About Frederick R.
Frederick R. Franke has built a steady, long-running career in estate and tax law. His path blends formal study, courtroom work and classroom time. Over the years he has moved between private practice and legal education while maintaining an active role in professional groups that shape estate and trust law in Maryland.
He began his academic journey with a B.A. in history from Kenyon College in 1969. He earned his J.D. from Washington and Lee University School of Law in 1973. A decade later he returned to graduate study and completed an LL.M. in Taxation at The George Washington University Law School in 1983. The specialized tax training complemented his earlier legal education and steered much of his subsequent practice.
Franke started his own practice in 1976 when he founded the Law Office of Frederick R. Franke, Jr. That early move into private practice established him as a local resource for estate planning and related matters. He later became associated with Franke Beckett LLC, where he continues his legal work. Across decades he has handled planning, probate and trust administration matters, often addressing tax considerations that arise in those contexts.
His interest in teaching led him into the classroom in the early 1990s. In 1990 he served as an instructor at the University of Maryland University College. The next year he took on an adjunct professor role at the University of Baltimore School of Law. Those appointments kept him engaged with younger lawyers and allowed him to translate practical experience into curricular material.
Professional associations have been a consistent feature of his career. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, an organization reserved for attorneys who practice in estate and trust law. He has been active in the Anne Arundel County Bar Association and its Estate Planning Committee. Within the Maryland State Bar Association he once chaired the Estate and Trust Law Section, a post that reflected peer recognition of his work in this field.
Clients and colleagues see him as an experienced practitioner rather than a public figure. He handles estate planning, probate and trust administration and advises on estate-related tax issues. He practices at Franke Beckett LLC, where his work centers on estate and trust law, probate and the tax aspects of estate planning.
