Holly A. Surface, Appellate Attorney in Des Moines, Washington

Holly A. Surface is a Partner at Des Moines Elder Law, PLLC focusing on appellate work, real property litigation, trust and estate disputes, and protection of vulnerable adults. She graduated Cum Laude from Seattle University School of Law in December 2021. She has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with emphasis in Financial Management and Real Estate from Colorado State University and a Paralegal Certificate from Highline Community College.In addition to litigating property, trust, estate, and guardianship matters and representing fiduciaries as an attorney, Ms. Surface has served in many roles as a court-appointed fiduciary. Formerly a Certified Professional Guardian, Ms. Surface was the founder and former director of Abacus Guardianship, Inc. a Washington Certified Professional Guardianship Agency. As a court-appointed fiduciary for over ten years, Ms. Surface has extensive experience in complex case management. For individuals under guardianship this includes health and personal care management, financial management, forensic accounting, and asset recovery, and regular access of the legal system to assert and protect the rights of individuals with limited legal capacity.Ms. Surface also founded and formerly directed Abacus Fiduciary Association, a Washington nonprofit corporation acting as court appointed trustee and estate Personal Representative. Ms. Surface has extensive experience in the probate and trust arena, both as an attorney, with knowledge of the law of trusts and estates in the State of Washington, and as a fiduciary, with the actual practice of trust and estate administration. She has routinely managed estates and trusts following removal of a prior fiduciary.As an attorney, Ms. Surface has successfully defended appeals, prevailed at trial on guardianship and vulnerable adult protection matters, has prosecuted and defended multiple TEDRA matters, and remains committed to the protection of vulnerable adults.One such example is Matter of Est. of Quach Living Tr., 34 Wn. App. 2d 1090 (2025), as amended on reconsideration (Aug. 20, 2025) in which Ms. Surface prosecuted a claim to quiet title in the name of the above referenced trust, prevailing on summary judgment and successfully defending on appeal.Another example is Villa Marina Ass'n of Apartment Owners v. Collins, 33 Wash. App. 2d 1057 (2025), in which Ms. Surface prevailed on a claim of delinquent condominium assessments, over multiple years and spanning multiple lawsuits. Ms. Surface successfully defended the case upon the second appeal; the matter having been remanded back to the trial court following the first appeal.Ms. Surface primarily practices in state court and is licensed to practice in US District Court, Western District of Washington. She has given presentations relating to addressing real property issues within probate and recovery of assets for vulnerable adults. Ms. Surface has been appointed in TEDRA matters in Pierce County Superior Court as an ADA accommodation to qualifying adults with disabilities. Ms. Surface regularly volunteers as a rater for YMCA Mock Trial competitions for high school students.