Mary has been practicing law in the Seattle area since 1977, providing in-depth legal services and advice to clients. She is dedicated to working with elders and their families to develop a comprehensive plan for dealing with long-term care and end-of-life issues.

Currently Mary is serving as president of the Washington State chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), where she also serves on its board of directors. She is a member of the King County Bar Association (KCBA), as well as its Real Property, Probate and Trust Law section. She also serves on the executive committee of the Guardianship and Elder Law Section of the KCBA, is a member of the Elder Law section of the Washington State Bar Association, and is admitted to U.S. District Court, Western District of Washington.

She opened her own law practice in 2005, with a focus on areas of law involving elder and disabled individuals. She started her legal career as a public defender, and also served as an attorney for the Quinault tribe.

As a trial attorney at the Defender Association in Seattle for many years, she has handled hundreds of cases, eventually becoming a supervising attorney, a position she held for over 15 years. She was appointed as an adjunct supervising clinical law professor at the University of Washington School of Law in 2002; her program ended in 2004 as a result of successful legislative changes.

In 2006, the statewide Washington Defender Association honored her with its highest honor, the Gideon Award, for outstanding work in representing low-income and other impoverished clients.