Ellen K. Harrison

Litigation - Trusts and Estates

3.0 (1 reviews)

Washington, District of Columbia

52+ years experience

McDermott Will & Schulte

Updated: Jan 04, 2026

Contact Information

202-756-8000

https://www.mwe.com/people/harrison-ellen-k

The McDermott Building, 500 North Capitol Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001-1531

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Bio

Ellen K. Harrison advises clients on a broad range of tax issues, including estate planning and administration, tax controversies, and income, gift and estate tax planning for individuals, businesses and charitable organizations. She has significant experience drafting wills, trusts, powers of attorney, prenuptial arrangements and buy-sell agreements, as well as a broad range of corporate documents and family partnership agreements. Her tax controversy and litigation experience includes Internal Revenue Service (IRS) audits, IRS appeals, refund claims and US Tax Court litigation.Read full biography: https://www.mwe.com/people/harrison-ellen-k/ Ellen K. Harrison advises clients on a broad range of tax issues, including estate planning and administration, tax controversies, and income, gift and estate tax planning for individuals, businesses and charitable organizations. She has significant experience drafting wills, trusts, powers of attorney, prenuptial arrangements and buy-sell agreements, as well as a broad range of corporate documents and family partnership agreements. Her tax controversy and litigation experience includes Internal Revenue Service (IRS) audits, IRS appeals, refund claims and US Tax Court litigation. Read full biography: https://www.mwe.com/people/harrison-ellen-k/

Practice Areas

Litigation - Trusts and Estates

Awards & Recognition

Lawyer of the Year: Litigation - Trusts and Estates, Washington DC (2015)
Recognized: Litigation - Trusts and Estates
Recognized: Trusts and Estates

Recognized in Best Lawyers since 1997

Education

Harvard University, J.D., graduated 1973

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Reviews

Barbara Smith

2 weeks ago

Adequate estate planning, but communication could improve

Ellen Harrison's deep expertise in trusts and estates is evident. Her 50+ years of experience and recognition in the field gave us confidence when revising our family's complex estate plan. She correctly identified several tax implications we had overlooked. However, the process felt less collaborative than expected. Responses to emails were sometimes delayed by several business days, and explanations of certain legal strategies were occasionally brief, requiring us to seek further clarification. For straightforward matters, her competence is clear, but for clients who prefer frequent touchpoints, the communication style may feel distant. The work product was solid, but the client experience was merely satisfactory.