Treetown Law

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Treetown Law A woman-owned law practice based in Ann Arbor, focusing on estate planning for Michigan families.

08/18/2026

Treetown Law is hiring a Client Relationship Manager! Please spread the word to your friends who may be a good fit.

The Client Relationship Manager is the operational backbone of Treetown Law. This position is ideal for someone who is warm, organized, and self-managing - someone who sees what needs to be done and does it proactively. The CRM be the welcoming face of our firm, managing client interactions and office operations while supporting our attorney and paralegal team to deliver exceptional client service.

The ideal candidate thrives in a fast-paced, collaborative environment where your contributions matter. They will notice what clients need, track details that keep everything running smoothly, and go above and beyond to ensure clients feel genuinely cared for. This is more than administrative work. It's an integral part of how we serve our clients and build our practice.

Requirements
• High school diploma or equivalent
• 1-2 years of administrative or customer service experience
• Excellent customer service and communication skills (verbal and written)
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and general office software
• Strong organizational abilities and attention to detail
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and thrive in a fast-paced environment
• Self-directed and comfortable working with minimal supervision
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality and handle sensitive client information

Preferred But Not Required: Experience working in a law firm; experience with estate planning, probate, and/or trust administration; experience with WealthCounsel, Lawmatics, Decision Vault, and/or Google Workspace.

Why This Role Is Special
• Directly impact client satisfaction and firm growth
• Work in a warm, collaborative environment where your contributions are valued
• Have flexibility and autonomy in how you manage your work
• See the meaningful impact of your work on clients' lives and peace of mind
• Clear opportunities for growth and advancement with the firm

How to Apply
Applicants should send an email to [email protected]. The application should include (1) a message in the body of the email answering the question “Why do you feel you are the right fit for this job?” and (2) applicant resume, as an attachment.

↪️ My career—and my life—have taken turns I never could have predicted, including that my first academic journal publica...
02/05/2026

↪️ My career—and my life—have taken turns I never could have predicted, including that my first academic journal publication appears not in a law review, but in the Journal of Perinatology. ↩️

One of my late son Viggo’s many gifts to me has been an introduction to medical professionals working at the intersection of bioethics, neonatology, perinatology, and palliative care. ❤️‍🩹 After meeting through a panel we spoke on together at the 2024 AAP National Conference, my fellow panelists and I continued collaborating, a process for which I am deeply grateful. I am honored to be included among such an extraordinary group of clinicians and scholars.

In September 2025, our article, "When External Factors Limit Care Options for Complex Fetal and Neonatal Diagnoses," was published in the Journal of Perinatology. Our hope is that this work will support providers who are helping families navigate impossible choices within an increasingly fractured legal and policy landscape.

Congratulations and deep thanks to my coauthors: Dr. DonnaMaria Cortezzo, Dr. Terri Major-Kincade, and Dr. April Dworetz.

Abstract and link to the full article in the comments! 👇

Just call me Professor Waddell Tingstad 😎Last fall, a wonderful former client put my name forward to teach Trusts & Esta...
02/04/2026

Just call me Professor Waddell Tingstad 😎

Last fall, a wonderful former client put my name forward to teach Trusts & Estates at Wayne State University Law School—and somehow, here we are.

I said yes for three reasons:
• I never took the class in law school. In my 20s, I had no idea I would someday practice T&E and find it so intellectually rich and rewarding.
• My friend Sam Nuxoll is teaching the same course at the University of Michigan Law School, which means we get to compare notes and collaborate.
• Professor Susan Cancelosi, who taught this course for years, generously shared her guidance, structure, and wisdom to help me get started.

So far, it’s been a significant time commitment—and an unexpectedly rewarding one.

I’m planning to check in here weekly (or close to it) with bite-sized insights from class that might help you—or someone you love—now or down the road.

Ann Arbor’s first-ever Death Over Dinner benefit was a true success—and we’re still feeling the glow.On November 7, 2025...
02/03/2026

Ann Arbor’s first-ever Death Over Dinner benefit was a true success—and we’re still feeling the glow.

On November 7, 2025, Treetown Law had the honor of co-hosting the inaugural Death Over Dinner event with the Children's Palliative Care Coalition of Michigan. All 40 seats sold out, and what followed was an evening far more joyful, connected, and meaningful than I could have imagined.

I planned for a thoughtful conversation. What I didn’t anticipate was the depth of generosity, openness, and care that every single attendee brought into the room. There was a shared sense—expressed again and again—that spaces like this, where people can talk honestly about life, loss, and care, are deeply needed.

With the support of our incredible sponsors, we raised $7,238 to support the critical work of the Children’s Palliative Care Coalition of Michigan—helping ensure that children and families across our state can access palliative-informed care that is holistic, humane, and life-affirming.

💛 Our deepest thanks to the sponsors who made this night possible:
(please give them a follow—they showed up in a big way)

Champion Sponsors:
Darden Wealth Group · Crazy Wisdom Journal · Treetown Law

Benefactor Sponsors:
Pearl Planning · Salvatore Prescott Porter & Porter · Blanchard & Walker PLLC

Supporter Sponsor:
Arbor Trust Wealth Advisors

In-Kind Sponsors:
Sparrow Meat Market · Carosello Pasta · A&L W**e Castle · Roos Roast

And a special thank-you to our phenomenal chef, Bryant, and his support team for creating a meal that quite literally brought everyone together around the table.

One of the most powerful takeaways from the night was how strongly people felt the need for more opportunities like this—spaces for connection, reflection, and honest conversation. We heard that clearly.

✨ We’re already planning the 2nd Annual Death Over Dinner Benefit for Fall 2026. Stay tuned. ✨

If you attended, I’d love to hear what the evening meant to you. And if you’re interested in attending or sponsoring next year, keep an eye out—we would love to welcome you.

11/06/2025

We're hiring!

Our amazing Paralegal/Office Manager has to step back from her role, so we are looking to fill the role of Probate and Trust Administration Paralegal. Flexible hours, competitive pay.

Please spread the word. :)

Treetown Law, PLLC is a local, mom-owned law practice that is committed to providing excellent estate planning, probate, and related services to clients in Michigan. We view estate planning as sacred work, and our approach is high-touch, compassionate, and sophisticated. Ashley meets her clients where they are—in our beautiful office in Kerrytown, on Zoom, at a backyard picnic table, or at the hospital bedside.

The slogan at Treetown Law is "Relationships. Values. Love." Ashley centers the goals of peace of mind and family harmony in her legal strategies for clients, using state-of-the-art legal tools and a finely-honed attention to detail. She has built a warm, family-like atmosphere that also leverages technology, creating seamless, high-quality, timely services for clients while providing flexibility for staff.

Treetown Law currently consists of Ashley and Lisa, our Legal and Administrative Assistant. Ashley and Lisa coordinate schedules and work backwards from client deadlines, meet regularly to discuss priorities and progress toward goals, and cooperate seamlessly in the office and by phone and email. We are obsessed with constant practice improvement to grow sustainably and work efficiently. Our clients often stop by our office in Kerrytown to say hi, and we cherish our growing place in the Ann Arbor community. If you are a bad@$$, know how to manage your own time and get s*it done, and you are on board with what we are building, please email me at [email protected] for the full job description and instructions for how to apply!

Last week was the anniversary of my dad's death. Rick Waddell died on September 19, 2018 from cancer at 62 years old. On...
09/24/2025

Last week was the anniversary of my dad's death. Rick Waddell died on September 19, 2018 from cancer at 62 years old. One week later, his youngest brother and my uncle, Tom Waddell, died unexpectedly of a heart attack at 51 years old.

That week in 2018 is the reason I ultimately shifted my legal practice to estate planning, and it deeply informs my approach to this work.

Two of the greatest lessons I learned were:

1. I needed a Village. As a new transplant to Ann Arbor, I didn’t have close friends I could count on. In PA, I experienced deep roots—my parents had both grown up in the area. Hundreds of people showed up for my family, both during my Dad’s hospice and through the ICU death of my Uncle. No need went unmet. I wondered, who would show up for me if tragedy struck?

2. I needed a Plan. Even though I was a lawyer and a young mom, I didn’t have a Will or any other documents that I might need. My Dad was sick and had put a plan in place; my Uncle was young and healthy and, like most of us, had not yet made a plan. I watched how differently post-death estate stuff played out for our families.

We all need a Village and a Plan. The part that many people miss is that THE VILLAGE IS THE PLAN. They go hand-in-hand, because the true power in any estate plan is not the document or the bank account; it’s the people you name in those documents, whose judgment you trust to enact your plan.

When I returned to “normal life,” I intentionally started building community. I baked and froze lasagnas to deliver to those who might need a home-cooked meal. When a friend was in need, I dropped everything to be there for them. I made an effort to invite neighbors and new friends over for dinner and I showed up to community events. With each engagement, my life grew richer and more beautiful.

Four years after my Dad and Uncle died, my third child, Viggo Rick, was born with a severe genetic condition. Viggo was an amazing little boy who defied the odds by even arriving earthside. He dazzled everyone who met him with his penetrating blue eyes and magical fingers. He completed our little family.

One of the many beautiful gifts of Viggo’s life was the opportunity to feel the presence of my new village. My neighbors came together to finish Viggo’s nursery while we were in the NICU, as he had come early. Friends and acquaintances from all over the world sent meals and messages of love and support. Others raised money for in-home nursing care and a generator so that Viggo’s breathing machine would never lose power. Our older children were always cared for while my husband and I were in the hospital with Viggo.

If there’s one thing I hope you take from my story, it’s this: don’t wait. Start building your Village now, and make your Plan while things are good. An excellent Plan is necessary but not sufficient. It's the people, not the documents, who will hold you up when the bottom falls out.

Marriage equality is not something we can take for granted anymore. For LGBTQ families in Michigan, having a solid plan ...
09/23/2025

Marriage equality is not something we can take for granted anymore. For LGBTQ families in Michigan, having a solid plan in place isn’t just a good idea, it’s protection when it matters most.

From who can make medical decisions for you, to who inherits your home, to who cares for your kids - these aren’t things you want left to chance.

I wrote a blog that breaks down the key steps LGBTQ families should be taking right now. https://www.treetownlaw.com/blog/lgbtqfamilyprotection

Estate planning is personal, and we're grateful for the trust our clients place in us. Thank you for the kind review!
09/22/2025

Estate planning is personal, and we're grateful for the trust our clients place in us. Thank you for the kind review!

When my dad came home on hospice at just 62 years old, I was forced to look death straight in the eye. A week after my D...
09/18/2025

When my dad came home on hospice at just 62 years old, I was forced to look death straight in the eye. A week after my Dad's death, my 51-year-old uncle died suddenly. Those months of loss changed me forever.

Through my grief, I discovered two things I couldn’t ignore: I needed a Village, and I needed a Plan. Those lessons reshaped not just my life, but also my work.

I share more of that story - how death, community, and love shaped the way I live my life and practice law today - in my latest blog. 🌿💜 https://www.treetownlaw.com/blog/thevillageistheplan

How much money do I need before an estate plan is necessary?You don’t need to be as wealthy as Mark Zuckerberg or Oprah ...
05/30/2025

How much money do I need before an estate plan is necessary?

You don’t need to be as wealthy as Mark Zuckerberg or Oprah Winfrey to establish an estate plan. You don’t need significant financial assets to have an estate plan. What you do need is one of the following: someone you love, the desire to control your life decisions and finances, the desire to maintain privacy, or the wish to avoid court interference.

To help you think this through, here are non-monetary reasons to have an estate plan in place: an estate plan empowers your trusted helpers to make healthcare decisions and manage your day-to-day affairs if you’re not able to; appoints guardians for minor children and pets; and avoids medical heroics through a living will.

Contact us to get started today! ▶️ https://www.treetownlaw.com/contact

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214 N Fourth Avenue, 2nd Floor
Ann Arbor, MI
48104

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