Attorney Ethel Mitchell is on a mission to educate Black families, especially mothers and wives, about estate planning. “We do so much to take care of our families. We cannot neglect to preserve the family home, too,” she shared.
Ethel is confident that estate planning is a key factor in building generational wealth. Through her family-owned law firm, Wills and Trusts, she helps families better manage their legal and financial affairs. Every Saturday at 8:30 a.m. she’s on the air for her show, Law Talk with Ethel Mitchell, providing helpful information on how to apply the law to your daily life.
According to predictions about our aging nation from Census.gov, “Older adults are projected to outnumber children under age 18 for the first time in U.S. history by 2034, according to Census Bureau projections.” Predictions like this indicate why it’s important to plan now for the transfer of wealth to come. Proper estate planning is a great way to get started.
Her Agenda had the opportunity to learn more from Attorney Ethel Mitchell about estate planning, what her journey in law has been like, and how she shaped her life through her career.
Her Agenda: As an attorney specializing in estate planning, what inspired you to choose this particular area of law to focus on?
Ethel Mitchell: I’ve often wondered why it is that so many people, especially Black people, work really hard. As I was growing up, I realized we were not able to easily transfer our wealth from one generation to the next. There seemed to be a gap between the monetary piece and the legacy piece. The lack of educational opportunities our people often faced created barriers in knowing the legal information someone needed to help them pass on family property. Then I realized estate planning is all about that, and I love families, so to practice this kind of law was certain for me.
Her Agenda: Can you share your journey of starting as an estate planning lawyer and what led to the transition into founding your own firm?
Ethel Mitchell: I’ve almost always worked for myself. I lived in St. Thomas for 20 years, and there was not a large audience to just do estate planning. So I did divorce law, real estate, personal injury, and so on. Then, when I came back to the States in ‘96, I worked in DC with the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, and then left there in 2003. I realized DC, Maryland, and Virginia had enough people to only do estate planning, which was always my passion. I was already a member of the bar in DC and had to take the tests in Maryland and Virginia, too. That gave me a large enough audience to make a living off of it. I started out with my own firm and established Wills and Trusts.
Her Agenda: The work you do in family and estate planning is incredibly impactful, especially with your law firm being family-owned. I’d love to hear more about how your career has influenced your children in pursuing law as well.
Ethel Mitchell: Ha! I joked and told my kids not to go to law school. They had other fun interests I encouraged them to explore, but they didn’t listen. Their father is a lawyer too. My kids took their own path to law after pursuing other careers. It feels good to have them doing what they’re passionate about, and having Scott work with me too at Wills and Trusts.
Her Agenda: What are some essential tips for effectively preparing for estate and end-of-life planning while you’re still alive?
Ethel Mitchell: Number one, when you get married, do not automatically put your new spouse’s name on your deed or house. When you put somebody’s name on your deed, you cannot take it off. I urge women not to make permanent decisions out of love. That’s where you can have a will, and you can say, if [or] when I die if we’re still married, then you get the house. Number two, you cannot be a little bit married. A lot of women will separate and be separated for 20+ years, and they think they no longer have to worry about their legal husband. Well, no – you have to get a divorce, and it’s not hard if you’ve been separated that long. The Will or Trust will help determine who gets what after you leave the planet.
Her Agenda: Finances and assets can be a touchy subject. What’s the best approach to building confidence and initiating estate planning discussions with parents regarding Wills and Trusts?
Ethel Mitchell: I understand this can be an uncomfortable conversation for some families. But by having the conversation and getting the work done, it’s taken care of. If you wait too late to have these conversations, it can make it painfully difficult to take care of your parents and handle legal matters. At the very least, I’d recommend having a Power of Attorney and a Medical Directive.
Her Agenda: Are Wills and Trusts only for wealthy families?
Ethel Mitchell: I tell people – it’s not about how much money you have, it’s what you want to do with it. A trust is really effective when you’re trying to take care of somebody. A Will helps distribute your assets after you’re gone.
Her Agenda: As women, what are the first steps we can take to protect and preserve our legacy?
Ethel Mitchell: Honestly, our website, https://willsandtrusts.net/, has so much information to get started with. We purposely set it up like this to educate and empower folks. Also, I host a podcast, Law Talk with Ethel Mitchell to share a lot of legal information about estate planning. Then go ahead and request a consultation with us.
Her Agenda: I want to transition into learning more about your life. From the conversations we had, I know there’s more to Attorney Ethel Mitchell and how you designed your life.
Ethel Mitchell: I wouldn’t say I designed my life, haha I always had this passion about traveling and trying new things. I grew up in Louisiana. I was born in Texas and raised in Louisiana, and they put the Black schools next to the railroad track. I don’t know why, but they did. I would look out the window and tell myself, ‘I’m gonna get on a train and get out of here one day.’ Then I went away to boarding school in Louisiana in the middle of the French Quarter. That opened my eyes to SO much.
Her Agenda: What did those experiences teach you and show you?
Ethel Mitchell: So my 111th thing I would encourage women to do is branch out. Try out new things. For example, between my freshman and sophomore year, and my sophomore and junior year, I got a job in Madison, Wisconsin, at Forest Products Laboratories. I didn’t know anybody or anything about the company. I had no family there. My mother was too upset with me, you know, but I saw the job posted on the board somewhere at my college, and they offered me the job. And I think I was the only little Black kid there, too.
Her Agenda: How was law school? Did you experience any challenges?
Ethel Mitchell: I absolutely hated it. I didn’t like law school because it wasn’t for me.
Her Agenda: So what kept you going?
Ethel Mitchell: Partly, just as my grandmother said, you’d be a fool not to go, you know, that’s exactly what she said to me. It was a matter of studying and working and doing what I had to do. I knew if I got through law school, there would be a lot more opportunities available to me. I never expected to practice law. I didn’t know what I was going to do with it, but I did know that a degree would give me a lot more options. Back in the day, we didn’t have much freedom to up and leave, so I stayed focused.
Her Agenda: What would be your advice for women balancing career, family, marriage, hobbies, all that, while still creating the life they want?
Ethel Mitchell: One of the reasons why I stayed in law school was because I knew I could make more money. Okay, that was real! What I did was I made enough money to have a live-in babysitter, and I could go travel, I could work, even though I was divorced, and my ex-husband would come and pick up and take my son to school and do whatever needed to be done while I was traveling. Now, I wasn’t traveling all the time, but when I wanted to, I had plans in order.
[Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.]
