Portrait of Laura Melia

Laura Melia

Principal

She/Her/Hers

Laura Melia is a principal estates and trusts practitioner with over 30 years of experience. She works with clients of all ages, net worth and backgrounds to devise comprehensive estate and business plans that provide peace of mind. Her experience enables her to analyze situations and tailor solutions to meet specific goals such as minimization of taxes, protection of beneficiaries, avoidance of probate, charitable giving and planning for disability. To help individuals and families achieve their planning goals, Laura prepares a variety of estate and tax planning vehicles including wills, revocable trusts, various types of irrevocable trusts, charitable trusts, durable general powers of attorney, advance directives for health care, limited liability companies and private foundations. Laura represents personal representatives in the administration of estates, preparing accountings, assisting with the conveyance of real estate and personal property. She also represents trustees in the administration, management and distribution of assets held in trust.

    Education

    • University of Baltimore School of Law (J.D.)
    • Loyola Law School (B.A.)

    State Bar Admissions

    • Maryland

    Court Admissions

    • Supreme Court of Maryland

    Professional Affiliations

    • American Bar Association
    • Community Foundation of Frederick County: Professional Advisors Council (2009-present); Scholarship Committee (2016-present)
    • Frederick County Bar Association
    • Citizens for the Preservation of Middletown Valley, Inc., Board of Directors
    • Frederick County Chamber of Commerce: Leadership Frederick County (2017–2018)
    • Frederick Memorial Hospital, Inc.: Board of Directors (2012-present)
    • Maryland State Bar Association
    • Maryland Volunteer Lawyers (1992-present)
    • Monocacy Health Partners, Inc.: Board of Directors Chairperson (2017-present); Member (2016-present)
    • Citizens for the Preservation of Middletown Valley, Inc.: Board of Directors (2011-present)
  • Biography
  • Publications & News
  • Featured Works

Firm Highlights

  • Podcasts
    Artful Donations: Exploring Museum Exchange
    In this episode of The Legal Canvas, host Caryn Keppler welcomes Robert Wainstein and Michael Darling, co-founders of Museum Exchange, the first digital platform dedicated to facilitating art donations to museums and nonprofit institutions across North America. Together, they explore how technology is transforming the way collectors, artists, estates, and cultural organizations connect through charitable giving. Robert and Michael explain the inspiration behind Museum Exchange, the challenges they set out to solve, and how the platform has grown into a network of more than 400 museums. They walk listeners through the donation process—from evaluating artwork and matching donors with institutions to handling logistics, documentation, and tax considerations. Along the way, they discuss the realities of museum collecting, why many donations are declined, and how thoughtful placements can help preserve artists' legacies while expanding access to important works of art. The conversation also explores Museum Exchange's work with living artists, artist estates, hospitals, universities, and smaller regional museums, as well as the launch of the Charis Foundation for the Arts, a nonprofit designed to steward significant collections before placing them with institutions that can best benefit from them. Robert and Michael conclude by sharing their vision for the future of charitable art transactions and how Museum Exchange is helping reshape philanthropy in the arts for generations to come.