eventually deciding to pursue a career in public safety with the government. Transitioning in 2020 to a legal career with the Farr Law Firm, Tim greatly enjoys working for his father’s firm as part of a great team where he can continue his passion for helping others through estate planning and elder law. Outside of work, Tim enjoys playing bass, singing, and writing/recording music, and is also a licensed real estate agent in Virginia and Maryland. While relaxing at home, Tim loves spending time with his wife, Bethany, who is also very musical, as well as their menagerie of furry critters: dogs Gus, Autumn, and Raider, and cat Felicity.

Craig Duncan, Estate Planning, Guardianship, and Probate Paralegal

Craig has lived in northern Virginia most of his life. He graduated from George Mason University with a B.A. in Communication and a concentration in Interpersonal Communication. Before going into the legal field, Craig worked at a cancer practice in their business office. He joined the Farr Law Firm as an Estate Planning Paralegal in 2021. In his free time, Craig likes to read, go hiking, and spend quiet evenings with his friends and family.

Corinna Naranjan, Probate, Trust, and Guardianship ParalegalCorinna Niranjan

Corinna was born in Guyana, South America, but moved to the US as a young child. Prior to joining the Farr Law Firm in 2023, Corinna earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Legal Studies from University of Central Florida and gained over 15 years of experience as a paralegal in the field of elder law, specifically in the areas of probate and guardianship,. Corinna has three kids and enjoys spending time with her children and Fiancé. Her hobbies include traveling, trying new restaurants, and exploring all that life has to offer.

Debbie Mitchell, Client Services

Debbie started her legal career with The Estate Planning and Elder Law Firm, P.C., in 2016, and realized her keen interest and aptitude for this area of law! Transitioning to the Farr Law Firm in 2018 afforded her the opportunity to build upon where she left off, and she loves it! She attended Prince George’s Community College and obtained two Associate of Arts Degrees in Legal Secretary and Word Processing Administration in 1986. Before joining the Farr Law Firm, Debbie had over 20 years of administrative experience from working in the insurance, real estate, and health-related fields. Debbie is originally from the beautiful Island of Jamaica and enjoys spending time with her husband, three children, and grandchildren. Debbie’s favorite pastimes include reading, traveling, spending quiet time with the Lord, and a recently-developed love of gardening. She also volunteers with a team of folks from her church visiting local nursing homes and feeding the homeless once a month by encouraging, singing, praying, and spreading love.

Stefanie Monte, Legal Assistant and Proofreader

Stefanie joined the Farr Law Firm team as a Legal Assistant in 2021, primarily as a proofreader for all estate planning documents. Stefanie has a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Vermont. Her background is in journalism and, more recently, working for the Executive Director of a disability rights organization. Stefanie is a member of ACES: The Society for Editing. In her free time, she enjoys camping with her husband, reading, listening to the blues, and visiting beautiful wild places. One of her favorite spots is Shenandoah National Park, where she worked for two summers during her college years.

Renee Eder, Director of Public Relations

ReneeRenee was born and raised in Rockland County, New York. She received a bachelor’s degree in Applied Social Sciences from Binghamton University in 1997. Upon graduation, she attended Syracuse University and received her Master’s Degree in 1998 in Consumer Studies, with a focus on marketing and seniors. Renee did consulting work in marketing, public relations, branding, and website design at George Mason University, Northern Virginia Community College, and at various associations and charities in the D.C. area before joining the Farr Law Firm in 2012. Renee enjoys spending time with her two children, who are both nationally known for their bowling accomplishments (her son is a college bowler), and spending time with her two miniature poodles, Penny and Moose, her mini labradoodle, Jeff, and her two grand-birds, Kiwi and Mango.

Click here for bios for the Critter Corner Team!

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