Our office
The Law Office of Steven M Berger, LLC was established in 2012. Based in Severna Park, Maryland, we serve our community in Anne Arundel County and the surrounding areas, including Crofton and Odenton. Owner Steven M. Berger saw a need for a local practice that focuses solely on wills, trusts and estate administration. He created a firm that can be there for families as they plan for what lies ahead and process what has happened after the loss of a loved one.
We often see middle class households who want to protect and pass down their assets and values to the next generation. Many of our clients are government or corporate employees who have accumulated their assets by long years of loyal service. Our firm strives to keep up with the latest technologies and changes in the law. The Law Office of Steven M Berger, LLC can provide your family with a comprehensive estate plan at a fair and reasonable cost.
Get in touch
We would love to hear from you. Please feel free to contact us with any estate planning or administration questions you have.
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Our team
Owner
Steven M. Berger
Steven M. Berger has been concentrating his practice on estate planning in Maryland for over 10 years. He sees estate work as a place where values can be put into action, both within families and through charitable and community organizations you support. A properly drafted estate plan can minimize strife amongst your heirs and passes along hard earned assets to family and charities.
He attends ongoing training in the field through WealthCounsel and the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils (NAEPC). Steven is recognized as an Accredited Estate Planner by the NAEPC, a professional specialization awarded to estate planning professionals who demonstrate a depth of knowledge, experience, education, professional reputation and character. He is also a board certified Estate Planning Law Specialist.
Steven is married to Valerie, a kindergarten teacher, and has three daughters and four grandchildren. He is an active member at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and formerly served on the executive council. He ran the Marine Corps Marathon in 2014 after a summer of training with the Annapolis Striders. He is a licensed pilot and continues to bike, run and enjoy the outdoors.
Education
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND SCHOOL OF LAW
Juris Doctor, 1990
UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ACADEMY
B.S., Economics, Management, 1976
Activities & Affiliations
• Severna Park Chamber of Commerce, Member
• Air Force Academy Association of Graduates, Secretary, Baltimore Chapter
• Wills for Heroes, Pro bono attorney
Designations
• Estate Planning Law Specialist
• Accredited Estate Planner
• Accredited Attorney for Veterans Affairs
• Maryland State Bar
Attorney
Candice Joy
Candice began practicing estate planning and administration shortly after her two, post law school, judicial clerkships. As a mother to three young children, ages 7, 10 and 12, it is particularly important to her to have the opportunity to help her clients create a plan that gives them peace of mind. Her favorite part of her practice is getting to know her clients’ families while finding solutions that meet their needs.
Candice was raised in Severna Park attending Benfield Elementary and Severna Park Middle and High Schools. She has always loved the local area and is raising her children in Arnold, Maryland. Candice is an active member of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Severna Park. She enjoys volunteering as a faith formation instructor and at her children’s schools. She also stays busy with her children’s various Scout and sports activities.
Candice attends ongoing training in the planning and administration field through WealthCounsel and the National Association of Estate Planners & Councils (NAEPC).
Education
COLLEGE OF WILLIAM AND MARY, SCHOOL OF LAW
Juris Doctor, 2009
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, BALTIMORE COUNTY (UMBC)
B.A., English, 2005
MANAGING ATTORNEY
Paula M. Mattson-Sarli, Esq.
Paula received her calling to practice estate planning and elder law during her final year of law school when her father passed away. Paula understands how important it is to continue to learn and grow and seeks to educate her clients and prospects by offering seminars and presentations on various topics of estate planning and elder law.
During law school, Paula worked full-time for a criminal defense firm in Greenbelt, while attending classes in the evening. She knew she wanted to practice estate planning and elder law and soon realized that she needed to practice in a firm whose sole focus was on estate planning in order to have access to the resources needed to become proficient in this area of the law. Her experiences in those firms gave her a wealth of knowledge, which fueled her drive to open her own firm in 2013. She is now happy to join the Law Office of Steven M Berger, LLC as Managing Attorney and addressing the much-needed area of elder law.
Paula’s father was a wartime veteran and an employee of the U.S. Postal Service when he died at the age of 59 without an estate plan. The lessons her father’s estate taught her were invaluable and she carries them with her every day.
Paula’s dedication to serving the military and their families is why she became an accredited attorney with the Veterans Administration. This accreditation allows her to assist wartime veterans or their surviving spouses in qualifying and applying for Aid & Attendance pension benefits.
Paula and her husband, Evan, of nineteen years, live in Anne Arundel County with their beloved dog Jasmine, with the memory of those that have passed with them always.
Activities & Designations
• Elder Law
• Accredited Attorney with the Veterans Administration
• Maryland Bar
• District of Columbia Bar
Education
UNIVERSITY OF BALTIMORE SCHOOL OF LAW
Juris Doctor, 2005
Paralegal
Sabrina Coughlin
As a paralegal (and pseudo-expert in military life after 21 years as a Navy wife), Sabrina dedicates her time to assist our clients in planning for their future. Always focused on the client's best interests, she employs her knowledge and expertise drafting wills and trusts, estate planning, estate administration, probate and various forms.
Sabrina spends her personal time enjoying her hometown, Severna Park, the local communities and all they have to offer, U.S. Naval Academy activities (her husband is class of ‘81), old friends and of course, her ever-growing family (four grandchildren and counting!). Go Navy!
Education
ANNE ARUNDEL COMMUNITY COLLEGE
A.A.S., Paralegal Studies
UNIVERSITY OF BALTIMORE, COLLEGE OF NOTRE DAME
Coursework
Estate Administrator
Karla Horn
Karla handles much of the estate administration and probate matters in our office. At her former job at the Department of Defense, she was an auditor and supervisor at the Defense Contract Audit Agency. She brings her experience in accounting and auditing to make sure that our estates are handled efficiently.
Karla and her husband are raising their three school age children in the area. They keep busy with basketball, soccer and swimming through Broadneck Area Youth Sports and the Severna Park YMCA.
Education
FROSTBERG STATE UNIVERSITY
B.S., Accounting, 1989
C.P.A., 1998
Information officer
Juliana Mann
Juliana manages the technology systems that keeps the office running smoothly and securely. Prior to working at the Law Office of Steven M Berger, LLC, she was a web developer at Barnes & Noble. Juliana has worked in graphic design and web development for over 10 years. She enjoys making client experience better through clear language, functional design and easy to use online tools.
Juliana works remotely from the NYC area and has two preschool aged children, Jupiter and Epiphany.
Education
BENNINGTON COLLEGE
B.A., Liberal Arts, 2003
CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY
B.F.A, Design, 2007
OFFICE ASSISTANT/Paralegal
Arianna Walker
Arianna helps manage the new client process as well as some marketing and social media. Prior to working at the Law Office of Steven M Berger, LLC, Arianna has worked in various paralegal and financial roles since 2010.
Arianna works remotely from the Eastern side of Washington State and is married with four children ages 3, 5,7 and 14. In her spare time she loves to plan travel on a budget and find the best deals.
Education
SPOKANE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
A.A.S, Paralegal Studies, 2014
EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
B.B.A, Finance, 2016